Anisette Studio

Part one: “So, there I was! What else could I do?“

Anna slowly got out of her car. She hated to come here! This was her house once, now it belonged to her ex, but she had to come here to pick up her kids! This is where their primary residence was. Kids were supposed to end up with their mothers she thought___ but hers had not. What she did not know when asking about the divorce was that it would cost her children to divorce Randy. It would cost her because she had no work history, no proof of a stable home, and when asked the two younger kids wanted to stay where they were. This was where they had always gone to school, and therefor where their friends were. They did not want to live in Heartford. It was two hours away! It was Friday, the 20^th and so here she was to pick them up for a long weekend. She was early it would be another half hour before the bus dropped them off. “Well, here goes nothing!” She would go in and wait, Randy would either say nasty comments or nothing at all. Maybe it would be nothing at all. The door would be unlocked. Kids bags ready by the door.

Anna walked in, and walked to the kitchen table to sit down. No Randy. That seemed odd. He was always right there, scowling at her, ready to put her down as soon as the kids came in the door. The higher road was to say nothing in response, just ask the kids the usual questions. “You got everything you want with you?” Then just for something more to say and sound mother like. “Don’t forget to go to the bathroom. Need to change?”

The cellar door was open. Randy must be down there. No, there were no lights on down there it was pitch black! Anna went to close the door and then she saw him. Randy was at the bottom of the stairs, laying at an odd angle. “Randy? You ok? But there was no response. Instead something black few up past Randy making his body move! This made her jump back, and scream. It was Sam the kids cat! “OMG! Cat! Randy are you ok she asked again as she flipped the light switch on. Randy was not ok! He lay in a pool of blood, with the side of his face twisted, his color was not as it should be, not for a live person. She knew he was dead!

Her mind whirled! The kids would be home any minute! She should call the police! Someone to____, No! She was the one to find him____ She needed to think! “Get the kids out of here before they see him! That’s what I need to do Anna told herself. She grabbed the kids back packs, she would tell them we will go to Gram’s for supper! Throw you books and backpacks in the trunk! She wiped the door knob both sides. “Now why did I do that she asked herself.” She opened her car climbed in and pushed the bottom for the trunk and waited. “God! What do I do? She could not get the image of Randy out of her head. Randy dead? How? A lot of people did not like Randy, nor do I she thought. Nor do I! The things he had done____.

The bus pulled up and stopped. The kids came running to the car. “Did you just get her Tabby asked. Jeff and Leo stood waiting for her to answer. “Yes! Throw your things in the car! Let’s go to Gram’s for supper then head out. “Ok! We had better say bye to Dad.” Anna’s heart jumped into her throat again, had she locked the door? “I don’t think Dad is here.” She spoke as evenly as she could. She felt numb, she had never lied to her kids before. How do you tell them you found their father dead? How could she live with this? She could not stop seeing Randy at the bottom of the stairs, his darkened face in a pool of blood, his body____.

“I think he must have walked down back to the pond or has gone with someone. Maybe Mark came by and he is just running late. He’s always her when you get off the bus right? They nodded. “No one answered my knock, and I knocked louder when he did not answer. But then he didn’t answer the door if she was early, it was always locked until the kids came. It was a toss up to go to the door most time. She did busy things so she would go in with the kids most times. She was glad this time she had gone in__No, no she was not glad!

Anna continued. “I thought he’d come from somewhere, so I waited in the car. It’s been about 30 minutes now. Her heart pounded but what she had said seemed to sound natural. “Ok! We can call him from Gram’s too! They all climbed in and were off. “Mom? You, ok? You look like you don’t feel well. Leo said. “I just need to eat something honey; my sandwich didn’t stick by me. Would her folks even be home? She had not called them. She had not intended to go there. Another place she hated to go. Maybe if they were not____. “And so, there I was! What else could I do?” Anna thought.

Thought I would try a “who done it “Blog! By Pejj Nunes. 3/24/2026