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I go straight to Dad's hotel. His check-in details are buried in an email.
Impossible to find without seeing several missed calls from Hero.
And the texts.
God, the texts.
Hero: Where are you, baby? Let's talk about this.
Hero: You don't have to run.
Hero: I want to understand. I know you don't believe that, but I do.
My stomach twists.
If he really wants to understand...
I want that.
I want to spill my guts.
To cry on his shoulder.
To show him every ugly part of me and find nothing but acceptance in return.
Those strong arms.
Those deep eyes.
The steady thump-thump of his heartbeat.
I need it.
But he's not ready to understand.
He had five years to dive into his brother's death and he spent them running instead.
How am I supposed to explain in an hour?
Shit. I need to hightail it.
I check my dad's room number again, march to the elevator, take it to the fourth floor.
The shiny silver doors glide open. I step onto the floral print carpet. Run my fingertips along the pale yellow walls.
All the way to room 414.
Knock-knock. "Dad, it's me."
"Josephine?" He always says my full name. He always has.
"No. Your other unmarried daughter."
"Don't remind me." He pulls the door open and motions come in.
"Nobody warns you about this."
"Oh?"
"I feel ten years older."
"You're no spring chicken."
He shakes his head. "I'm too young to have a son-in-law."
"What about a grandson?"
Horror streaks his expression.
"No. Not me. God no." I kick the door closed. Move straight to the bathroom to fill a glass with water. I down it in three gulps, but it does nothing to refresh me.
He chuckles. "I thought you spent the night with Hero."
"Ahem." I'm definitely not discussing this with him.
"It's always a possibility."
"No."
"Realistically."
"Hell no." I'm so, so, so not capable of taking care of another living being. I can barely take care of the cacti in my room.
"Aren't you having dinner with your mom?"
"Yeah." I suck a breath through my teeth. I was supposed to do that. But he's not going to ask her. They don't talk. Ever. "We had an early dinner."
And my suitcase is mysteriously missing. Incredibly plausible.
YOU ARE READING
BROKEN (Herophine Fanfic)
ChickLitI lost her once. I won't lose her again. After my brother's death, I was drowning.She was my life raft. Josephine and I were opposites, the outspoken art student and the brooding athlete. She was passionate where I was apathetic, bright where I wa...
