Ella
turned around and ran towards me. The man with the umbrella tried to grab her.
Ella picked up my umbrella and handed it back to me. The raindrops coalesced
down the top of the umbrella. Her bright yellow dress was soaked.
“Your
umbrella, mister,” she said.
“Thank
you, Ella, and my name is Daniel,” I said.
Ella
looked confused. “Mister Daniel, why are you laughing?”
Was
I? I could only see Ella. Her concern illuminated the darkness within me. I
wished she was my kid. A hand touched my shoulder. I froze and turned. It was
Ella’s father.
“I
don’t know who you are or why you are talking to my child but leave,” the
father said.
Ella’s
mother pulled on his arm and he subtly grabbed her wrist like a token of
affection. “He’s just a passerby dear. Ella will catch a cold if we stand out
here any longer.”
Something
wasn’t right. I recognized that look. It was the same look my mother had when
my father came home reeking of alcohol. I suspected that grip on her wrist was
just a bit too tight. Ella seemed fine. Maybe she didn’t even know. Maybe she
knew and still maintained her happiness anyways. Ella was my sunshine. I would
protect her at all costs. I didn’t believe in God but at that moment, the rain
seemed to slow like it does in the movies. My umbrella was shielding Ella from
becoming more wet. The father’s umbrella rolled around the pavement. Did he
even deserve to be called a father? Did mine? Did Ella have the same crappy
childhood I did? The raindrops turned blue as lights from the police cars
shined on us.
“Mr.
Waters, you are under arrest. Hands behind your back,” a cop said, pointing his
gun at him.
“Fuck
you Chantel! I didn’t do anything wrong!” Mr. Waters shouted. His face was red
with anger and spittle flew from his mouth. Another cop slammed him into the
hood of the police car. Ella covered her ears. I was glad the cops had him
because I would’ve strangled him.
“I
never touched her! She’s a lying whore!”
“I
hope you die and go to hell!” Chantel yelled.
“I’m
glad I’ll never see your ugly bitch ass face again!”
Suddenly,
it all made sense. The cops had spent the day searching for Ella’s father.
That’s why I heard the sirens. Ella and her father must’ve been nearby. I
wished I hadn’t smoked all my cigarettes. I wished I had a bottle of wine with
my alfredo. Ella’s bright eyes shined at me. Maybe I should stop drinking. Ella’s
father tried to fight the cops. He was a meaty man. Three cops struggled to get
him into the car. The door slammed shut and Ella’s mother began to cry or was
that rain on her face?
Her
umbrella had blown away.
We
watched as the flashing blues sped away into the night. Ella’s mother sobbed.
The wind took away her voice and the rain replaced her tears. Ella latched
herself onto her mother. Poor things were soaked to the bone.
I
stood as far away as I could as I held my umbrella over them.