Chapter 0 - [Teaser] A Father's Daughter.

Two years. It had been an incredibly painful two years full of nothing but depression, mourning, and grief for Marcus Bradley. He was a 42 year old man and he would never forget his 40th year as long as he lived. That was the year he had lost his wife. He wasn’t alone however in this dark pit called reality. His son Luke, now 18, had been with him throughout the journey. It seemed like every day had been darker than the last and finally, a change had to happen. His son Luke would soon be attending college and unable and unwilling to part with him, he moves them both to a suburb nearby, wanting to try and get a new start. 

“I’m going, dad.” 

“Be careful out there Luke.” 

“Whatever dad.” 

Luke’s words stabbed at his heart. His son had not been happy about the move but his son was rarely happy anyways these days. It was like a split had formed, not just between them, but in emotional intensity. Marcus was old, well, somewhat. He still had plenty left but Luke was still so young. While Marcus struggled with depression and grief, spending nights alone in an empty bed wondering if he could ever feel anything, let alone love, again, Luke was different. Luke got all the hate, all the anger. Lashing out at everything. Marcus hadn’t noticed it until recently, but the move seemed to be bringing it all out all over again. Marcus sighed, staring at the TV. It wasn’t even on, he was lost in his memories, when he heard a knock on the door. Marcus frowned, wondering who it could be. They had only recently arrived and his son had a key. With an effort of will he pulled himself from the couch and opened the door. 

“Hello! Mr. Bradley?” 

“Yes?” 

An older woman was standing in front of him. Age get’s trickier past a certain point but Marcus would say she was a bit younger than himself. He wasn’t so far gone to ask a random stranger their age however. 

“I’m Kristen Kurtail, the property manager of these suburbs.” 

“Ah. Nice to meet you. Was there something wrong?” 

“Wrong? There’s nothing ever wrong around here.” She then let out a light laugh. “I just wanted to come and talk to the newest residents of our community. Is your son home as well?” 

“No. He went out for a while. Would you like to come in?” 

“Of course!” 

Kristen was, difficult for Marcus to be around. Far too cheerful. It practically physically hurt when compared to his own emotions of emptiness. He tried to shake off those feelings but it seemed he hadn’t been fast enough.

“Marcus, can I call you Marcus?” He nodded. “Are you alright? You seem, unhappy.” 

Marcus was about to wave her off, make up some kind of excuse, but what did it matter anymore? It was a variation of a question he had received countless times before, except by people who already knew the answer to that and the why. Another person wouldn’t make any difference. 

“My wife is, gone.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?” 

Marcus didn’t yet something compelled him to anyway. It was pure and utter apathy. He just didn’t care anymore. There was no room or space in his heart for social concerns or the feelings from that. So he talked and talked. About the accident, after it had happened, how he had moved to start fresh with Luke. And then his words, drifted. From past events to current concerns. How he felt like he would never feel happiness or love again, how his own son seemed to hate everything, including him, and how life just seemed like it would never get better, how it was impossible to get any better. 

He didn’t know what came over him, perhaps pressure. He had never laid it all out there like that, especially to a stranger. Perhaps Luke wasn’t the only one feeling like the move had lit up old wounds. The entire time, he had expected, something. To feel ashamed or embarrassed or relieved or anything by speaking his heart. In the end, he felt like had been talking to a wall. Not because of Kristen but just because, he felt no different in anyway. No relief, just apathy. Life was robbing him of his emotions, consumed by grief and depression. 

He was only shaken out of his own thoughts when he noticed Kristen’s hand on his shoulder. He looked over at her and there was a grim smile on her face. 

“I know things feel like they will never be okay again Marcus. But you want to know a secret? I can confidently say that every man in these suburbs has beautiful families, loving daughters, and have found their place of happiness. If you ever need any help finding and reaching that space, that place of happiness, you go ahead and give me a call okay? I promise that we can reach there together.” 

Marcus looked at her and felt her resolve. She meant those words. He nodded, unsure of what else to say. She produced a card with her name and number on it and gave it to him. He took it. 

At that moment, they both heard the door creak open and a surprised Luke stood in the doorway. 

“Well Marcus, it was pleasant meeting you. You as well Luke. I’ll be on my way for now. Call me if you need anything Marcus.” 

Kristen walked by a now frowning Luke. 

“Who was that?” 

“Kristen, our property manager. She showed up soon after you left for, after you left.” 

Luke hardly ever told him where he was going or what he was doing these days. 

“What? That was like an hour ago! What did you two talk about for a whole hour?” 

Marcus frowned a little, not wanting to bring up everything he had with his own son. 

“She talked about the property and about the residents. How all of the families around us were happy and that sort of thing.” 

Something about what Marcus said seemed to take Luke’s mind off of Kristen 

“Yeah, actually, that’s really weird.” 

“What is son?” 

“The families around us. They only have daughters. There’s literally no guys my age around this whole place. It’s really weird.” 

Marcus blinked at that. He had seen other families around and he was right. He hadn’t seen a single son, just daughters. It was definitely odd but Marcus had no idea what to say to that. Which seemed to frustrate Luke for some reason. He stormed off and Marcus looked back at the black screen of the TV, feeling the card in his pocket. 

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