That’s The Way Life Goes Sometimes

*Disclaimers Notice: The following short story contains offensive language.

That’s The Way Life Goes Sometimes – Timon Tan

From the dark, voices spoke. Voices, shouts, screams, the shattering of objects, those sounds crept into Vicki’s room through the gap between the door and the floor. Outside, a man and a woman screamed at each other, the woman, pulling her hair as she walked past the man who was her husband. The man, sweating all over, with raised voice as he voiced his opinion to his wife. Their voices, tension filled with anger and hate.

“Fuck you Dave! You make me sick! SICK!” She screamed, pointing an accusation finger over at her husband, face raved with abhorrence.

“Fuck you too Kath! Why did we ever get married? Why didn’t I see this in you before? Why are you such a bitch!”

Back in the room, the noises began to awake little Vicki. Slowly, but surely, she rolled off her mattress and made her way to the door, rubbing her eyes wide from the sleep in her eyes.

“Kath…I hate you! I really do hate you!” Dave said, turning his back with his arms folded to Kath, refusing to face her.

“That’s it! I had it! I had it with you! I want a divorce!”

Creeping silently, she felt the door in the darkness. Gradually, she opened the door till there was a small gap, enough for her to listen clearly what was being discussed outside and to get a view of what was going on.

“Fine! I’m moving out of here!” Dave shouted, this time with fist clenched, slamming them onto the table top, the glass and wares jumping in motion with its intensity.

Vicki jumped at the sight, she saw clearly what her father did. She saw clearly the anger and hatred that was harbored in him. She had never saw him in such a way before…all she knew from him was love, not anger and hate. It did not look like him at all…it looked like a beast.

“Good! Get out of my sights! Get out!” Kath screamed like a mad woman! “You sleep on couch tonight!”

“No. I paid for this house. You sleep on the couch!” He said coldly.

“No. This is my house too. I paid for it!” Kath retorted!

Now tears began to fall from Vicki’s eyes. Even her mom had transformed into the same beast as dad, a beast of anger and hatred. It was her parents, the two people who loved her, adored her and sacrificed all their heart and soul for her, now, at each other’s necks.

“Oh yeah? Who made the decision? Who made it all possible?” He snapped immediately, almost at breaking point.

“Who bought the couch? Who paid for cushion? Who-.”

SLAP!

Kath fell to the floor, her palm pressed against cheek. She slowly took it away, looking through her palm to the floor, than through her husband at the wall.

“Dave…how could…” She whispered with disbelief, than ran off to the master room, slamming the door shut, bolting the lock.

All this little Vicki witnessed. She saw it all just as her dad slapped her mom in plain sight and cruelty. She was an innocent bystander, brought into the adult world of violence and selfishness. All this was too much for her to comprehend, never exposed to such vices, always shielded from such harm…but now…

“Fuck her! Fuck Kath! Fuck this! Fuck it all!” He shouted out loud, venting his anger through his words…words that was nothing less immoral. All these little Vicki heard. All these little Vicki disliked. Little Vicki slowly crept back from the door, her little heart aching as the devil of her father and mother threw its unseen burden onto her. It made her cry, it made her wrenched, it made her felt unloved, unsecured. She could not believe it was him…no it was not her father. It was not him! It could not be him!

Dave cursed and swore a few more words. No words could explain how he felt…hatred, anger, pain. Deep inside, his heart ached. It ached from all those feelings. It pierced him like a hundred knives, yet, even as a matured adult, did not know how to remove them, rather, it almost seemed that he did not want to…

He fell back onto the chair, thinking how did he get himself into such shit. With his hands on his head, he gave a frustrated growl. He wanted to cry, but could not…his heart hardened. He drew his eyes towards the master bed room where he could hear sobs from.

“Screw her!” He thought. His focus went from the left to the right, onto his daughter’s room, than he noticed the gap. In the darkness, he saw the reflection of the hall lights as two little dots as it moved further and further into the darkness.

“Oh my, Vicki!” He gasped in incredulity…


From the darkness voices spoke. Normal voices, goodbyes, the sounds of the moving of items…naturally, with those sounds, little Vicki awoke. For a moment, she did not know what was going on, than it came back to her as a searing pain. The fight, the divorce, the separation…all those painful memories, rising to surface again. She still remembered them clearly as if it happened yesterday. Than she recalled, today, tonight was the night her dad was moving out, flying off. She crept to the door again, this time non-hesitant to open it slowly.

