FAT and in Love

Chapter 116: Be Brave

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Lacie POV

October 21st - 9:00 am

I have to admit that now, with Ji-ho gone to his concert getaway, the house feels normal again. I miss having this quiet. I take the opportunity to clean the house as much as I can. I want to talk to Dominic, but I'm so nervous.

I put all the nervous energy into cleaning, shopping for more stuff for the house, and running errands. I expect that when I go over to talk to him, I'll be over there for a few days, maybe. That depends on whether or not he's continuing his arrangement with Kiera.

I honestly can't see myself fighting over a man with another woman. It's his decision what he wants to do. Maybe I should give him an ultimatum and tell him how I truly feel. If it ends up chasing him away, then it ends up chasing him away, but I have to be brave. I've been so shy my whole life, and even though I found a lot of self-esteem over the past year, for the one thing that really matters, my heart, I find myself faltering.

I've been burned so many times that I've actually built up a self-defense mechanism, not putting myself out there just in case. However, with Dominic, it feels different, even though logically, it probably isn't. Logically, he's probably just some dude who sees relationships with women as potential sexual encounters. Something deep inside me, that innocent part of me pre-heartbreak of any kind, is telling me that he's more than that; that he feels more than that. That hopeful part of me wants to believe with all my heart that he could feel the same way about me. I know, at the very least, he likes me, but not enough to commit.

At the very least, I should say something to him. I want to get everything that needs to be done out of the way so that I have time to actually sit with him, maybe spend some time with him first, and explain why I left and why I haven't called, even though there really isn't a good enough excuse.

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6:07 pm

I finally finish everything and take a shower. I hold up my phone, prepared to send a message. On one hand, I think sending him a message is going to make him want to avoid me ahead of time, but if I don't send the message, it doesn't give him time to run away if he has any intention of doing so. God, I hate overthinking things like this. You know, I still have his key, so... I'm just going to be brave and go over.

Just to be sure, I check my other messages to see if he has sent me any. He hasn't, but I do have a slew of messages and missed calls that I somehow missed. One is from Aubrey again, but the majority of them are from my mom and my brother. My heart instantly beats fast.

I see a text message from my brother John telling me that Dad is sick. I quickly drop down onto the couch, fearing the worst. I instantly call my mom and don't even bother to listen to the voice message. She picks up instantly.

"Lacie! We deh yah a caal yuh anna caal yuh and yuh nuh ansa yuh phone pickney! Yuh puppa inna deh hospital from maanin an notta soul can reach yuh!"

"Mommy! I'm sorry! Is he okay?" I ask, the worry bleeding from my tone after my mom just told me that my father has been in the hospital and apparently they've been trying to reach me forever.

It doesn't take long after she tells me that he's been in a lot of pain for me to start packing some things. I don't know if Onyx will be able to make the drive, but I need to go and see my daddy.

I tell my mom I'm on my way. Dominic quickly flies out of my mind, and it's a good thing I hadn't already headed over there.

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