Serenity of the Mundane

The familiar wave of calm washes over me as soon as I walk in the door. Leaning on the door frame, I exhale deeply, flushing out the busyness of the outside world.

My lips stretch into an inevitable smile the moment my eyes land on my wife, Lila. That woman has made me smile more than anyone else in the world—every time she looks at me, every time she touches me, and even when I think about those silly fights we've had. Come what may, I know she’ll be here. Always.

There was a moment when things were more fragile—a moment when we were close to ending it—but that’s now in the past.

Pushing myself off the wall, I walk over to Lila. "Hi, dear," I whisper, sealing the greeting with a peck on her cheek.

I would love to have another moment with her, but I know Simone is holding me to my promise of a chess match, and Nicholas is already waiting for me with his Lego blocks.

I give Lila a quick smile of apology over my shoulder as I’m being ushered to the living room.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

The evening seemed to be exactly as uneventful as I'd hoped. The certainty of the mundane calms me.

Nicholas is still bent over his toy box, while Simone has cozied up in a big armchair with a book. The huge chair makes her look even smaller than she really is.

Days that some might call "boring" are my absolute favourite.

One of the living room windows looks out at the front of the house. A neighbour is walking their dog, stopping, and what seems like staring at our front door for a moment too long. I really don’t have the energy to engage in neighbourly small-talk today, so it's a huge relief when he finally moves on.

A lady I don’t recognize jogs past, and a car drives by—I flinch involuntarily. Even the thought of hurrying and the general pressure of going out makes me uncomfortable.

This was actually the reason for one of the biggest fights we've ever had with Lila. She started pressuring me for a family trip or a hike, to nowhere specific, just out.

When I was a child, my dad and I never went on trips. It just wasn’t something we did. My mother went and she never came back. So we never went further than needed.

Outside is where bad things happen to people. Why leave when we have everything we could ever want right here. Luckily, Lila seemed to have realized I might be right and stopped asking.

It has been three days and I feel like this time she actually understood that I only have our family’s best interests at heart. The past couple of days have been calm. Almost serene.

I look at my wife sitting at the kitchen table. She has put a roast in the oven, and is now reading a magazine, an egg-timer ticking beside her.

A lock of hair has fallen on her face—it happens sometimes when she’s concentrated. I tuck the stray lock behind her ear and press my lips on top of her head for a second.

I don’t want to bother her, she rarely takes time just for herself. But it's hard to resist. Her hair smells of her coconut shampoo and has a hint of cinnamon too.

I carry on with a familiar chore. It's a tradition of ours—Lila prepares dinner and I set the table and clean up after.

The egg-timer goes off just as I’m counting the cutlery. I see Lila turning her head to the sound, but her eyes stay fixed on the article she’s reading. It makes me chuckle—she must be reading something really interesting.

After putting the timer back where it belongs, I lift the steaming pot carefully out of the oven and onto a hotplate Lila has set out for the roast.

Children are bickering in the living room about something or other, but stop as soon as I call them to the table.

I help Nicholas up onto his booster seat and Lila starts plating the food. I look around. This here is what happiness is.

Just as we sit down, the landline phone rings. It makes my mind race—nobody ever calls this number.

"Don’t worry, I got it," I say to Lila with a smile. "You can go ahead and start."

The phone crackles a bit as I raise it to my ear.

"Hello."

"Could I speak to Mr. Dominic Bennet?"

"Speaking."

"This is Mr. Leonard Collins, the headmaster of St. Anne’s Primary School. I apologise for calling so late, but it’s about Simone and Nicholas."

"Yes?"

"They’ve been absent for a few days and no note about this has been given to any of their teachers. We’ve tried calling yourself and your wife, but haven’t been able to reach either of you. This number was in our emergency contacts. Is everything okay?"

I feel my pulse racing.

It irritates me when people can't mind their own business. They just have to bother our calm with the outside noise.

It was supposed to be nice and peaceful at home.

I’d made sure of that.

I quickly glance at the kitchen, and force my voice calm and quiet, careful not to disturb my family.

"Yes-yes, everything is fine. My wife must have forgotten to let you know. Simone and Nicholas have been a bit under the weather for the past couple of days."

"Oh, well. I’m glad to hear everything is alright. But we do require a doctor’s note for being absent due to sickness."

"Yes-yes, of course. I'll make sure you get the note. Was that all?"

