Short Story / Jamie (Analysis)
”Goooood morning people! It’s now 7:32 on this loooovely day of May 17th, and if you’re still asleep, it’s time to get up! It’s a beautiful day, and here’s a beauuuutiful tune to help you wake up!” The radio started blaring some light rock song, but Jake just shut it off. He never was a morning person, and today was no different. He continued to lie there for a few minutes until a little girl came running into the room.
”Daddy, daddy, get up! I want pancakes!” The young girl shook him a little. “Pleeease daddy. You said I could have anything I wanted for breakfast today.” She gave him a pouting face. He never could resist the pouting face. He groaned and got up, rubbing his daughter on her head, messing up her hair a little. She grinned, knowing the face always worked.
”I suppose I did, didn’t I, birthday girl? How old’re you now Jamie? Four, five?” He said as he started brushing his teeth.
”No, silly, I’m six! I’m a big girl now.” She was smiling ear to ear, like she thought she’d never reach the ripe old age of six.
”Six!? Oh no. Didn’t I tell you? At six years old you gotta start making your own pancakes. When I was six I was already driving a car.”
”Dadddyyyy…” Jamie said sarcastically. Jake chuckled a little bit. “Can I have a piggyback ride to the kitchen?”
”Sure, hop on kiddo.” He bent down for her to climb up him, and climb she did. “This express is a fast-moving one, so hold on for dear life!” She screamed playfully as he walked swiftly into the kitchen, circling the table a couple times, then headed into the den. “We’re experiencing some turbulence, w, we’re going to crash!” He fell onto the couch, and she laughed hysterically.
”You’re so silly daddy. I wanna watch some cartoons now ‘kay?” Jake put the tv on for her, and yawned. He walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinets looking for pancake mix. Finding it, he started cooking.
After he’d finished, with Jamie preoccupied with pancakes and cartoons, he headed back into his room to get dressed. As he entered the room his eyes fell upon the thing they always did when he entered… the picture of him and his wife. He picked up the frame, and looked at it. “She’s six now. She looks just like you. She’s got your attitude, too.” He laughed to himself. “You two would’ve teamed up on me so much. I wish… I wish you could’ve known her.” He kissed her picture, then set it down, and got dressed. Walking into the den he saw Jamie hadn’t touched her pancakes. “What’s the matter honey? You didn’t like them?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m just not hungry. Sorry daddy. Are you mad?” He frowned at her, worried that she hadn’t been eating much lately.
”No, I’m not mad.” He’d have to ask the doctor about this if it didn’t resolve itself in a day or two. “So what do you want to do on your sixth birthday honey?”
”Hmmmm…” She put her hand to her chin as if she was in some deep thought. “OH! Can Katie come over to play?”
”Sure honey. Go get dressed and wash up and I’ll call her parents.” Jake picked up the phone and dialed the number. Katie had been friends with Jamie before they could talk. He and Ashley were close with Katie’s parents before the kids had been born, and after Ashley’s passing Laura and Tim had become Jake’s best friends. They’d helped him with Jamie during the funeral, and after, babysat her when he’d needed help… they were good people. The phone rang and rang. The answering machine picked up. ‘Hi, you’ve reached Tim, Laura and – KATIE! Hee hee.. – Leave a message!’ “Hi guys, it’s Jake.. figured you guys were up by now. Oh well, give me a buzz back, Jamie wants to invite Katie over, and it’s her birthday, so I figure—” The phone was picked up.
”Stop calling, Jake. Just stop.” Tim said, hanging up. Jake couldn’t believe it. What the hell could that be about? He’d have to go over there tomorrow and ask. He wasn’t going to let anyone ruin his little girl’s birthday.
Jamie came running out dressed in play clothes. “Alright daddy I’m ready! Let’s go get Katie.”
”Sorry honey, Katie can’t come over today… she’s not feeling well.” Jamie’s happy look faded to a disappointed one. “But we can do anything else you want to do!” Jake said, lifting her up. “Want to go play at the park?”
Jamie’s eyes lit up again. “Yeah!” He carried her out to the car, a blue minivan. He strapped her in her car seat. “But daddy, I’m a big girl now. I want to sit in the front with you!”
”I know you’re a big girl, but you can’t sit up front until you’re a little bit bigger. Gotta keep eating for that to happen!” He said, to which she solemnly nodded, clearly not liking that answer. Jake drove to the park, which was only a few minutes away. He parked, then went and opened Jamie’s door, her having already undone her car seat. He held her hand and they walked to the swing set. There was one swing left open. Jamie got on it and Jake started to push her slowly.
He looked at the other kids, one boy looked about 12, next to him was a girl who was about 10, they resembled each other. Probably brother and sister. The other boy who was next to Jamie looked about Jamie’s age, and whom he assumed to be his mother was pushing him. He smiled at her. “Hi.” She looked at him nervously and nodded, then picked up her little boy off the swing and quickly walked away.
