Petals in the Wind

Chapter 16

That night her father came home to make things worse. He had planned to stay at home for a full week. When she entered the living room he was sighing, looking at her mother's picture.

"Now you look exactly like her", he said.

Then, he happily announced that he would spend the whole week with her, drop her off at the school and classes by himself. As her exam was bordering on, he wanted to show his support. Grace got perplexed, but there was nothing she could do. She wondered whether he had broken up with one of the women he had been seeing.

He asked her to have dinner with him. She could not refuse. Suddenly the dining room was opened. Though it was not often used, Ms. Emmeline had always taken good care of it. The dining table resembled a medieval banqueting table. It could facilitate at least twenty people at once. Grace felt awkward to sit there, but her father looked cheerful. Even Ms. Emmeline was invited to sit with them.

"Now everything is going well. All I have to do is to find you a good man", he said while dining. Grace got flustered.

"A man?", she asked.

"Yes, a man that suits us. A young businessman would do. There are several candidates in my mind. I'll introduce them to you when it is the right time", he said.

"Does it have to be a businessman? I hate businessmen. Especially, if all those so-called 'businessmen' are like you", she said. He smirked.

"I won't give you to an average office-worker. It was hard to earn the things we enjoy now. So you should protect them. You should keep up the dignity of this family", he said. She kept silent. She did not even feel as if she belonged to a family. After the meal, he opened a bottle of wine. First, he poured a glass for himself. Then he filled two glasses and gave them to the two women.

"Cheers!", he raised his glass.

Not knowing what to do, Ms. Emmeline looked at Grace. When their eyes met, Grace shrugged. Then, she raised the glass. Ms. Emmeline followed her.

"Cheers!", they said. He laughed. Then he finished his glass at once.

"Another glass?", he asked. Grace yawned.

"You want us to become drunkards?", she asked. Then she kept her glass aside and got up. "We have better things to do. Have a good night then!"

She walked out of the room.

"Look at her! What do I do about that wicked sense of humor?", he asked Ms. Emmeline. She also got up.

"I have to do the dishes", she said. Then she followed Grace. He was left alone in the huge dining room.

While passing the living room, Grace stopped in front of her mother's picture. She was in her wedding dress: simple and pearl white. A smile had decorated her lips. Looking at her smile, Grace sighed. If her mother was alive, the house would not look dull and dark, it would be filled with laughter, and she would feel less lonely. Parenting is a job that a parent should never quit. Like a branch that securely supporting a bird's nest, they have to nourish and guide children, before letting them go, but her father had quit that job a long time ago. He was just her sponsor and she was one of his sources of pride.

He was drinking and singing till midnight. Every time she heard him, her irritation got updated. She texted Nelith not to wait for her in the morning. He informed her that he caught Lilac. She felt somewhat relieved.

'Why did he have to come home?', she was wondering. 'Can't he just leave in the morning as usual? Why would he stay here for a whole week? Since when did he become so caring?' Now she would not mind him seeing dozens of women and spending time with them.