His Little Angel (short story)

Love was one feeling that could grow stronger inside a person while eating away at them. In his thirty years, Darren had received a broken heart before but not to the same degree. Seeing his daughter in hospital was a profound experience, turning every day into a dark one. What hurt most was the sheer feeling of helplessness. His little angel was hurting and he could do nothing.

He caressed her cheek. He found that he envied his ex-wife who sat across from him, and especially the new man in her life. He decided then and there, custody rules were a bitch. Every morning he would wake alone, while they had the pleasure of his angel's company. No words could describe his feelings. What was worse, his little angel had tubes inserted into her mouth and nose, pumping her body full of drugs. It didn't make seeing her in this state any easier.

"Excuse me, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Darren turned to the nurse standing at the doorway, his expression vacant. "Visiting time is over."

Those words were like a knife to his heart. He found himself peering down at his watch in the futile hope he'd imagined the nurse speaking. But no, there was no solace. There was only the cold, hard realisation he'd need to leave.

He looked up. His ex was already on her feet, waiting. He had heard no sigh of protest. She did not deserve custody. He questioned why he'd ever fallen for her. She was easy on the eyes, but cold.

He needed one last look at his daughter. He took it. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, moving her blonde hair out of her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow, my angel."

He spared no passing glance for the nurse, but he'd reserved a look for his ex. "Would it have hurt you to have kissed her goodbye?" he said, once they were in the corridor and the door had shut. She did not reply.

There was a hint of strain visible but he did not care much. "You're a cold bitch. It doesn't hurt to show your feelings, if you ever had any." Then there was Bill. He felt bitter just thinking about him. "And where's Bill? Working so he can support your needs when you could be using the money to help our daughter? He could have at least been here."

"And what about you?" she snapped. "When was the last time you gave me child support?"

"Damn it, Jen. It's easy to say that when you decided to bang someone else and leave me with nothing, then take my daughter away."

He walked away. If he had not, he would have hit her. He hated to admit it but there was an element of truth in her words. There was no excuse for it, though. Leaving, he could hear Jen's voice. He could guess the words. We don't need you. Go home, screw your girlfriend and do nothing.

She was partly right, he reflected reaching his car. He would do nothing, at least, anything productive. He hadn't produced anything good for ages with his writing. But if if he could get out of the rut he was in, maybe he could help his angel with Karen's aid. He wished so much that he could. Then maybe just maybe, he could end his days without his angel. He, Karen and his angel could be one happy family.