”I think you scared her daddy.” Jamie said, giggling. Jake shrugged it off, he hadn’t ever been good with women since Ashley died… six years ago to the day. She’d been his high school sweetheart, they dated all through college; though they did take a couple months of a break. Everyone envied their relationship. Lately he’d been having dreams of her… she’d been trying to tell him something, but he never understood what. “Daddy, I want to go on the merry-go-round now!”
”Okay honey.” He stopped the swing and walked over there as she ran to it. His biggest regret was that Ashley and Jamie never got to know each other.
”I want to go fast!” Her eyes were lit up and she was grinning ear to ear. Jake couldn’t help but grin himself. He began to spin her, going slowly at first as she held on. “Faster daddy!” He went faster.
”Hold on Jamie, we’re gonna go light-speed now!” She playfully screamed again and he went as fast as he’d dare go. He slowed down after awhile and she got off, walking around dizzily.
”That was fun daddy.” She said, plopping down in the grass. “Slides now!” She jumped up after resting a moment and ran to the slides. He went and sat down on a nearby bench and watched her go up and down the slides, then use the monkey bars. That little girl was really the light of his life. If it hadn’t been for her, who knows what he would’ve done with himself after Ashley died. Ashley had been the love of his life. No one else had even compared. He would’ve done anything for her… including giving up his life when she had the baby, so that she would’ve lived. He’d tried his best, but he was positive she would’ve been a better single parent.
”Ready to go home Jamie?” The sky had gotten slightly darker and it looked like it was going to rain. Before she could protest, a flash of lightning swept across the sky, followed by a booming thunder. She nodded nervously. She was terrified of thunderstorms. He picked her up and rushed to the car, not wanting either of them to get wet. He put her in her car seat then got in and drove home. Right as they reached the house it started to downpour, and he got her out of the car then rushed to the house, trying to cover her from some of the rain. He unlocked the door and went in, being soaked. “Wow, didn’t know it was supposed to rain so hard today.” Another booming thunder cracked across the sky, and Jamie clung to Jake’s leg so tight, shutting her eyes, that he thought she would soon cut off his circulation. “Come on baby, let’s go get dried up.” He walked to the bathroom with her still clinging onto his leg.
He dried her up first with a towel, even though she had barely gotten wet. “I’m gonna go change my clothes now daddy.” He nodded and she ran off, then he dried himself off. After drying his face he looked in the mirror at the bags around his eyes. He hadn’t realized how little sleep he’d been getting because of that dream… and suddenly he felt very fatigued. Looking at his watch he saw it was only noon. He still had two meals to make and an energetic six year-old to watch all day. He had an ice-cream cake in the freezer, and her presents were in his closet all wrapped up… he could probably convince her to take a nap in exchange for giving her one of her presents early.
He left the bathroom and headed towards Jamie’s room, stopping in the doorway. She was playing some kind of game with her toys. He smiled watching her, and listened in to some of the ‘conversation.’ “Yeah, that’s right, we don’t need any friends to have fun!” She made one of her toys say. His smile disappeared and he went into the living room letting out a sigh. He’d try to call Tim and Laura again, but he had a feeling it’d end just like last time. He didn’t understand what could’ve provoked it. He picked up the phone and dialed the number, again reaching the answering machine.
’Hi, you’ve reached Tim, Laura and – KATIE! Hee hee.. – Leave a message!’ “Guys, it’s Jake again… uh, I don’t know what’s going on between us that you’d hang up on me, but surely it doesn’t involve our little girls. I just heard Jamie make her toys say ‘we don’t need any friends to have fun,’ and it’s her birthday.. so I’m sure whatever it is we can work it ou—” The phone was picked up again.
”Jake… please stop…” Laura started crying. “Please… you know she was like a second daughter to us, and a sister to Katie… I know you’re in pain, but please.. get some help…” There was yelling in the background.
”Jake, if you call anymore, I… I’m going to have to call the police. When you come to your senses… we’re here.” Again Tim hung up. Jake was too astounded to reply anyway. He hung up the phone. What did she mean? ‘Was like a second daughter to us?’ He was dumbfounded, but shook his head. He’d figure it out later tonight, or tomorrow. He went into the kitchen to start lunch, trying not to think about it. Jamie was sitting at the kitchen table when he went in.
“Done playing with your toys Jamie?” She nodded and sighed, putting her head down on the table. “So you ready for lunch?” Jake cloaked his discontent with the phone conversation, and tried to sound happy to get his little girl in a better mood. She shook her head in response, and Jake turned to the stove and took out the box of macaroni and cheese. “Not even for this?” Her eyes seemed to light up a bit, but then they returned to the saddened look they had before as she shook her head. Jake came over to feel her head to see if she had a fever, and she felt fine. “Do you feel alright? Tummy ache?”