“All packed. Have a good flight Dave.” Mom said impartially, hoping not to disclose any hint of regret or feeling.

“I will.” Dad said, his eyes drawing to little Vicki’s room for a moment, than saw Vicki at the door. He put up a smile. “Hey Vic.”

“Daddy…” She said quietly, than ran towards him, wrapping her arms around him.

“I don’t want you to go…” She begged him, tightening her grip on him, not wanting him to go.

“Honey, I know it’s been kind of bad for you these past few days, and I don’t want to make it worse…” He said.

“But Daddy-.”

“I know you don’t want this, but it has to be. Your mom and I just just… don’t get along like we used to…and I’m…I’m already packed.” He tried to explain as best he could, but yet not satisfying her.

“But Daddy, why do you have to leave?” She asked innocently, looking up at her dad, the figure that meant everything to her. She could not understand why…she was too young, too innocent, not yet exposed to the harsh realities of life.

“Well, honey, your mother and I can’t live together anymore.” He said.

All these while, Kath stood at the door of the master bed room. She quietly witnessed the conversation between Vicki and her husband. Oh how hard it was for Vicki! But there was no other choice….no other way…the violence had to end…all for Vicki’s sake!

“I know, but why do you have to leave town?” She asked.

“Oh…well,” He paused, looking at Kath for approval. This was almost impossible for him to explain! Kath stood still, not wanting to hear any more of it, but he had to explain why. “I got someone waiting for me in Melbourne.”

“But…but…will I ever see you again?” She wanted to see him…she did not want to live life without him…she wanted him…no, she needed him to live.

“Sure you will honey. We’ll work something out.” He said, hoping to sound positive, giving little light to his daughter though knowing the truth.

“But how? You are in Melbourne, I am in Sydney.” She questioned further.

“Maybe your mother will agree to you spending a week during the holiday.” He replied. You Liar! Already money strapped him moving out, why even consider sending Vicki to Melbourne?!

“Why not more?”

“I’d…I’d do not think your mom agree to more honey. It may not possible. We do not have money.”

“But, you can try, can’t you?” She said, filled with a certain uncertainty, knowing deep inside her that she would never see her father again.

“Yes honey. We can try. I have to go now. My plane leaves in twenty five minutes. Now, I’m going to bring the luggage out. Go to your room so you do not have to watch me. And no long goodbyes.” He said, attempting at a bit of humor, but to no avail, Vicki still not wanting to let go. How? How?

Slowly, he took her tiny palm in his hand, unwrapping them from him…to her, it felt like the signal that he was walking out…walking out of her life forever.

“Don’t forget to write.” She said, blinking softly when he did so, slowly stepping back, eyes turning watery.

“I won’t. Goodbye. Now go to your room.”

“Okay.” She said. Her father picked up his suitcase, reluctantly making his way to the door, than-


“Daddy! I don’t want you to go!” She cried. Running again to him, burying her head into his waist, crying profusely, letting none behind.

Dave looked back up at Kath once more, seeking advise. None came. His heart ached. His daughter did not want him to leave…she loved him so much, he loved her even more…oh god!

“I know honey, but…I have to.” His voice now revealing that he was shattering. He could no bear to leave her…he was everything to her! How could I! I failed her! Failed her as a father! FAILED!

“Why?!”

“You wouldn’t understand…” He whispered.

“I would! I would! I would!” She cried!

“No. You wouldn’t honey.”

“…I’d…I’d…” She paused, letting it settle in, stopping the tears for a moment. Dad kneeled down to her height, both of them looking into each other’s eyes. “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” He said, than gripped her for one last time! Hugging each other for dear life…

“Now… to your room.”

“All right…I’d…I’d guess that’s the way life goes sometimes.” She said in neglected crying, gulping down everything…getting a last glance at the figure, the figure of love, the person that loved her so much…so much that he had to leave…leave and walk out of her life so quickly.

He walked to the door with his luggage in hand, than standing in the doorway replied.

“Yeah. That’s just the way life…is.”


Than he left…he walked out of that door. From that day on…I never heard from him again…