Perfectly Flawed

43. Deserving

Hi perfection fam! I hope you had a lovely holiday season, as I posted on my instagram, I was so busy I simply didn't have the time to post new wednesday chapters. Better late than never! 

I love you so very much and can't wait to see what 2024 has in store for us! 

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To be honest, when I texted asking to meet, I didn't expect him to say yes. He did, so I got dressed up in some blazer my mom bought years ago and kitten heels. Now I'm glancing at my watch for the 8th time, nervously twisting my rings around and around as I wait for him.

He's not late, I'm just very early, but the anxiety pools in my stomach nonetheless.

I don't know what to say to him, our last encounter was...frosty to say the least, and resulted in my lack of funds and my car being taken, so I'm praying this will go better.

Can it go worse? The voice in my head points out. The jingle of the cafe door brings me out of my thoughts and I snap my head up, standing at the sight of the tall salt and pepper man in a suit.

"Hi, dad." I awkwardly hug him, he remains stiff and I clear my throat. "Shall we sit?"

He looks critically at my outfit for a second longer than necessary before nodding once.

"Um, so how's it going?"

"Fine, what did you want?" Always cutting to the chase, this one.

"I'm good, thank you." I continue as if he asked. "I've, uh... met someone."

His brows furrow at me. "Who?"

"Well his name is Blade, he-"

"Like the knife? Where does he live, what does he do, how did you meet?"

I wipe my sweaty palms on my dress pants. "Um, he works at the same shop as Kasei's fiance."

"Kasei is engaged?"

"No, well. She's about to be we went ring shopping and are making a plan..." you're getting off topic, D.

"Wasn't Katherine saying her guy was in a gang?" He looks disgusted.

"Gang is a strong word..." I've never sweat this much in my life. "Blade's the head painter for the shop."

"An artist?" His eyes almost roll out of his head. "When you say it's important, it's supposed to be important."

"No, this is important. He's important...to me." My words are falling on deaf ears, he looks like he's seconds away from getting up and leaving. Time to just say it.

"He needs a lawyer." I clear my throat.

"Oh, big surprise. Your gang boyfriend is a criminal. Who'd he kill?

"Dad." I snap. "He is not, he hasn't killed anyone." I don't know if this is a lie, but I push that thought out of my head. I'll unpack that later. "He has a 5 year old daughter, he's in a custody battle right now. His lawyer is not good, and his ex is a user so she can't take care of herself let alone her child."

"Dakota, I'm a criminal justice lawyer."

"I know, I was hoping you would call someone."

"Call someone." He repeats, deadpan.

Okay, this could be going better. "I don't know, just a family lawyer you know who's good, maybe Jill?"

His face changes, he looks shocked, and I don't blame him. The name from our past shocked me as it left my lips, too. "Jillian Rhai?"