Dad Turned Fifty, I Turned To Ice novel

Half an hour later , police arrived to investigate . A middle - aged officer with a notepad asked why I had hidden in the freezer . Dad sat slumped on the floor , his voice hoarse . " Yesterday was my birthday . We had a party , music blasting , people yelling ... My daughter's condition , she can't handle that kind of noise . She ran off . " The officer frowned . " Autism ? If you knew your daughter couldn't handle stimulation , why hold such a loud party ? " Dad shoved himself up , a raw , broken roar tearing out of him . " Ten years ! I've lived in a damn silent ' prison ' for ten years !

All I wanted was one birthday , one ! Where I didn't have to whisper in my own house . Where I could just ... breathe ! Was that too much to ask ? Was it ?! " The officer looked at him coldly . " So you ignored your child's well - being ? Didn't even realize she was missing for a full day and night ? " Mom cried , " We thought she was just in her room , upset ... She does that . Gets mad , shuts down , hides away . We figured ... we figured giving her space , letting her sleep it off was the right thing to do ... " The officer's breath hitched , sharp and audible .

" As her guardians , that's not just negligence , that's abandonment . " " You didn't even confirm your child's location ? What were you thinking ? Knowing her condition , knowing a stress episode could happen , and you just ... left her alone ? " His voice hardened . " That's not an accident . That's a choice . " Dad slumped down again , his whole body shaking . He looked just like he had on his fortieth birthday , right after my diagnosis . He'd secretly bought a small cake and hidden it in the fridge , but afraid of disturbing me , ended up eating it alone in the bathroom .

I'd gone to use the toilet and opened the door to find him crouched there , looking utterly defeated . Seeing me , he'd hurriedly tried to hide it , stainmering , " Sorry , Amelia , was Daddy being too loud ? " Mom tried to defend him . " Officer , we've suffered so much these years ... " " Suffering is not an excuse for negligence ! " the officer cut her off coldly . " The body needs to be taken for an autopsy . " Chapter 6 Mom fainted on the spot . 66.67 % " Elizabeth ! Elizabeth ! " Dad held her , shouting himself hoarse . Emily stood in the doorway , face pale , body swaying .

" Amelia ... Amelia ... " she murmured , large tears rolling down . I floated next to the officer , screaming in my mind , It wasn't Dad's fault ! I wanted to die ! I climbed in myself ! Don't blame them ! Please don't blame them ! But no one could hear me . The officer gave a quiet nod , and someone moved forward with a dark , zippered bag . Dad collapsed to his knees on the floor , not in prayer , but in utter supplication . He lurched forward , grasping desperately at the officer's pant leg, his forehead pressing into the gritty floor as broken pleas tumbled from his lips .

" Officer , please , I beg you , don't take my daughter ! I know I was wrong , I deserve to die , but please don't take her away ... " His entire body shook with the force of his grief . His head dropped , not in a formal bow , but in a hopeless , heavy slump . Once , twice , his brow met the cold linoleum with sickening , solid thuds . A dark smear appeared on the floor , then a trickle of blood seeped from his hairline , but he didn't seem to feel it . He just kept rocking forward , the motion desperate and mechanical . " Dad ! " Emily rushed to hold him . " Dad , stop !

" Dad pushed her away and kept begging . " It's all my fault ! I killed my daughter ! I shouldn't have had the party ! I shouldn't have ignored her ! I killed her ! I did ! " The officer sighed . " I'm sorry for your loss . But we need you to cooperate with the investigation now . " 66.67 % admin