The Sire

Chapter 38

I.

London...

The taxi stopped in front of The Dungeon but Chris remained sat on the backseat still unsure if he should go in. Inside, he would find his father and he still wasn't sure if he wanted his family to know where he was. He ran a hand over his head looking at the huge line on the curb, waiting to go inside one of the hottest spots in London's night. The rain tapping on the hood of the car, yanking metallic sounds that were a bit irritating. The taxi driver looked at him through the rearview mirror expectantly. Chris didn't move, he just ran his palms over his black jeans. If at home he was so sure he needed to talk to his father, his mentor, now he wasn't anymore. He was corroding in doubt and that wasn't the greatest moment for it.

"Sir..." The driver finally called him for he was stalling his service.

"Sorry... can you give me a minute." Chris turned his head to look at him. "Just a minute, please."

"It's still counting." The man warned him but Chris didn't answer. He couldn't care less about the money.

"It's ok..." Chris responded and looked outside again.

Inside his mind, his day was replayed. From the moment he met Marlow and the hours he spent with her until the conversation with Andy that ended with him leaving abruptly. Then, in his apartment alone, his head smashed him. It went back and forth from Marlow to Iris and Andy and then it would go round again. It came to a point where it felt like everything around him was whirling. The need to hear Iris voice attacked him all the time, but that time he was strong enough not to disturb them. He was confused. He was extremely confused. He left everything behind, even his daughter and for what? Chris started doubting himself and his choices at some point. It was on that moment of havoc that he decided to search for his father.

"Sir..." The taxi driver insisted. "I really need to go."

"Ok..." Chris puffed and took his wallet from his back pocket. "How much?"

"25." The man extended his hand at him, showing some annoyance on his face, but Chris ignored it.

"Here." He put 30£ in the man's hand, opened the door and got out.

As the taxi rolled away, he stood there, near the sidewalk, arms resting at the side of his hips, rain falling over him and him staring at the luxurious golden door of his father's nightclub. His heart started racing as more doubt started destabilizing him. Then, his phone buzzed inside the pocket of his jeans and Chris moved to grab it. As he took it off his pocket, he saw the alarm he had setting to remember to call Susan for he couldn't get used to the time difference. Eight hours was too much. He was almost half a day ahead from his people in the Emerald City. He looked around looking for a place to shelter from the rain that was falling. Unlike Seattle, London didn't have awnings here and there where you could shelter, but he saw the balcony of the building that sided the club and he went there. He shivered a bit when he stopped feeling cold water falling over him and dialed Susan's number. It didn't take long until she answered it for she was used to him calling always around five pm, her time.

"Hey." Chris breathed, running a hand over his head to dry it a little. "How are you?"

In the background, he heard the fainted chirp of the birds and the leaves of the trees hissing as wind caressed them and an instant longing wrapped around his heart. He missed Seattle too much. He missed his friends and his daughter. He missed his life. Chris closed his eyes and shook his head. He didn't miss seeing Iris with Stone. And then... Marlow... his eyes opened there and he frowned bewildered by the correlation.

"Hi, Chris." Susan sat on the white chair of the garden that used to be them and her heart ached a little. She loved him still. "Oli is sleeping... she had a terrible day." She pulled her hair back and she took a deep breath. She was tired. It was hard to do it all by herself.