Finding You

6: Taken by Surprise

WILL: 

I stare out of my window, no cars are whizzing past, the morning rush must have passed. I brush my fingers through my bedhead hair and rip off the duvet, yawning. 

I pick up my phone, there's an iMessage pool message from Levi continuing our game from the previous night, I get three striped balls in and smirk with approval. I send a quick good morning text to Sam and continue with my day. 

It wasn't even 11 am and my stomach growled, awaiting some Saturday bacon and eggs. I brush my teeth, glancing at my dark hair with a few stray curls that kept getting in my eyes. I push it all back and spit out the toothpaste, to finish off I gargle some mouthwash and pull on a t-shirt before running down to the kitchen. 

Dad was sitting at the dining table, his back bent over multiple piles of paperwork.

"How comes you're still home?", I ask as I take the bacon and two eggs out from the fridge. My sliders made small noises as I walk across the kitchen to the counter.

"You hadn't woken up yet and someone needed to look over Jiao, I didn't want to hire the sitter just for a few hours that you slept in", he says glancing at me through his small spectacles.

"Well, if mum was still here she could help you and it would all be easier", I say as I poke the bear.

"I don't want to have this conversation with you again Will, she's not a part of our life, she hasn't been for a long time and you need to stop being so stubborn and accept that", he mutters through gritted teeth, I can tell he's already tired of the conversation.

"But how can I accept something if you haven't even allowed me to process it, you haven't told me why she even left, she is still my mum you know, I want to meet her!" 

"You don't need to meet her! It's not going to change anything, you're not going to feel better about this situation and she's definitely not going to come back to our family" he slams his fist on the table.

It was almost like volcanoes started exploding in my veins, the blistering, ruby liquids pouring through my arms and legs, I couldn't contain my words.

"Who are you to decide whether it's going to change anything! You don't know anything! How do you know what she'll say- you haven't seen her God know how many years!" I shout as the bacon sizzles beneath me. 

"Who am I? I am your father who raised you single-handedly and gave you everything you could ever want!" He stands up from his chair and marches toward me, his flickering scowl settling in. 

"I-" 

I go to retaliate when I hear a whimper from my left. I turn and standing there is Jiao. Small tears roll down her lightly freckled cheeks.

"Why are you guys fighting?", she sniffles.

I kneel by her and wipe the tears with the pads of my thumbs.

"Hey, Ji it's okay", I whisper while I rub my hands down her arms in an attempt to console her,  goosebumps trail down her arms and I instantly regret prodding the topic when I knew that it wouldn't end well.

"But do you guys not love each other, we're a family right?", she says as she holds onto my hand.

Dad's face softens as he also kneels by us.

"Of course not sweetie, me and Will were just having a disagreement but we won't fight anymore", he says with confidence as he lifts Ji into his arms. A smile envelopes his face as he takes Ji over to the dining table and begins cheering her up.