𝙇 𝙄 𝘽 𝙀 𝙍 𝘼𝙏 𝙀 𝘿

28 L I B E R A T E D 28

28 V 28

"Hey, Dad," I shyly walked through the front door.

My mother was lighting him a cigar at the dinner table as my father shrugged off his work jacket.

I paused, watching them. No one had heard me yet, and I slipped back around the corner. Maybe they would mention something about why he had been gone so long. What it was about? Why...he was ashamed of me? Because he had to be ashamed of me, otherwise, he wouldn't have left after something like that, right?

"Vonna should be here soon. Am I doing this right?" my mother then asked, placing the cigar between his lips surrounded by gruff, stray hairs.

"Yes. I picked up the habit on the road," my father replied, his voice deeper, with a hint of sadness.

"You know, your daughter was asking for you, Vontay. She thought it was her fault for you leaving. She was hurt," my mother stated.

"I know. I have to make it up to her some way," he sighed. "I'll explain everything to her once she gets here."

"I'll call her right now," my mother offered.

I immediately scrambled for my phone, knowing that it was on. My mother was already calling before I could silently reach it, and my ringtone started blaring. Now caught, I let out a helpless laugh and revealed myself to my parents.

"Vonna," my father turned towards me, letting out a long stream of smoke, a little bit more clumsy than Liberty does, and giving me a small smile.

They didn't even seem to care that I had been eavesdropping. I walked over to my father, wrapping my arms around him. I needed him so bad these past few days, but that's okay now. I finally have him back.

"I'm sorry that I was gone. I just needed to clear my head. It's so...hurtful to know that my own brother would try to do something like that to you, Von. That he was doing things like that to his own daughter too."

I let my eyes fall.

"You're my baby girl. I'd never want anyone to hurt you," he picked up my chin as my eyes started to water. And it wasn't because of the heavy smoke in the room. "Don't ever feel like I don't love you, Vonna. Do not ever think that."

"Yes, Dad," I whispered, sniffling.

"Hey, why don't we go out somewhere today? Chill for a bit, like you young folks say?"

"Please," I laughed, wiping my face with the edge of my shirt.

"My treat. Whatever you want. A father daughter date?"

"I'd like that," I told him, my heart melting. "I'd like that a lot, Dad."