Victor's mysterious Fangs

42.

My dad and I have only fought three times:

1. Jake
2. Trish
3. Victor

I can remember it well. How they all started, and how they ended. He doesn't even remember Trish, which is funny. He never liked Jake, said he could tell he was no good.

And thirdly, I can remember my dad looking for me the next morning after the valentines ball.

"Where have you been?" He asked frantically.
"I was at Robin's," I said quickly.
My dad countered, "You're lying. I called Rosette early this morning. Where were you?"

"Dad don't be angry," I gulped.
"Where were you? With Jake?" He asked.
"No."
"Then where?"
"I was with Victor," I finally answered.
"Doing what?"

And no more questions were asked. He zoomed out of the house straight to Victor's. He was expecting us, with the door wide open as my dad brushed right past him shouting. "She is a kid! You're sick!"

Victor closed the door after me. "Good afternoon to you Jack."

"God I thought you were like an uncle to her. You're a creep! A damn pervert!" My dad yelled.

"Dad can you stop? The whole neighborhood can hear you."

"They probably need to hear me, Aria! What is wrong with you? This is just wrong," my dad ranted. "How long has this been going on?"

I'm sorry Vic. He kinda flipped.

It's alright. I have known this day was coming.
I know now isn't the time. But, you being calm is a turn on.
The way this is going cowgirl, we're lucky if he doesn't call the police.
I'll just tell them he's lying and he has early onset dementia.
That's not nice.

"Are you listening? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" My dad fussed.

Well here goes nothing.

"Dad I love him and there's nothing you can do or say to stop it. What did you even come here for? You're just embarrassing yourself," I folded my arms.

"You don't know what love is!"
"I do!" I scoffed. "Why can't I know what it is? You were never there to give me a good example."

"So your solution is to fuck old men?" My dad snapped back. "Are you some dumb whore? Your mother would be ashamed."

I felt my heart breaking, shattering into pieces as I heard those words.

"Okay, that's enough!" Victor roared back. "If you've known me as much you think you know me, then you'd know I would never harm her. I haven't molested her. I take care of her. Nobody else does it. You're never home. So who else can she depend on?"

"She's a child. She doesn't know what she's saying," Jack said.

"Get the hell out of my house!" Victor opened the door for him.
"I'm not going anywhere," Jack stomped his foot. "I'm not leaving without my daughter."

"I'm not leaving dad," I proclaimed.
"Yes you are!"
"I am not!" I barked. "This is my home now! If you were around you would've noticed I'm not home either."

"Then don't you ever set foot in my house again!" He exclaimed, leaving nothing but the wind.
Victor slammed the door. I'm sorry princess, I know he hurt you. He consoled me, tightly wrapping his arms around me. I just let the tears fall; they rained on his chest, soaking his shirt. "Shh," he scooped me into his arms.

I hate him right now.

"It'll pass, princess," he promised. "He's your father." He rubbed my back, soothing me. "Shh."

My head pounded, intense throbbing overtaking me. My head hurts. I just want to sleep.

"Then rest," Victor held me.

**
I waited patiently. The paced light taps against the table with my finger sped up. I drank a swallow of wine, trying to eradicate my jitters. The waitress walked by, "Refill?"

"Yes please," I said. I was too busy in my head, letting my thoughts run wild. I created so many scenarios in my head of what this would be like. What he would say, how he would react in front of this entire restaurant, howI would feel. I had practiced in my mind over and over what I wanted to say. I could practically repeat the speech in my sleep.

"Enjoy," the waitress refilled my glass. I didn't waste any time taking another swallow. I looked at the time on my phone. He was late. But it's okay. People are late all the time. It's just ten minutes. He'll be here. He'll come. I'm his daughter.

My eyes landed on a waiter walking towards me, with my father behind him. I shook away my jitters and greeted him immediately as he took a seat.

"Hi, dad. I know it's been a while."
"No kidding," my dad said. He stared at me for a while in silence. "Sorry," he finally said. "You just look so much like your mother."

I didn't know how to respond to that. I never got the chance to witness such beauty. Only a short memory from Victor. "I came to tell you I'm engaged. I'm getting married soon."

"You're engaged?" My dad reiterated. He flew from his chair. "When? My god, to who? I hope it's not Jake. Oh God, it's him."

"Dad please sit," I encouraged him. This was no easy feat for me. "It's Victor."

"I knew it," my dad gasped. His mouth dropped at the sight of the ring. He brought my hand up to his eye for an inspection. "Holy smokes. You'd better insure that. Oh my god," he awed. "You're engaged."

"I am. I came to get your blessing or whatever is left of it."

"You shouldn't be the one getting my blessing. It should be him," my dad frowned. "I don't like it. What else is going on with you? I hear from Rosette you're doing good in college."

"Yeah, I graduate soon," I shared. "Would be nice if you were there for that," I mumbled. I cleared my throat, "Anyways, I came to invite you, but if you're still hung up over it, you don't have to accept. I won't hold a grudge," I stood from the table, latching my purse onto my shoulder. "See ya, dad."

"Wait. I'm sorry. Just sit down, let's talk. Please," he pleaded. "You've waited all this time for me and I'm here now. Come on, let's sit."

I returned to my chair. "I do love him Dad. He's always been there for me. He feeds me, he buys me whatever. He put me through school, and he takes good care of me. He gives me the world even though I cant give him anything. He loves me too, dad. Can't you understand?" A tear escaped.

My dad was silent. "I met your mother in high school but we didn't start dating until college. She was exceptional, a force to be reckoned with. She had a best friend named TrackStar Trina. Her nickname was Queen of Hearts because she broke all the boys' hearts. They ran the town. And I was just a boy. A boy whose father ran off and left him with a dying mother. I was clouded by nothing but darkness, I don't even know how I lived. Then I met your mother. Like really met her. In a downpour of rain in the midnight hour, she was glowing, basking in the rain, like she belonged there. She was soaked and she caught me staring. Normally, people would shout and ask you what you're looking at. But your mom didn't. She saw me. Actually saw me. Saw the sad little boy in my eyes who envied her, who wanted to be free enough to stand in the rain too," my dad wiped away his tears as he reminisced. "She took one look at me and asked me why I wasn't out there with her. It was like magic. I wasn't in the dark anymore. And before I knew it, I had a life with her. Then you came along and she just knew we had to move. 'A fresh start' she said. In the back of my mind, I'm still stuck there in the rain. And I'm glad you found somebody that would set you free too." My dad squeezed my hand. "Have yourself a good wedding, Aria." My dad bid me bye.