Under the same universe

Epilogue: My Recurring Past

Our home is a sanctuary.
His sanctuary.
How can i forget that? I can't.
No matter. I love our children.
Three healthy children.
I never thought i would be able to have them.
Why? I don't know, my body doesn't act normal.

I hear a car door slam shut. My heart starts racing in my chest. Slowly I put down the bowl in my hand into the kitchen sink, wiping my hands on a kitchen towel. I make my way to the living room.

3 little heads pop up from behind seat cushions. They love making forts. sigh.Each of my children has glossy brown locks, curly like their father. Their eyes shining with tiny glee. "Papa, papa, papa" all our children pipe in unison as their father opens the door.

My husband surveys the living room carefully then each of our children before resting his eyes on me. He slams the door behind him, his eyes looking me up and down before grunting his displeasure at taking off his heavy boots and soiled clothes. He quickly discards them into the laundry basket I put in the front.

"PA PA!" My oldest child shills frustrated that his father hasn't acknowledged him yet. My husband quickly turns toward our son giving him a big beautiful smile. His smile was always so beautiful, his teeth flawlessly straight and even. "My son!", Lifting him up in the air, "have you been good?". Our son shrieks a laughter as he flys up in the air. "papa, i have been good I promise" he says swooping his tiny arms around his father neck. They give each other a quick hug and he set my son on his feet.

His eyes look at me again. I hear my heart pound in my ears. "how was work?" I softly ask. He gives me a hard look "horrible, I have a dumbass of a coworker. I'm surprised he is still alive with how many accidents he has at work. Today he had left our work truck on drive instead of park. You should have seen his face!!" He chuckles no longer focusing on me.

"I gotta take a shower. I'm hungry, so hope whatever you cooked today is at least decent, woman" he says, quickly going into our master bedroom and patting the heads of our other two children along the way.

I go about setting the table quickly for him, our kids had already eaten and were resuming their fort game. I do a mental checklist: food warm ✔, tortillas ✔, cheese ✔, pickled jalapeños ✔, and did he ask me for anything else extra ....no then double ✔.

He walks out hair dripping and freshly changed. "Finally some good food" as he surveys the food, taking in a big spoonful into his mouth before sitting down. I turn toward the tv control remote in hand, turning it on and scrolling till I stopped at his favorite channel. I move over to the dish drying rack, grabbing dish after dish putting it back.

" Breaking news, sorry to interrupt the regular programming" Says the news anchor as the camera zooms into his face " you are hearing this first on channel 5 exclusively. With our independent and investigative reporter Miles Yu, here to give you the facts accurately and in real time, now with Miles"

" Thank you James, as of 5:00 pm western time, there have been reports of increased police presence in the outer skirts of the city but it has only been in the last couple of minutes that government military vehicles are seen arriving. There has been no recent or current reports of any kind of large criminal activity. We contacted the police department for comment but they have yet to release a statement. We did talk to an passerby who says he was driving from the direction the vehicles where traveling and said the police has now blocked and diverted traffic to another route. This is Miles Yu reporting and we will keep you updated as the story progresses, Thank you."

" Jesus, I wonder what's happening" he says as he gets up and goes to the bedroom. I go to the table to start cleaning up and the the tv squawks "Please join us at 11pm for your local news and exclusive dashcam footage of our progressing story with Miles Yu. Only at channel 5"

I turn off the tv, tidy up the house a little bit before getting the kids ready for bed. I gently close their door while looking at their round cherub faces sleeping. Oh how i marveled at their tiny hands and feet when they were babies i thought to myself.

My hair on the back of my neck stands on end and my skin tingles as I stand outside our master bedroom. I take a deep breath, let my mind go blank, and still my twitching hand. The room is dark, I assume he is already asleep since he hasn't said a word. I dash to the bathroom , brush my teeth, tinkle,and wash my hands. I don't need any lights, I have memorized our room and know where I am going. I take the first soft mumu i feel in the drawer and slip it on as i take my other clothes off.
I gently lay down and cover myself.

He turns.

(Minipurse)