The sun struck my eyes as I rubbed the sleep off them. I stretched and yawned and felt the air. The little hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight. I couldn't help but smile because deep inside ... [+]
"Dad, I think I'll skip baking with Linda today. You could use some help sorting through bills while you're making calls to the bank, right? I mean, it's the least I could do to help out. Things have been so rough lately–"
Mr. Perry's eyes are glassy but he blinks rapidly before any tears can form. The last thing he wants to do is burden his twelve-year-old daughter with grown-up financial obligations. He smiles gently at Aimee. "Sweetheart. I promise you I've got everything handled. You go and have fun with Linda! Okay?"
Aimee looks apologetically at her father, like a puppy who's just torn up an expensive new carpet. As the only child of a single father, she has always taken pride in her maturity; she wants to be there for her dad. Mr. Perry reassuringly plants a kiss on his daughter's forehead and sends her off with a gentle smile. Just like that, Aimee begins her brief morning walk to Linda's house; though it feels like a hundred miles today, carrying the weight of her father's worries and impending duties with every step.
Out of breath, Aimee arrives at Linda's doorstep and knocks on the wooden double doors. Linda welcomes Aimee inside with a familiar, duchenne smile; however, the heavy weight in Aimee's heart keeps her from beaming back like she usually does.
At first, Linda was simply the kind, old lady from church who offered to drop Aimee off at school while Mr. Perry was at work, but they soon became best friends. It quickly became apparent to Linda that Aimee was frequently home alone– Mr. Perry was working twelve-hour shifts almost every day in order to keep up with bills. His fatherly duties were hard to balance in addition to his difficult financial situation and demanding job. Being the generous Christian woman she was, Linda began hosting the family for dinner and treating Aimee to fun outings. Aimee was the precious granddaughter she never had.
"Darling, you look so glum today! What's on your mind?" Linda gently inquires.
"It's just dad. I'm worried about him. Days with you are my favorite, Linda! I just feel like I should be with him now."
"You have the biggest heart, honey. How has he been since the news on Thursday?"
Mr. Perry had just been laid off from his job. He needed to set his undivided attention on finding a new position before he would no longer be able to provide for his daughter and himself. Thus, Linda had offered to take Aimee this Saturday so Mr. Perry could do his adulting and Aimee could just be a kid.
"He's been making calls nonstop, but he still can't find any open nursing positions that will pay enough." Aimee begins ruminating on feelings of guilt; She wants to be able to help her dad more than anything.
Linda searches for some way to help the young girl forgive herself of this self-imposed parental obligation. "I have an idea! Why don't we bake something for your dad? You can bring it home to celebrate when he finds a job," Linda earnestly suggests. "That will cheer him up!"
Aimee, entertaining the idea, responds, "That could be nice. His favorite dessert is key lime pie... Do you have what we need to make some?" Linda nods excitedly. A sense of relief sweeps through Aimee's body; she can do something to help her dad. Aimee could always rely on Linda to lift her spirits.
Linda and Aimee head to the kitchen, put on their favorite aprons, and get to work on the key lime pie. Aimee's worries begin to fade as they gossip about old women at church, zest, measure, and mix. Aimee pours the pie filling into a homemade graham cracker crust; It looks divine. In her mind's eye, she can see her dad beaming at her hard work.
Linda gives Aimee special permission to set the pie in the hot oven. A timer is set for eighteen minutes and the best friends eat a quick lunch of homemade pizza. Aimee feels worlds better than she did this morning; not only does she have yummy food in her belly, she knows she'll be bringing something tasty home to her dad soon, too! A day with Linda was just what she needed.
The timer beeps and Aimee and Linda enthusiastically rush to the oven. With a potholder-shielded hand, Aimee removes the pie and sets it on the counter as Linda smiles proudly. Suddenly, Linda's phone rings. Before stepping into the living room to answer the call, she tasks Aimee with sticking a toothpick into the pie to make sure it's done. The toothpick comes out clean; their pie is perfectly baked! Alone in the kitchen, Aimee marvels at the dessert. A minute passes but Linda does not return. Impatiently, Aimee breaks the silence.
"Linda! It's perfect!" Aimee yells, expecting Linda to respond excitedly. However, she is met with silence. Again, she yells. Silence. Aimee curiously walks into the living room to find Linda leaning against the wall with tears in her eyes; Clearly, something is wrong. Linda's voice quivers as she responds to the muffled voice on the other end of the phone: "Yes, she's with me. I'll let her know." Linda thanks the voice and hangs up. Aimee holds her breath.
Linda struggles to speak. "Aimee..." She exhales sharply. "Your father... he, he's... there's been a terrible tragedy. The neighbor. She found him. Aimee, he's died. He took his own life." Aimee is stunned into silence and all of the color leaves her little, round face.
"I am so sorry. I am so... sorry." Linda gently approaches Aimee to offer a hug, but Aimee violently pulls away. Aimee's shocked expression contorts into one of pure resentment.
"Aimee, honey. I'm here for you." Linda reaches a hand out to touch Aimee's shoulder, and this time, Aimee slaps it away. "Aimee, I don't understand. What... ?".
The woman that had been Aimee's best friend and giver of hope was now the most brutal antagonist in the story of her life. "You... My father is dead because of you." Everything inside of her believed that Linda was to blame for her dad's death. A dark cloud of grief taints Aimee's delicate heart. If it weren't for Linda's invitation to take Aimee for the day, she wouldn't be away from her father. And if she hadn't been away from her father, she would have eased his workload; supported him through this trying time. He wouldn't have taken his life.
"I know you're upset. I know you wanted to be with your dad today, Aimee. But you aren't an adult. Twelve-year-olds don't call banks or pay bills or make grown-up decisions. There is nothing you could have done to stop this, honey. You can't blame yourself."
"How dare you tell me not to blame myself? And how dare you trick me into thinking a key lime pie could've helped my dad?" Aimee is beyond hurt."I can't believe I ever called you my best friend."
Aimee begins to storm away, stomping to the front door. She needs to leave. How could someone she trusted and cared about so deeply keep her from her father when he needed her most? Who was Linda to think a simple dessert could make things okay? A swarm of chaotic questions echo in Aimee's head as she reaches for the door handle; Where will she go? Home? Are the police there? Where will they take her? The uncertainty is daunting but Aimee feels confident that anywhere is better than where she is now.
Linda cries for Aimee to come back, but Aimee opens the door and steps outside. A heavy silence fills the air between the two as they stare at each other for one moment.
"You can keep the key lime pie." Aimee's words tear into Linda's heart. Aimee turns and slams the door behind her, beginning the journey home without any hesitation.