2022 WATTYS SHORTLISTED || After being forced into a marriage by her devoutly religious parents, Aspen's husband is diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, and she must find her purpose as well as fight feelings for her husband's nurse. || Aspen Wat...
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2 W E E K S L A T E R - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9
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I've never seen a child in a sweet shop, but if I ever had, I think my dad's face would represent that. When we sit opposite each other at the restaurant, the grin on his face is like something I've never seen before. He beams like the sun during a heatwave, and he oozes happiness when he greets me.
"Aspen," he greets.
"Hi, Dad. How're you?" I ask.
"I'm good, thank you! You?" he asks.
We both order when the waiter arrives – one burger and one steak. I haven't seen Dad in a few weeks now, and I know there's a lot to catch up on from my side, and I can just see the glee in his face, meaning I've got a lot to listen to as well.
"I'm okay, thanks. You're looking... ecstatic, Dad," I note. He chuckles lightly, the glasses on his eyes moving as he does.
"You know what, Aspen, life is good right now," he says. I smile as he carries on, "I can be myself; I've even started attending church nearby. It's everything I imagined it would be. I haven't heard from your mother in a while, and I even have a job lined up. It's... I can only say I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't do this before now, you know?"
I chuckle. "I know what you mean. What job is it?"
"Just working in the local council offices."
"Oh, that's amazing. I'm happy for you!"
"Thank you, sweetheart," he says. The waiter comes with the drinks before he asks, "Anything new?"
I laugh awkwardly before nodding. "Quite a lot."
"Well, I'm all ears."
"So... you know Joel had a... girlfriend? Summer?" I ask, and he nods. "Well, she was expecting a baby. She lost the baby. Stillborn baby girl."
His happiness sours, and he sips on his drink. "That's tragic." He silently mouths something, and I know without needing to hear that he's saying a silent prayer. I wonder if he's doing that because of the history with me and religion. Either way, it doesn't go unnoticed.
"She named her Sienna Joelle Watkins. Baby girl. She's gone to live with her parents, though I don't know if she'll come back. She's been saying there's nothing here for her anymore. Understandable with both Joel and Sienna gone, you know?" I say quietly.
The food arrives at the same time as my dad nods at my words.
"Tragic, tragic. Poor girl," Dad says. "If you speak to her, tell her she is... in my prayers."
