MATED TO A BEAST

walk

I climbed down the stairs hurriedly,my eyes searching for dad.i ran into the living room but there was no sign of him, pulling out my phone from my pocket i dialed his number when I saw that the main door was slightly open, putting my phone back into my pocket,I walked up to the main door and opened it.

"Dad!"I called out when I saw him standing there,his back facing me.

I hurriedly walked up to him and he turned when he heard my footsteps and smiled.he was about to say something but paused when his phone rang, bringing it out from his pocket and checking the caller ID ,he smiled with a puzzled look on his face before showing me his phone.i looked at it and giggled when I saw I was the caller, remembering that I didn't cut the call earlier on,I brought my phone out and did so before looking at him again.

"Let's take a walk little one."he touched my head lovingly and started walking.

I closed my eyes and smiled when he touched my head before hurrying up to meet him.we walked side by side as I thought of ways to start up a conversation with him,I had so many questions to ask him,I was so confused with what was going on,but I knew my father well,he never liked being questioned.If I wanted to get answers,I had to be careful of how I asked him questions.

I looked at him,he seemed so relaxed,so calm,like nothing was wrong,like he wasn't disturbed,like he wasn't going bankrupt,I looked away as a million thoughts ran inside my head causing a slight throb.blinking I frowned a little,it was too early for a headache,I looked at dad again,he seemed at peace and my tensed muscles relaxed.i held his hand and he smiled at me,he held mine tightly,like how he had always done when I was a child.he looked at me and for a moment I saw worry in his eyes,then it left immediately replaced by a wide grin.

"I remember when you were a child,and you couldn't ride that pink little bike you had."he said looking at me and I threw my head back laughing.

"Dad,please don't....."I said covering my mouth as I laughed more when memories of my bike came rushing back.

"No,no.let me finish."he said in between fits of laughter,he playfully warned and I shook my head.

"You ran up to me and pulled my finger so softly with tears in your eyes.i bent down and asked my little princess what made her cry."he said bringing his hand down to his knees trying to show me how little I was that I couldn't help but roll my eyes playfully.

"Do you remember what you said to me, c'mon if you do say it with me."he said and I shook my head in defeat as I said it with him. "It's being naughty,it doesn't want to give me a ride too." I giggled as my father's laughter filled my ears like a gentle song making me smile.

It always cracked him up whenever he remembered.that day I had tried to ride my pink bicycle,dad had gotten it for me for my seventh birthday,but no matter how hard I tried to ride it,I couldn't stop falling.In less than a week,Kyle had mastered riding my bicycle and I was still struggling to pedal straight.

Mum had walked into the garden with steaming hot chocolate cookies,and then Kyle used that opportunity to show her how he could ride a perfect circle with my bicycle,then after that mum looked at me and asked me to show her my riding skills.I climbed the bicycle slowly,I wanted to make mum proud,wanted her to clap for me like she did Kyle,I started pedalling carefully and steady but I lost control and I fell,mum rushed to me immediately, saying comforting words and asking me if I was hurt,but I couldn't look her in the eyes so I ran to dad and cried my eyes out,I felt it was because it didn't like me, that's why it refused to give me a ride.

I shook my head,at how childishly I had spoken,so confident that my bike hated me "do you remember what I told you after?"he asked bringing me back to our walk.I nodded and he continued"I told you in this life everything had to be taken step-by-step.don't rush things child."he finished and I nodded, smiling as his words sank in.

The sun was getting hotter,I dabbed my forehead with the ends of my sleeves.dad said a walk but it seemed like he wanted us to walk into the city.The city was quite far,and we weren't even close yet,it was an hour's drive from our house to get to the city and now we were taking a walk there,he didn't say so,but I still felt like this walk was never ending,I didn't like walking too much.

i frowned as more drops of sweats formed on my forehead. He could have said let's go for a long ride,the comfortable car seat,the cool breeze,the slow music.it only made me more fustrated,I was so caught up in my daydream that I didn't know when he pulled me gently to the other side of the road and made me sit on a bench.

"Wow,I didn't know there was a bench here."I smiled as I stretched my feet, relaxing properly.A huge lemon tree served as a shade from the hot sun,I closed my eyes and enjoyed the cool breeze on my skin.

"How would you know,when you and the others drove past it every single day, can't even remember when last the three of you took a walk."dad said and I sat up, giving space so he could sit.

"Hey,the three of us took a walk home just hours ago,before Ryan's arrival."I said feeling satisfied with my comeback and he shook his head, clearly giving up on me seeing his point.

Dad sat at my right side,his two hands in his pocket.none of us said a word,both enjoying the silence and each other's company,I looked at dad,he just looked at the lemon tree opposite us,his face held no emotions,I figured he was back to his collected self,he was like this whenever he wanted to do business,or discuss something serious.

I waited patiently for him to say something but he didn't,he stayed quiet,deep in thought.i looked down, but just when I was about giving up on him saying anything,he spoke up.

"It's not your fault, whatever happened, it's not your fault."he still stared at the tree "if you want to move on from it,you have to take it one step at a time child."he finished still refusing to look at me.

I stayed quiet,I knew what he was trying to say but I wasn't ready,not with him.I felt too guilty to talk to him,but sooner or later we were bound to have this conversation,but this time I was gonna do better,I wouldn't let it end the way it did with mum,I was gonna keep a clear head and talk to Dad.but thinking of mum,I wondered where she was.

"Where is mum?"I asked and dad finally looked at me

"Ohh, that's what I called you out for."he sighed "well actually, Ryan's parents are coming back,and they've decided to come over,you know spend this month with us..."he said looking at me before facing his attention back to the lemon tree."your mother has gone to go pick them from the airport."he said making no effort to hide how displeased he felt about it.

I smiled,dad never liked mum going too far away from him,and if she did it had to be a good enough reason.I looked down my thoughts drifting far as I traced my bandaged hand.

For a moment we stayed silent,not saying a word to each other,the silence was comfortable,the air was fresh as ever.

"I want to know."I said slowly looking up at the lemon tree in front of us.

"Huh,what do you want to know?"dad asked clearly confused.

"Everything."I turned,this time looking him in the eyes "everything dad,I wanna know everything."I finished and his gaze narrowed on me.

"What's going on dad?"

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---1481 words ---

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