Passion's Killing Floor

"Where is she?" I heard Ville ask Danni when he walked in the door. I heard their footsteps coming down the hall and their quiet murmurs. I heard Ville's heavy footsteps approach the bed and the cover was lifted from over my head, revealing him.

"Oh, Mary..." he said sadly, tears already building in his eyes.

"I can't believe she's gone, Ville," I cried, my voice cracking while I said it.

He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at me, sadly. He brought his hand up and brushed a lock of hair out of my face and kept his hand on my cheek, brushing away the tears.

"Does Mindy know?" he asked quietly, his own tears falling.

"No, she's been asleep. I don't know how to tell her. How do you tell a five year odl that? How?" he shook his head and breathed deeply. "She doesn't deserve this..."

"No.. we'll tell her in the morning together. I'm so sorry, Mary," he leaned down, kissing my forehead and lying his cheek on mine. I made room for him and he laid next to me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Just try to get some sleep, love," he said, rubbing my back.

I laid my head on his chest and held onto him around his small waist. More tears fell and my eyes stung with each one, but eventually my eyes shut for good and I was out.

* * *

It was only five in the morning when I woke up, but Mindy was awake and watching TV in the living room already. Ville was awake, staring out the door at her.

"How long as she been up?" I asked him in a whisper.

"About a half hour... do you want to tell her?" he asked, staring down at me. His eyes were bloodshot and dried tear stains on his cheeks.

I nodded and he moved out from beside me, and walked into the living room. I heard the TV turn off and him talking to her quietly, moments later he returned with her in his arms. He got back on the bed holding her in his lap. She stared at us questioningly and my eyes started to water.

"Um, Mindy... There's some bad news. Mummy and Daddy..." Ville stopped, taking a shaky breath. "Um, they're not coming back. There was an accident and... they went to sleep and they won't ever wake up." Ville stopped, wiping his eyes and gripping her tighter.

"Do you understand Mindy?" I asked her.

"Mummy is dead?" she asked, her bottom lip was trembling and tears cascaded down her cheeks. "And Daddy?"

I nodded and sat up, wrapping my arms around her. She shook with sobs and my heart screamed with sadness. She wiggled out from between Ville and I, rubbing out of our bedroom. I heard her room door slam, seconds later and the most pitiful scream come from her.

"I'll go and talk to her," Ville said, kissing my head and leaving. I heard him ask her if he could come in through the door, she must have said yes because I didn't hear him ask again.

I climbed out of bed and stood in her doorway. Ville was on the floor, holding Mindy rocking her back and forth, shushing her. He started singing a lullaby to her, continuing to rock her. After a bit she stopped crying and Ville laid her on her bed.

"I'll go make you some tea. But try to stay calm. You don't want to make yourself sick," he told her.

He went to the kitchen and pulled out everything he needed to make tea.

"I hate seeing her so sad, Mary."

"I know. But there's nothing we can do, really. But are you okay? You don't have to be here, you know."

"And leave you both to go through this alone? No. You both mean the world to me, I would never leave you."

He put a pot of water on the stove, turning it on to get it warm. I wrapped my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder, and he did the same.

"So I've been thinking a lot about this and this just finalises things. but I'm leaving to go on tour in three weeks. And I want you and Mindy to come with me."

"Are you sure, Ville?"

"Positive. I'm not going months without you two, I couldn't bear it."

He hugged me tightly and kissed my forehead, then softly, my lips.