“No daddy… I’m just not hungry.” She yawned and Jake put the macaroni and cheese back, not being hungry himself at all. Suddenly a splitting pain coursed through his skull, and Jake fell to his knees. “Daddy!” She ran to his side, and he collapsed. His vision became blurry for a moment, and right before he fell into unconsciousness, he saw his daughter vanish before his eyes.
He was dreaming. He knew he was because of that feeling of a surreal world, as realistic as it may seem. Not to mention… he saw her. The woman he loved more than life itself. The woman who he would’ve done anything for. The woman… who was dead. She was right in front of him, and try as he might to close the small gap between them, he couldn’t. “Ashley…” She smiled at him, and as she reached out to him the gap seemed to close somewhat. His hand reached to hers, and he clasped it tightly, as if clinging for life. “Ashley… I… don’t leave me…” He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, and tears started streaming down his face. “Why did you have to die… why did you have to leave Jamie and I…” until that point, she’d been smiling. As soon as he mentioned Jamie’s name, her eyes looked down and her smile faded. She slowly drifted away from him, mouthing words he couldn’t make out. “No! Don’t go! Please…!” Right before she left his range of view… he saw a small, six year old girl, grab her hand and go with her. Then he woke up.
He sat up quickly, making him someone lightheaded and almost collapse over again. He grabbed hold of the kitchen table and pulled himself up, the lightheadedness fading away. “You okay daddy?” He turned his head quickly, half surprised, half scared of where it came from. When he saw his daughter he walked over to her, and got down on his knees, and hugged her. He started crying, holding her close to him.
“I’m okay baby. I’m okay…” She looked at him worriedly and hugged him back. After a few minutes he let her go, then stood up. He looked at the clock and realized he’d been out for 3 hours, and it was just about dinner time. “You hungry?” he said, wiping his eyes and forcing a smile. She looked at him and shook her head yet again.
“No, I’m still not hungry…” Jamie got up and stretched, letting out a yawn. “I’m gonna go to bed daddy… night. Love you.” She hugged and kissed Jake goodnight, and walked off to her room. He walked into the living room, sat down, and turned the TV on, staring at the screen but not watching it, his mind elsewhere. After an hour or so of spacing out, he picked up the phone, determined to get an answer to the questions that plagued his mind. He dialed Tim’s number. ‘Hello?’ It was Katie who picked up the phone.
“Hi Katie…it’s Jake. Jamie’s dad. How are you?” There was a minute of silence, and then Katie started to cry. Jake stayed quiet for a few seconds, trying to figure out what was wrong. “Why are you crying Katie…?”
She was near hysterical now, barely able to breathe she was crying so hard. “I… miss… Jamie…” she said between spasms of crying. His heart shattered. He didn’t understand why… didn’t know what information his heart knew that his mind lacked… didn’t comprehend anything that had happened today… Then he heard Tim yelling to Katie before taking the phone.
“Listen here you son of a bitch, I understand you’re going through a hard time, I understand how you feel more than you know, I loved Jamie too, Jake, but you can’t do this. I won’t let you make my daughter cry, make my wife cry, and make me feel like shit. She’s dead, Jake. Jamie is dead. Stop this… just fucking stop.” He hung up on him once again. This time though… Jake didn’t care. This time he just sat there with the phone to his ear for countless hours. Part of him understood now. Part of him comprehended the truth. Part of him realized the words his wife had been mouthing to him, trying to get him to understand. ‘Let her go, Jake. Let her go.’ Tears streamed down his face for that part of him, the part that felt that immense blow, the part that remembered the car accident he’d been in, the part that realized he hadn’t held his daughter in his arms since last month, exactly one month before her birthday. The other part of him however… saw Jamie come out of her room, giggling, and jumping in his lap. Together they watched cartoons, and he fell asleep with his little baby girl in his arms. That is the part of him he chose. After he tucked his daughter in, he went over to Tim’s house, and when he opened the door, punched him in the face hard enough to break his nose.
15 years later.
“Jake. Time for your meds.” A man dressed in white came over to him and handed him a little plastic cup with pills in it. Jake looked at the man for a minute then took the plastic cup of meds and poured them in his mouth, swallowing them.
“My daughter’s coming today, Kyle. It’s her 21st birthday today.” Kyle looked at him sympathetically and placed a hand on Jake’s shoulder. He walked off to tend to his other duties. Jake sat there looking out of the window for a few hours, until he heard his angel.
“Hi Daddy.” Jake turned to meet her, and he smiled. She came over to him and hugged him, he hugged back. “I missed you. I have a lot to tell you daddy…”
They talked for hours. Jamie had been dating a doctor for 3 years now, and they were planning on getting married in a few months. As Jake talked to his daughter, he could feel his world growing dark. He saw his wife appear before him, and Jamie as his six year old daughter. He walked to them, grasping each of their hands lovingly, and he drifted off with them. Jake finally had his wife back… and his daughter… she had never left him.
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Interesting beginning to a story, though, it would have liked to have seen a bit more developement on the the characters. I guess, there’s still alot more story to go. I like the basis of the story.
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