"Daddy?"

"Not now babylove." Despite the sweet words uttered their implications made Roxanne heartbroken. Darius had been like that since many days. Getting up early in the morning before she had risen and coming late at night when she was asleep. He still held her tightly encased in his arms while sleeping, still kissed her eyelids and cheeks, that red nose and nectarous lips but the moment Roxanne woke up, the space beside her on the bed was always cold.

Roxanne had endured it for days and nights, his distracted look when she told him something about her school, those arms simply patting her when she hugged him and a...