Christmas without dad

It was the morning of Christmas. Late morning, as it was nice and bright. The phone rang - it was the green land line. Aunt Avita was on the phone. She wished me a merry Christmas and asked to speak to dad. I went to the bedroom and picked up the extension there and told her to wait a minute. Dad was napping. He was lying on his side - for some weird reason, he was lying on the side he usually wouldn't. I nudged him awake and gave him the phone. I left the room and bumped into mom on my way out. She asked me who called. I told her dad was speaking to Aunt Avita. She asked me, where is he?

I turned around and saw there was nobody else in the room. In fact, there was no telephone either.

Mom sat cross legged on the bed and said, dad isn't here. I sat beside her, laid my head in her lap, and repeated, dad isn't here. We cried.

And that's when I woke up.