Liz

Liz dished up a plate of macaroni and added a hamburger. She squeezed the last of the catsup bottle on the steaming burger and added a squirt of mustard, like her Dad liked it, then walked to the living room where he sat draining another beer. She waited as he crunched the can and threw it in a can near the end table.

She studied his face with concern. He had a weekend's worth of hair stubble from an all weekend binge that began after he got off work Friday night. Stumbling in around 2:00 a.m., she heard him curse heading into the bathroom, bouncing off the hall on his way in heavy work boots.

He'd aged a lot in the year since Mom was murdered. His facial hair ungroomed, so different than the Dad before Mom died.

"Here, Daddy, it's still warm." She set in on the end table and flicked on the light. The TV played in the room but his glazed eyes weren't really watching it. "Thanks, Baby Girl," but he made no move to pick up the plate.

"Can you bring me beer, honey?"

Liz frowned,"Daddy, its Sunday. You need to get up tomorrow."

"Aww, this is the last. I promise."

Liz sighed. At 16 she had circles under her hazel eyes. Unlike her friends, she didn't bother with makeup, or dating. She had a family to raise and her father to watch over. She was too thin and exhausted. Dinner was late these days since she needed to bathe Min and get Luke to do his homework every day. Her respect for Moms everywhere had tripled since Mom's death.

She went to the kitchen and got him the Roanoke Ale in the blue and black can, mentally counting what remained of the 24 can case. Three beers. Liz flicked the light out and breathed a deep breath before walking slowly to her father. She held out the beer. At 40 he was still a handsome man, but he'd shed too much weight and grey hair was flanking the sides of his dark hair cropped short.

"I'm going to check on Min and Luke before I get the clothes from the basement. I have studying to do before sleep."

He didn't respond, staring into the TV as though somewhere else. The plate of food was growing cold near his elbow. He turned glassy eyes to look at her for a long moment, the can of beer clutched in his work stained hand.

"Daddy, I know it's hard. I know you feel guilty for Mom's death, but I hate that that man took both of you away from us."

Manuel set down the beer and covered his face in his hands. He groaned and sat still. "I'm sorry, Baby Girl, I'm so sorry I couldn't save your Mom, I'm a failure."

Immediately she felt deep regret saying it and leaned over to hug him. She kissed his cheek and left to check on Min.

The door stayed cracked, Min hated the dark. Liz smoothed her baby sister's strawberry curls and pulled her blanket to cover her shoulder. Min was five now. School was confusing to her.

Slipping from Min's room, she made her way to Luke's door and stepped in. He was sprawled sideways on the bed. The cage near his bed with Oliver the turtle inside smelled again. Next weekend she'll clean it, she thought. She pulled his blanket from the side of the bed and lifting it up, let it gently land on his long legged frame. At seven years old he towered over his classmates, but was shy. His hair was the color of Mom's, a deep auburn, bone strait.

She walked quickly to the basement door, snatched the laundry basket and went to the basement. Throwing clothes in the wicker basket, she turned to go up the stairs and heard Min screaming. Night terrors.

"I'm coming!" she yelled. With full basket in hand, she maneuvered quickly to the stairs and half way up that weak board finally let go. Liz cried out, "Daddy!" as she pitched backward down the stairs, clothes spewing from the wicker basket, falling like petals on the floor. Liz landed hard on the right side of her head and the florescent light bulbs flickered. The only witnesses to her quiet form on cool cement. Her chest moved up and down as she lay unconscious.

This is today's five minute weekend freewrite. This took a while with clean up but it's all one freewrite!
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