TREPIDATION // h.s

CHAPTER 2 //

The second I stepped off the plane, anxiety flushed over me. I had no idea what to expect from my father, hell I haven't seen the man in 7 years how could I? It's the same feeling as going on a blind date, you could be meeting the potential love of your life or a crazy stalker. I can't even think straight right now, and I feel like I could throw up at any second.

He is a complete stranger to me. The man was supposed to be an anchor to me, a place of safety, someone who would always be there to give me a hug on a bad day and tell me everything would be okay, but he wasn't. He is a stranger, and I don't know if that will ever change, I don't know if I want it to change.

After I collected my bags at the carousel, I look around and find an arrow pointing in the direction of the Arrival area.

I realize my breathing has stopped when I see my father standing a few feet away from me with a piece of paper in his hands with the words "Welcome Lila !" written on it. I swallow the lump in my throat and take a deep breath, dragging my luggage and myself over to him.

He's not looking at me at first, but when his eyes find mine, his face lights up and he starts walking up to me.

"Look at you !" He says with a smile and hesitantly gives me a hug. It's stiff and uncomfortable, once again like a stranger.

I study his appearance and it is easy to see that he has gotten older. I don't know much about him due to our lack of communication, but what I do know is that he is a very successful businessman. He owns hotels and clubs all around Miami, and I'm pretty sure at many other destinations as well. All this meaning that he is very, very rich. Putting everything aside I guess you could say he isn't a complete monster though, he paid child support, it's the bare minimum but he did it. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to sustain me, my mom, and a 7-year-old he has no relation to.

"Hi " Is all I manage to say as he pulls away from me. Everything I've planned to say to him since I've known I'm coming here has just disappeared from my mind. I'm completely stunned, just standing in front of him like a moron.

"You've gotten so big ." He says looking at me in shock.

"It's been a while." He chuckles at my attempt to keep the conversation lighthearted.

"I guess we should get going then, the hotel is only about a 10-minute drive. Let me help you with your bags ." He says and then he takes my bags from me. He looks at me again, like he can't believe I'm really here and then he starts walking in the opposite direction I came from.

"I'm staying at a hotel?" Honestly, I shouldn't be shocked about this. He really would just drop me at a hotel and leave. I shouldn't have assumed he would let me live with him in his house.

"Yeah, we are." He says still looking out ahead of him. "I live at one of my hotels."

"Like permanently?" I ask a little confused. Who lives at a hotel?

"Yeah in the penthouse, don't worry you'll have your own room and everything ." He clearly picked up on my confusion.

"Oh okay, um thanks you know ... for letting me stay with you, and everything," I say never looking at him. I feel so nervous and awkward, not at all how you should feel around your dad.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He brushes off, but for some reason, I find that hard to believe. If he wanted to see me so badly, he had 7 years.

"Yeah," I whisper softly and I doubt he heard.

After walking about the airport for a couple more minutes we are finally in the parking lot at his car. He grabs my bags from me and loads them into the boot.