This is Part Four of my Steemit-exclusive, ColorChallenge-inspired, FreeWrite story series. No edits, no going beyond the designated time. I have the will to power through this challenge, will you stay and read along?

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<< Part Three

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_{Photo taken by yours truly in Siem Reap, Cambodia}

XJ-1920 lit up with joy. She sprung from where she sat and embraced her daughter tightly. Tears fell down the side of her face, but she didn't even try to hold it in anymore. All of her fatigue and exhaustion were suddenly swept away. The longingness that made her feel empty was instantly sated by the scent of her offspring.

    "Baby, I'm here," she reassured her daughter. "Mommy's here."

From a distance, her husband spotted the encounter. DS-1962, in turn, dropped the groceries he was holding and ran to his daughter's side.

    "Get away from her!" he demanded while trying to wrest their daughter. "You have no right to be here."

    "DS, please," she begged. "I just … I just want to explain."

    "Explain what?" He successfully unclasped XJ-1920's grip, and pulled their daughter behind him. "How you broke every natural law?"

    "Not in front of DX, please?" she beseeched. "Baby, look at me. Look at me, please?"

    "DX-3002, go back to the house now and lock the door. Daddy and … mommy are just going to have a little talk, okay?"

    "But, why can't mommy—"

    "I said now!"

Their daughter reluctantly obeyed, dragging her feet toward their house. DS-1962 shot a deadly stare at his estranged wife, all the while gritting his teeth in anger. XJ-1920 stood up slowly, trying to compose herself.

    "DS—"

    "No! No, no, no. You don't get to talk to me after what you've done. Repeatedly, I might add."

    "I, uh," she stuttered, coughing. "W-What do you want me to say?"

    "Sorry, for starters."

    "I'm sorry."

    "No! That's just … That's not something you just say. You have to mean it—"

    "I do!"

    "Shut up! Let me finish!"

She bit her lip. There was nothing she could say to make things better. Their marriage was all but finished, and she knew that. The only reason why she wanted to reach out was to salvage her relationship with her daughter.

    "Damnit! I forgot what I was going to say!"

    "I told you to write it—"

    "What did I say, huh?" He raised his arm, as if he was ready to slap her with the back of his hand. DS-1962 was furious. Several scenarios that involved him physically hurting her ran through his head, but he didn't act on it. After all, physical harm was against the law, and he wasn't keen on being anything but law-abiding. Instead, he slapped a nearby wall. "Why did you have to do it?"

    "It's … I-I didn't mean to hurt you?"

    "What was your intention then, huh? Did you intend for that to be a gift of some sort?"

    "No, I … It's inexcusable. I can't explain it. This … This sexual deviant that you see before you. It's who I am. This … It's who I always was."

    "I can't even look at you right now."

    "I don't expect you to ever forgive me. Hell, I don't forgive me! I just want to … I don't know, I guess I just want to you to understand where I'm coming from."

    "I loved you."

    "And, I love you. I still do! I … I'm just not in love with you. Not that way."

    "Did you ever?"

    "Honestly? To tell you the truth, I really don't know. Ever since those government men took me, I don't … They must've done something to, I don't know, uninhibit me, if that makes any sense."

    "Please leave," DS-1962 requested as he walked away. "I don't ever want to see you again."

    "Wait, no!" she yelled right before she chased after him. "Please! Please just let me talk to our daughter."

DS-1962 slammed the door behind him and locked it almost instantly. Their daughter watched through a tiny slit in the curtains. XJ-1920 pounded on the door, trying to hold back from shouting. She didn't want to cause a scene, or else risk alerting the authorities of her presence.

XJ-1920 tried to talk to her daughter through the window, but she was constantly forbidden by her father to engage. She waited patiently, day and night, abiding by all the laws so as not to be arrested by the authorities. Having found a deviant-friendly place nearby, she took jobs to pay off her rent and to buy food. She came back from time to time, hoping to sneak in some bonding time with her daughter.

One morning, she was startled awake by a playful knock on her door. She hurriedly opened it, thinking it was her daughter, and was surprised to see who was waiting for her on the other side.

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<< Part Three

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The #ColorChallenge was initiated by @kalemandra, and #FreeWrite was initiated by @improv.

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