AGAPI

22. Unwanted Encounter

"Austin, this is my dad, David." I freeze, wishing he isn't the one I have in my mind.

I freeze, as the name is very familiar. I do not greet him and neither does he. He is as shocked as I am. He comes out of the car and stands infront of me.

"Austin," he holds my hand. He knows who I am. I know who he is. We both wished we'd never cross a single path with each other but here we are blaming our destinies. My eyes starts to fill with tears but I hold it back from falling because I wanted to show him that I have a really good life even after he abandoned me.

"I'm sorry." He speaks up. I pull my hand away from his and run away as tears starts to fall down my cheeks. I hear Stella shouting my name as I keep running. It shouldn't have hurt me like it did. I should have told him that I've been having a great life without him being a part of it, instead of running away like a coward but I couldn't bare the sight of him especially after learning that he has a daughter now, after abandoning me.

Iris

3:30 p.m

Since the work got completed earlier than expected for the day, I reach home earlier but couldn't find Austin's car near the parking lot where it always used to be parked at. Today, I was the one who came back home earlier than him.

4:18 p.m

I'm immersed in the TV show that I'm watching while Caroline is busy cooking lunch for us when all of a sudden, I hear the door password being clicked in before the door opens. I knew it would be Austin but I get surprised when I see his face and his shirt soaked up in sweat while running out of breath. His eyes are puffy and red while he's trying to cover his face from my sight. He had been crying.

"I'll use the room and I don't want anyone inside the room for a while. I'm sorry." He says with eyes shut, not taking a single glance at me as he walks away to our room.

It's my first time looking at him so messed up and it's very painful to see him in this state. I have several questions that I want to ask him but I hold it all in. I want to go and comfort him but I know I had to give him his space.

7:58 p.m

"Iris, don't you think you have to ask him to have dinner. We're not even sure if he has had lunch." Caroline speaks up as it had been several hours since he was in the room.

"But, he told he needed his space." I look at her with a confused face because I was as clueless as she was, wondering what to do. We both fall silent for a moment before she speaks up again.

"It's been a while, Iris. He needs energy to be sad too, for whatever reason. Ask him to come have dinner."

I hesitate looking at her but she just gets up from the couch and heads to the kitchen.

I knock on the door, lightly, three times. After a couple of seconds, Austin opens the door but goes back to the bed again, without glancing at me. I switch on the light of the dark room he had been staying for hours and reach near the bed and squat in front of him to look at him. He looks back at me. His eyes has become much more red, even more swollen and still filled with tears.

"Are you feeling better, now?" I ask him even though I know he isn't.

He shakes his head sideways. "I'm feeling worse." He speaks as his voice cracks in between which makes my heart twist in sadness.

"Wake up," I say as I pull him from laying on the bed and make him sit on the bed. I reach for the glass that was on the nightstand and pour some water to it. "Have some." I pull his hand and give the glass to him. he looks at me with his lifeless eyes before gulping in the water completely.