(c) 2010 Andy Learner
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I looked at the email notice on my Blackberry. Crap! My flight had been canceled. I was worried that the storm might affect my trip to Florida. Now I wouldn't be able to join my wife and kids at Disneyworld.
"Driver," I called to the cabbie. "Please just turn around and take me home. My flight's been canceled."
"Sorry to hear that, sir," the cabbie responded. "Well, better now than after checking in at the airport. There are probably lots of people stranded there."
The driver got off at the next exit and headed back to my home in Westchester. I decided I better break the bad news to my wife, Danielle. I debated whether to call the hotel where she and the kids were staying or her cell phone. She never answers her cell phone, but I decided to give it a shot anyway.
It rang. And rang. And rang. And then the voice mail picked up. I didn't bother to leave a voice message -- she never checks them. I looked through my paperwork for the phone number for the hotel and called. The operator connected me with my wife's room and my six year old son picked up. "Hello?" he answered unsurely.
"Hey buddy. It's daddy. How was Epcot today?"
"DADDY! Mommy! It's DADDY! Daddy, I saw a gorilla today! I also petted a snake and rid in big train and and and, oh we had lots of ice cream!"
"Really?" I asked in my best dad voice. "That sounds like a lot of fun! I'm sorry I missed it. Say, is Mom there? I need to talk to her."
"Sure. And Daddy? Mommy bought me a new t-shirt! It's got Buzz Lightyear on it!"
"Wow! That sounds great."
"And daddy, tomorrow, mommy says we can see some PIRATES tomorrow."
"That sounds like fun," I responded a little less enthusiastically
"Oh, and we saw a big parade with Mickey and Pluto and Goofus!"
"Goofy," I corrected.
"What's goofy?"
"Never mind," I tried to respond calmly. "Is Mom there?"
"Sure, but what's goofy, dad?"
"You didn't see 'Goofus', the character is 'Goofy'," I explained in that voice you get just before you start showing your annoyance.
"What's a character, daddy?"
"Buddy, can you PLEASE just get Mommy?"
"Oh, right! MOM! MOMMY! MOMMY!" he yelled while holding the phone right next to his mouth.
After a minute, Danielle came to the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey there, my flight got canceled."
"What does that mean? Are you coming tomorrow?" she asked sounding all tired and annoyed.
"I don't know. I haven't had a chance to talk to anyone at the airline."
"Do you think you will be able to come tomorrow?" she asked again.
"Danielle, I don't know. There's that big blizzard coming."
"I wish you would have come down with us Wednesday," Danielle mumbled.
"I told you, I had a big meeting that I had to go to this morning!"
"Yes. Yes. I know. Call me back when you know, I'm giving Jessie a bath." Jessie was my 4 year old daughter.
"Alright, can you turn your phone on though?" I asked in a scolding tone.
"It's on. Did you call?"
"Yes, honey. I called. I'll talk to you when I know more. Good night."
"Good night," she replied and hung up.
It actually wasn't that late. Only 8:30. But, it was early January and quite cold and dark. The cabbie kept the car warm and comfortable, but not too hot. There wasn't much traffic and he had me home before too long. I got my bag, gave the driver a nice tip and opened up the garage door to head into the house.
When I got inside, I went over to the kitchen hall to turn off the alarm. Strange, I could have sworn I set it. Maybe it's a good thing the flight got canceled. I heard there were several burglaries in the neighborhood over the last year.
I turned all the lights on and looked around. Nothing seemed out of place downstairs. I decided I better go upstairs to make sure everything was safe. Only the one light in the master bedroom was on upstairs, and I remember that I had set the timer to go on at 6pm.
I checked the kids' rooms and the bathroom first. Nothing. I cautiously peeked into the master bedroom. Everything was just the way I left it this morning. I must have just been careless.
I took off my overcoat and threw it on the exercise bike that I religiously rode every morning. Then, I went over to the walk-in closet, took a peak in, and got a hanger for my suit. I had gone to the airport straight from work, so I wanted to change out of my pinstripe navy blues.
I stripped down to my boxer shorts and got into my favorite sweat pants and t-shirt. Danielle is always trying to get me to throw them away because they were so old and torn, but I put my foot down on that one. They are just so comfortable.
I felt the call of nature and made use of the master bathroom. Just as I finished washing my hands, I heard a gun cock from behind the opaque shower curtain.
"Don't move! And don't turn around," directed a feminine voice.
I froze.
"Good. Now put your hands behind your head and move into the doorway." I did as she said, and I then I heard her move the shower curtain and come out of the shower.
I made a move to take a peek, and in a flash she had the gun in my back. "Don't turn around! The only thing keeping ya alive at this point is that ya haven't seen me. So, I'm not going to warn ya again. Ya look at me, ya don't make it to tamorrow." I closed my eyes and faced away from her.
I tried to make a mental image of what she might look like. She was probably about 5 feet 4 inches tall. Her footsteps did not sound heavy and she did not have a foreign accent. Maybe a Boston accent.