A Father's Daughter

Chapter Seven

The ride to Spencer's apartment building is fast even with Reid refusing to go even one mile above the speed limit. He pulls into a covered spot and puts the car in park. Before I'm even able to unbuckle my seatbelt, he's out of the car and rushing to the passenger side to open my door. I laugh as the door opens and he offers me his hand again. I take it, but once I'm standing instead of dropping it, I pull him closer and hold onto his arm with my other hand as we walk into the building.

We walk up the stairs and I try not to wince with how sore my feet are from dancing and walking around in uncomfortable heels for hours. Spencer guides me to his door and quickly unlocks it. The door opens to reveal his apartment, it's different from what I imagined, but fits him nevertheless. From the sage green walls to the built in bookshelves that sag a little in the middle due to the weight of all his literature. Everything in here feels like it's lived thousands of lives before and will live on for centuries after we leave. I wander past his desk to the bookshelves and run my fingers delicately against the well worn spines of all of the books. His place makes me feel the same way I do at a museum, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

I'm so lost in my own head that I jump when Spencer places his hand on my shoulder. I quickly compose myself and turn to see him standing behind me holding a pair of sweatpants and a faded burnt orange t-shirt.

"I figured you would be more comfortable in this," he says softly, offering me the clothes, "you know to watch the movie?" I smile at the sweet gesture and take the clothes from him.

"You can change in my room," he tells me, gently guiding me in the right direction.

"Thank you," I tell him as we walk over to his room.

He opens his bedroom door and I take it all in. My eyes drift between the deep navy shade on the walls, the black wooden bed frame with the well loved green quilt at the foot of the bed, and the neatly piled stack of books on each of the mismatched nightstands. I place the clothes he gave me on the antique dresser that sits against the wall in front of the bed and when I look over my shoulder I see that he's standing in the doorway.

"You have an incredible place here, Reid," I tell him as I finally take off my shoes. I resist the urge to let out an audible moan when my bare feet meet the cool hardwood surface.

"Thanks," he says with a smile, "I'll, um, meet you back out here."

I nod as he walks away and I close the door behind him. I quickly take off my dress, rings and hoops before slipping into his sweatpants. I have to roll the legs of the pants to make them kind of fit. Once I have them situated enough that I won't trip over them, I unfold the shirt Reid gave me.  It's a well worn CalTech shirt that has holes in the neck from being washed so many times. I slide it over my head and the soft fabric feels heavenly against my skin.

I fold my dress, put my jewlery into my purse, and pick up my heels. I walk to the black painted door and I need to take a moment before I turn the doorknob. I shut my eyes tight and force away the voice in my head that sounds like my father, the one that's telling me I should look through Spencer's things to get leverage on him. The voice that reminds me that I should hate the man on the other side of the door.

I shake my head and open my eyes, I'm taking a break from that voice tonight. Tonight, I'm the girl I was before that voice took over. The girl I was before my father died, or I had ever met him. I take a breath before I finally turn the knob and walk back into the living room. The smell of popcorn wafts over me and I see Spencer sitting on the couch, waiting for me. I place my things on the table near the back of the living room before sitting down on the other end of the couch.

"Thank you again," I tell him as I angle my body towards him, "for the clothes. I don't know if I would have lasted much longer in that dress and the heels."