Paint Me Saved ✓ Book 1

17. Stuck in sight

Zemira

After a touch-and-go episode with Leo, I needed to get my bearings in order. That resolve, however, seemed to vitiate when I saw another handwritten note from him, peeking through its hold on the fridge. His cursive writing reminded me of the note he placed on my red dress.

With a fondness for all things written, I grabbed the paper.

I have a friend's gallery opening today. Meet you there, need you as my plus one.

I've dropped the location on your phone.

L

After reading, I slid the paper back into its prevision position. Unlike Leo's last message; the smile-inducing one, this memo seemed formal. And disciplined. I felt a hint of reservation in his words like he was forced to invite me.

It was very different from the way he behaved with me since our dinner reservation. Assured that nothing changed between yesterday night and today and that it was my old nerve-racking ideologies, I put my wild thoughts to rest and got dressed for the office.

With loads of work burying Dad underneath, our office interactions were reduced. It played a spoiler on our ritual too. 

Once a week, my father would take time out of his busy schedule to have a father-daughter bonding time over lunch. I had no recollection of how it began or when but soon it became an integral part of our lives.

After a quick shower and a quicker dab of makeup, I drove to our office. Every staff member who saw me smiled and waved as I walked by. Some were generous enough to let me partake in the office gossip while I waited for Dad's meeting to end.

Once his Secretary nodded in affirmation, my feet fired up, and I darted towards his office. Barely a week had passed since my move out but the desperation to meet my father soared faster than an eagle attaining flight. 

I missed him and even the separation of a few days felt like a century.

Dad saw me through the glass walls. He flung up from his chair and rushed to my side. Being held inside the safety of his knightly strong hands, my heaving chest felt calm. He patted the back of my head; an action he imbibed from my mother.

"How're you doing Dad?" Still wrapped around him, I asked. 

He sighed, tucking me harder into his chest and placing a gentle kiss on my head. "You want the truth?" 

Oh, I knew the truth. The one that even I experienced after being away from him. Nodding a no, I smiled.

"In that case, I'm doing very well. I'm happy that my daughter's abandoned room can now be mine."

"There are twelve more rooms in the mansion, yet you eye my room!" I moved back, hands folded over my hips.

Dad winked, dragging out a chair for me. "Because your room is the biggest."

"The master bedroom is the biggest one."

Lashed with the remained that Dad stopped using that room after Mom's demise, my head hung low. He said her memories were braided in the room. Hard to ignore, harder to live with.

I fumbled for words as his eyes darkened, focus shifting to the framed photo of our fallen cancer warrior.

"How are things with Leo?" Dad straightened his lapel, leaning over the table. "And what are you kids up to?"