Dark Secrets [COMPLETED]

Chapter 18: In The Family

Being back in a big city felt strange. Apart from the difference of scenery—the city was made of squares and glass, high-rises and utilitarian architecture, while most of the buildings in Ramblewood were over a century old—there were so many people, it was almost suffocating at first.

It was exactly the same as when I left it a month ago, but something felt different. I guess that thing was myself. I'd been through the wringer emotionally, and I felt like a stranger in the city I'd known all my life.

Rather than stand around in the bustle of people on the train platform, I made my way over to a bench and sat down with my bags. I took out my phone and proceeded to look up what bus route would take me to my Dad's apartment.

After the divorce, Mom and Dad sold our house. Mom moved us in with Robert, and Dad rented an apartment in downtown Kitchener. Luckily, I remembered the address—63 Scott Street—and soon enough I'd mapped out the buses I would have to take to get there from the GO train station.

Twenty minutes later, I was walking into the vestibule of The Scott—the geometric yellow building my father lived in—pushing my suitcase and bag ahead of me. Setting them against the wall for a moment, I went over to the giant intercom and scanned the names and initials on the list mounted on the wall.

Morrison, K was on Floor 5, apartment 506. Taking a deep breath, I typed in the number and pressed the call button. I fiddled with my jacket buttons as I waited for a response.

There was a loud crackle, and the line picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dad?" I asked. "It's me, Calista. Can I come up?"

There was a short silence, before he responded, "Sure! Come on in!"

The glass door of the vestibule buzzed and clicked, indicating it unlocked. I hastily gathered up my stuff and went through. Once inside, I made my way over to the elevators and pushed the button to go up. Then I waited.

When it came down, I boarded and pushed the button for floor five. The doors closed and up we went. I leaned against the wall and sighed. Now the cold feet was kicking in. Dad and I hadn't spoken since the divorce. I'd meant to call him but school kept getting in the way, and then there was the nightmare that was Kendrick House...

Did he even want to see me? Did he even care?

My racing thoughts came to a halt as the elevator jerked to a stop and the doors opened. I pushed my suitcase and bag out into the floor five hallway and stepped out. The doors closed behind me.

This was it. No turning back now.

The elevator door was across from a wide mirror. I peered down the left and right directions of the hall to see which way apartment 506 was located. 506 was on the right side, a couple doors down. I went up to the door and, taking a deep breath, I knocked twice.

There was some thumping behind the door, before it suddenly swung open. Dad stood there, looking the same as he ever did. He had sandy blond hair, which had turned frosty with grey over the years. His eyes were hazel, which neither of us kids inherited. We'd gotten Mom's brown eyes and hair. He'd grown a short beard since I'd last seen him.

He looked surprised to see me. "Calista?" He muttered.

I smiled meekly. "Hi, Dad."

I was interrupted by him grabbing me in a giant bear hug. I hugged him back, relieved. Then he took my suitcase and helped me through the door.

~

He brewed us a pot of coffee as I sat on the couch. His living room was a complete one-eighty from where I'd been living for the last month. Where Kendrick House was dark and closed-off, Dad's apartment was light and open—the walls were painted cream, and there was a giant bay window in the right wall, which led out to the balcony. His furniture was as geometric as the building was, and it was white. There wasn't a floral decal in sight.