A Long, Hard Morning

Brandon groaned, covering his eyes with his forearm as the alarm clock shrilled loudly, calling him from a short night of sleep. The officer had not slept well, tossing and turning from lewd, lascivious dreams involving his willing, brown-eyed babysitter. God help me, he silently prayed, sitting up and swinging his legs off of the bed. Bleary-eyed, the officer’s eyes looked out the window towards the morning sun rising over the neighboring field of wheat.

I can take a nap later, Brandon stood, unbuttoning his wrinkled, dark brown blouse. After Sandra picks up Billy and Alexa. If she picks them up, he frowned, continuing to undress. Sandra’s skipped her last two visits. Won’t tell me why. They’re her kids, too, and – they do miss her. The officer sighed, leaning on the dresser and looking into the mirror with red-rimmed eyes. We both worked too damn much, he grunted. And rarely on the same shift. It’s no wonder our marriage fell apart. We were never there for each other.

Would it be any different with Taryn, Brandon wondered, considering his lust for his babysitter. She has her whole life ahead of her. What could she possibly want from me aside from sex? The officer sighed. It didn’t begin any differently with Sandra. And when she became pregnant with Billy, I thought I was doing the right thing.

He shook his head and straightened, turning towards the bathroom. Nothing’s changed, Brandon mused. Even wearing a new uniform and a different address, nothing’s changed. I’m still in deep shit.

The officer stepped into the shower and turned on the water, drifting away and relaxing with the cleansing, pelting warmth.

                                                 *****

Brandon stepped into the kitchen, his gentle smile collapsing when he saw his two young children at the table, staring numbly at their bowls of cereal and weeping.

“Billy? Alexa?” the officer asked softly. “What’s wrong?”

“Mommy called while you were in the shower,” his little, strawberry-blonde-haired daughter spoke up through her tears, her voice shaking. Not again, his dark green eyes trembled. Please, not again. Billy’s dark blue eyes rose to his, as hard as agates beneath his sorrow.

“She – she said she wouldn’t be coming,” his boy croaked.

“May – maybe next weekend, then,” Brandon stammered, weakly attempting to smile encouragingly.

“Ever,” Alexa sniffled, her tears bright and heavy. “Mommy said she was going away, far away with – with some other man.” Her questioning gaze rose to his, revealing an intelligence unexpected in a child so young. “How could she? Doesn’t – doesn’t Mommy love us?”

“I’m sure she does,” her father knelt, as the two children ran into his arms. “She’s your mother.

“Then why doesn’t Mommy want us?” Billy asked, hugging his father back.

“I don’t know,” Brandon admitted softly, his eyes heavy with sorrow for his children’s pain. “ I don’t know.”

                                                   *****

“You shouldn’t be alone,” the woman said over the phone. “Not after this. Why Sandra would possibly do this to her children, I don’t know. I can’t believe she even admitted it to you! You have never pushed for child support or alimony. Dammit! You were the one who suggested joint custody during the hearings! Sandra has no reasonable explanation for her behavior.”

“I know,” Brandon said numbly, his heart breaking from his children’s sorrow.

“I’ll stop by on my way into town,” she said. “And drop off Taryn. She can keep an eye on all of you while I talk to the judge. Taryn’s been pretty good with Billy and Alexa fro what you’ve told me, so she might be able to pick their spirits up. Maybe even you as well.”

The officer’s eyes bulged wide with fear. Could she know what happened last night? Did Taryn tell her mother?

“I’ll have Taryn there in ten to fifteen,” the brunette’s mother promised. “You might want to call the station in the meantime to take some time off. Reginald should be pretty understanding.”

“Maybe Roger could come over as well,” Brandon proposed hoarsely, finding his voice. Anything to prevent Taryn from taking advantage, he thought.

“Even if he could,” his friend said. “Roger’s not emotionally equipped to deal with the situation. It would be a repeat of the night after Sandra’d sued for divorce. No, you’re better off with Roger away on business.”

“You’re right, Beverly,” the officer agreed reluctantly, recalling with a shudder that particular night. He had rarely tasted a drop of **** since.

“Just stay put, Brandon. I’ll have Taryn over as soon as I can roust her out of bed.”

(Author's Note: Billy and Alexa are 7 and 5 respectively. The cannot be involved in or witness any sexual activities, no matter how minor you consider the act of congress. Don't even think about it!)