Present Day
Viktor Whitlocke lived his life from moment to moment, not because he found anything profound in doing so, but because he could barely remember anything he did or said from day to day. Only what was truly important was what he remembered more than anything else. Life somehow breaking his family apart. His stay in too many foster homes to count, most terrible, a few good. Turning 18, immediately being pushed by DCS(Department of Child Services) to go straight to college and forget about his childhood. Forget about his family.
Viktor never forgave them for that. He never forgave himself for giving in to their pressure. He remembered that everything he did amounted to a very expensive personal experience and nothing more. He accomplished nothing, got no degree, no job experience, until he left that world behind. Even then, after college, all he remembered was jumping from job to dead-end job barely scraping by. Moving from place to place.... Years later, he found his wife. The most beautiful woman both inside and out that he'd ever met with three girls who meant the world to her and now meant the world to him.
Viktor woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. "Hello?" He said in a deep raspy voice while looking at the time, 3:56pm. "Hey sweetheart, it's time to wake up. Can you get dinner started and make sure the kids are doing what they need to?" Mara, his wife, said. "Sure babe, is there anything you'd like?" Rion said, wiping at his eyes trying to wake up. He knew she wouldn't have any suggestions, she was still at work. Probably had a headache too.
His wife, Mara Whitlocke, was one of the best lawyers in Texas, and a busy woman. Viktor only asked in case she really craved a particular meal that night. "Not really, I'm starving, but I have no idea what to eat." Mara said "okay, I'll figure something out before I go to work, thanks for waking me up, I love you." Viktor said in his deep raspy morning voice. "You're welcome, I love you too." She said, then hung up. No goodbyes, that's what they agreed to, because it was never goodbye.
They were always together and it suited Viktor just fine. He didn't have any real friends, just his family and the way the world was going, that's all he cared about. He got up and went to the kitchen, passing through the living room as he did. His daughters were immersed in there various activities. Haley was the oldest at ten years old. Flaming red hair and freckles, just like her mother when she was her age. Also like Mara, Haley was headstrong and loved a good argument that would last for hours. She was sitting on the couch watching a cartoon with an excessive amount of flashing lights and loud sounds. The other two girls, Jessica and Veronica, were right and nine respectively. Both of them were laying across the couch too, but Veronica had a game console she was playing and Jessica was reading a book. "I'm making steaks, is that good with everyone?" Viktor said "yeah, dad." All of them replied as he walked to the kitchen, smiling slightly.
He had his problems, like everyone, but overall his his life was amazing. Mostly because of all four of his girls. Without them he would be laying in a street somewhere, waiting to die. They give me purpose, he thought as he ignited the stove and got out everything he needed. I'm glad they get to have the life I didn't. In an hour the food was done, the dining room table set, and Mara was home. Everyone sat down at the table and started eating. "How was everyone's day?" Viktor asked, remembering the terrible day he had last night, deciding not to talk about it. He didn't need to bring everyone else down. "I think I aced my test!" Haley said with a bright smile. "That's great baby, I'm so proud of you." Said Mara with a tired smile, trying her best to be present for everyone. "Dad, I have a big project coming up I was wondering if you could help me with this weekend?" Jessica asked, "of course, Jessica, when's it due by?" Viktor asked, biting into the big juicy steak, savoring it's flavor. "At the end of next week, but I'd ready like to get it all done this weekend dad." She said, "okay, you can explain what the project is once we start on it, okay honey?" Viktor said, "okay, dad." She responded. "What about you Veronica?" Mara asked, this had become the families routine every other day. Sitting down as a family and enjoying each other's company, they all agreed they didn't need to do it every day, but every other day gave them enough stuff to talk about to keep the conversation from spiraling into awkward silence. "Nothing much has been happening, besides the never ending stream of homework." Veronica stated with a bored look on her face. She's always been too smart for her classes Viktor thought, proud of his daughter.
They kept talking about the past couple of days until dinner was done, then the girls cleaned up the dinner table and washed the dishes, together. That was always their chore of the day, whether they are together or not. They had separate chores of their own, but that one was always done together. Viktor and Mara went to their bedroom, so that he could get ready for work while she unwound from the end of her day. "I wish it wasn't like this, you having to go to work as soon as I get home." Mara said, "I know baby, but it's the best we can do for now. As soon as we're stable enough I can start looking for another job." He replied. Viktor was an pipefitter, a welder, and he's only been doing it for the past couple of months. The pay was sky high, but so we're the risks. Everyday could be his last, but he never told his family that. If he was asked about his job he would always gloss over the details so his family wasn't terrified to go to sleep, wondering if he was going to come home.
Viktor finished getting ready and looked at the time on his phone, it's 630 I better get going. "I love you my queen." He said as he gave Mara a deep kiss, "I love you too, be careful, please." She said with a worried look. No matter what kind of welding he did, no matter how safe he said it was, she would always worry about her husband. Viktor had the best wife on the planet and he knew it. He smiled and said "I'll be careful, I promise." And walked out the door. He hugged and kissed the girls goodbye and headed out the front door, looking back at his home. It was a two story Victorian style house painted a flat dark grey with a gunmetal grey roofing that he had replaced himself that summer. He had a big smile on his face as he pulled out of the driveway, ready to take on whatever shitty job was required of him this time. All for the sake of his families happiness.