"Yes, that was all. Thank you. Have a good evening."

"Bye."

On my way back to the kitchen, I notice another neighbour, a friend of Lila’s, standing in the street, staring at the house. She’s waving at the kitchen window, but it seems that Lila hasn’t noticed her. Clearly, she has better things to do.

I step in front of the window and wave back at her, because it seems like she’s not going to stop otherwise. Startled, she stumbles backwards, almost tripping on the curb. She waves quickly once more and rushes off.

It’s annoying when they do that, but at least she didn’t come to the door.

I watch her until she is out of sight and close the curtains for an extra layer of privacy.

I help Nicholas, who has fidgeted off his chair, back up, and sit down to enjoy dinner.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

I must’ve dozed off in front of the TV, because the next thing I know there is someone pounding at the front door and blue lights are flashing through the windows. There's a police car on my drive and some neighbours gathered in the street.

"Dominic Bennet, OPEN THE DOOR!"

"I’m coming!" I yell at the door, pushing myself up from the couch, rubbing my eyes.

By the time I get to the door my patience is already gone. I open it, ready to demand what’s this about, but I never get the chance.

"Dominic Bennet, this is a welfare check on your household. Please step outside while we check the well-being of your family."

"What!?" I blurt out. "What’s going on? Children are in their rooms and Lila is right there!" I point at the couch behind me. "They're fine. Tell them, dear."

One of the officers turns on a bright light and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust.

Lila doesn’t move.

Something’s wrong.

She’s slumped at an angle that makes no sense. Her skin is gray and dull, eyes half open and unfocused.

I open my mouth, but no sound comes out.

I wanna run to her, but they drag me out the door.

"Find the children!" someone shouts, as the car door slams shut behind me.

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INCIDENT REPORT

CASE NUMBER: 15-2047-B

DATE: September 23, 2015

LOCATION: 41 Cedar Park Way

SUMMARY: Officers responded to a call from a concerned neighbour who reported unusual behaviour observed through the windows of the residence.

OBSERVATIONS UPON ENTRY:

- dining table set for four; food cold to touch; one plate partially eaten

- the body of an adult female seated on the living room couch

- no signs of forced entry

VICTIMS:

- Lila Bennet, adult (age 35)

- Simone Bennet, minor (age 9)

- Nicholas Bennet, minor (age 6)

Estimated time of death: approximately 72 hours prior

WITNESS STATEMENTS (EXCERPTS):

A. Jackson, next-door neighbour

- Stated that they heard loud noises and raised voices on the evening of September 20 (three days prior).

- Previously reported excessive noise on four occasions.

- Previously reported suspected domestic violence on one occasion.

- Observed no movement in or out of the residence after September 20, except for the suspect, Dominic Bennet.

K. E. Bell, neighbour, friend of the victim Lila Bennet

- Reported observing bruises on Lila Bennet on three occasions, citing concern for domestic violence.

- Noted no contact with Lila over the past 72 hours; phone records show calls to her personal number each morning went unanswered.

- Observed the suspect waving from the residence on the evening of arrest.

- Observed Nicholas Bennet fall from the chair with no reaction from any of the occupants.

- Reported the occupants of the house appearing unnaturally positioned and stagnant at the kitchen table.

L. Collins, headmaster of St. Anne’s Primary School

- Confirmed that Simone and Nicholas Bennet were absent from school for three consecutive days without prior notice or a doctor’s note.

- Phone records indicate multiple unanswered calls to Dominic and Lila Bennet during the period in question.

- Described this behaviour as unusual and out of character, prompting concern and the late call to the family’s landline.

- Described Dominic Bennet’s responses as evasive and rushed.

Dr. H. King, psychiatrist

- Confirmed prior treatment of Dominic Bennet for Delusional Disorder.

- Confirmed that the suspect has a history with fixed or false beliefs regarding family safety and outside threats.

- Noted that the suspect has previously exhibited persistent beliefs inconsistent with reality, potentially affecting judgment.

- No recent visits documented within the past eight months.

SUSPECT STATUS:

- Dominic Bennet was taken into custody without resistance.

- He is currently under the supervision of the police and a psychiatrist.

- He will undergo a state-mandated psychiatric evaluation due to prior documented treatment for Delusional Disorder.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Report submitted by: Officer M. Kent

Badge number: 4726

Assisting officer: P. White

Badge number: 5119

Date: September 25, 2015