When it ends

Untitled Part 10

A car pulled up outside of the hotel. The door opened and a man dressed in a suit and a hat stepped out. "Good afternoon miss, I'll be giving you a ride to the hotel." "Thank you." I said as he held the door open for me to slide in.

"I could have driven myself..." I said. "Mr. Odonald like it this way. Anonymity I'm sure you understand." He said. "Not really....I mean I don't know how much you know about this situation..." "I don't ask questions I just drive." He said curtly. Okay then. The car pulled up to a fancy hotel. I wondered why Jack didn't have a home here. I mean, I'm sure he like most celebs lived here because it was close to work.

I walked in and he was sitting at a table in the lounge area. He stood when he saw me taking careful measure to look around. I don't know why the hotel was pretty empty. "I feel like I'm seeing a ghost." He commented. I nodded taking a seat. He sat as well. "It's surreal that's for sure." I agreed.

"What? No, you're um...really pale." He said. My face fell. "Oh, gotcha. So why are you staying at a hotel? Don't you have you know um a home?" I asked. He chuckled. "Of course I have a home. You think I'm gonna invite kid I don't know to my house? Especially after what you told me.  No way. I jut talked with the hotel staff and asked if I could sit here and they would keep people out. I also have guards stationed." He said. I saw Carter come in. He gave me a head nod and stayed in the shadows.

"Right, about that. If you'll just take a test and see if you're a possible match. I mean it only takes about a week to find out." I said. He held up a hand. "Look, I'm sure you're a nice kid and all that and I'd love to help I really would. It's just...I'm so busy, and how would it look if I just gave a stranger a kidney?" He asked. "Well I mean I'm you're daughter so..." "Not really, I mean sure biologically but I'm not a father to you. I never have been. And I'm trying to see your side here but you haven't contacted me for anything either. Only coming out of the woodwork now, that you need a kidney."

"Well that's not my fault. I didn't exactly know how to get in touch with you. I asked about you when I was younger you know? Grandmaw said she didn't know a thing. I called mom. She was drunk and obsessed with making it." "Ah yea your momma always was disillusioned." "Why? Because you actually made it? Yea, you play America's favorite tv dad yet you suck as an actual dad." I said. "Will you please keep it down?? That's why I agreed to meet with you." He said. 

"But why though? If you didn't want to do the test why even meet me?" "Well for one, I couldn't tell you at my movie premier. That I wasn't going to take a test to see if my kidney was a match for a daughter that nobody knew I had. And two, I don't know what kind of evidence you have on me. If this got out it could ruin my career. I thought if I showed up maybe I  could ask you nicely not to say anything. Maybe that's asking to much." He shrugged.

"You don't even know me! I'd never rat your secret out. If you don't wanna help me then fine, that's on you. If I die you can live with the guilt of knowing it's your fault. You know you really are rather selfish." I said. "How so?" He asked. "You never called." "I had nothing to say." He said. "Wow, well maybe I did. Do you have any idea how much it sucks knowing neither of your parents wanted you? I mean you know how this works right? You have sex without protection you can get pregnant. Which results in a child that you are responsible for. And my grandparents are great. I don't know how they raised a kid like mom. But they aint getting no younger. My life has been far from easy. Do you know that we want for the most basic things! They retired because it was time. We barely make ends meet some days." "I'm sorry you had to go through that, I always thought your momma was crazy. She still dying her hair Red and trying to be like Reba?" He asked.

"Oh yea." I nodded a smile teasing the corner of my lips. "Shame, she's not much good." My dad said. "True, but I guess if you're drunk enough anything sounds good." I chuckled. "Right you are. Look I really am sorry I couldn't be more help. I just can't afford to take time off right now. I mean not that any time is a good time." "Of course, thank you for meeting with me." I said. "Do you have any questions for me?" He asked. Right, questions because you know you and I will not be seeing each other again.

I should, I should have years of stored up questions. But I don't. I made peace with my dad a long time ago. I won't beg anybody to be in my life. "No, actually I don't." "Okay then, I'll have my driver take you back to your hotel." He said standing up. "No, I'm okay my ride is here. I'm heading home in the morning." He nodded. "Okay, have a safe trip." He said waving. Then he left. No hug, no nothing. I didn't feel good.

There was a bad pain in the pit of my stomach and I was feeling nauseous again. Carter walked over and promptly wrapped me in his arms. He placed a kiss on top of my head. "You look rough, that bad?" He asked. "Yea, it was." He let me go. "Look at me, I need you to hear me. This is far from over. That man over there doesn't deserve to have you in his life. It's his loss. You ready to go?" He asked. "Sure." He headed out and I followed behind him. But I didn't get very far. I started to get dizzy and see spots. Everything went black. And then I fell onto the floor.