A Girl Called Karma

Swallow my Pride

Parkers point of view

As Cole stomped out into the rain I finally felt that guilt hit me harder than ever. I realized then: what am I doing?
I went from the love interest to antagonist in his life story. I had to make it right. I tried to run after him but he had already taken his car and left. I sighed and crumbled to my knees. What happened to me to make me go from being a loving and caring husband to whatever that was..

I guess I stopped caring after mom's death and Emilia leaving the country. But I loved Cole too much to let him go. I went back inside and looked at K.O who was clearly upset with me. I called Cole frantically an hour later. The call was forwarded to voicemail. I eventually flopped into bed and tried to fall back asleep after calling a few more times. I received a message from him reading "I'm never coming back." I got K.O up and ready for school the next morning.

I told her I'd have to sign her up for after school because I work from 6am-7pm. I would have to go to work later from them on, therefore I'd be making less money. May even have to find a night job. The next 3 months had been tormenting, weaving our schedules into one another's, and that's not even counting having her hate me and have not even an ounce of respect for me as a person. I knew I deserved it though. I tried my best to make it up to her but she just wouldn't budge.

One day it became too much for me to handle. I broke down. I asked anyone I knew for some kind of help but they all had their own lives to live. The one answer I got the most was "you need to send her back, Parker."
But the way one of them said it stung the worst. I was at lunch with my friend (and ex boyfriend) Oliver, and his now husband Corduroy. I told them about my troubles.
Oliver said, "Parker, you need to send her back. Not because she's not a good kid, she's an amazing kid. You're not a suitable parent." Oliver said.
"Not even a suitable partner to be honest-" corduroy mumbled but Oliver elbowed him.
It was due time I swallowed my pride and gave her up, but I wasn't going to do that on that day.
To be honest I don't think there was any love in our father-daughter connection. She hated me, and it's not that I didn't love her, I didn't trust her. She was to smart for her own good, knew how to keep me on my toes, she knew my weaknesses and she used it against me.
I sound nuts considering she was ten years old at that point but I knew from the start that the girl was an antagonist. I took a few breaths before shaking my head and baring my teeth.
I raised my hand as I saw the waiter pass by and spit between gritted teeth angrily,
"Check please." I left the diner and went straight home. I saw K.O asleep on the couch.
"You're meant to be at school." I said
She jolted awake at the sound of my voice and then sighed. "You're meant to be at work." She said drowsily.
"How did you manage to find your way home? Better yet, how did you manage to crawl out of hell and find your way into my life." I said, crossing my arms.
"Don't have the answer to the second question, as for the first, I'm not a moron. I have the way to and from school memorized. I was tired and didn't feel like sitting through another class of learning things I already know so I ditched, got a coffee and came home." She said,
"Who said you were allowed coffee?" I replied.
"Who said I wasn't?" She said, turning over.
"What's the use of it for you? It just gets you tired." I said. Which was true, experiment kids, that are created in laboratories, get tired with caffeine. I don't know a lot about experiment kids to be honest, but I know they escaped the illegal mutant labs with the help of Cole's ex fiance, Draven. She was a token Fordam hero.

Fordam is America's most populated city but it really is Hell on earth.

I sighed and started on the dishes. I looked over at her as she was sleeping and I finally wrapped my head around the fact that it was about time that I sent her back. She obviously didn't want to stay either way.
Along with that, I'd been failing to provide for her. It all felt so wrong to me. Although We had found our schedule,
I would get her to school, rush to work, come home at 6pm, pick her up from afterschool, make dinner and make sure she was fed, then I would ship her off to Sparky and Graces. Afterwards, I would go to work my second job. But somehow, monetarily, we faltered. We had gotten too used to opening the cabinet and seeing nothing. For the first time during those months I had started praying. It felt selfish but I needed some kind of outlet. The stress was taking its toll on me and her. I was told by Grace and Sparky that rarely did K.O ever vent about the problems, but she had become much more distant and quiet.

The next day I had to leave work early to pick up K.O from school. She had been suspended due to fighting. I was furious until she told me why.
"The guy had been calling me things like 'mutt' because of my tusks, and 'Unborn' because of me being an experiment kid. I wasn't going to take that so I said 'well at least I'm not a no-good, foul smelling himbo'" she said. I tried my best not to laugh.
She then followed by saying, "and then he said 'at least my daddy ain't a broke bum.'"
My jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
"I'm not done" she said, "I punched him in the gut, he grabbed my hair and clocked me in the face, and I kicked him so hard he crumbled to the floor, started to cry."
I looked back at her with widened eyes.
"What? Isn't anything I haven't done before." She shrugged.
I realized then when looking at her bruised face.

I was a weak man, and a weak father if I made her feel like she needed to hurt herself defending me.
"Why did you do that K.O?" I sighed tiredly.
"I'm not gonna let someone talk bad on my dad and get away with it, I may not like you, but I have too much self respect to let that go." She crossed her arms.
What I had to do finally became clear, transparent. She must've noticed when I took a turn away from the house.
"...Parker... Parker no please don't." She said.
I tried to ignore her and drive on.
"PARKER PLEASE!" She sobbed, tears building up in her eyes, "I've never asked you for anything, god please don't send me back. I can't do this again. I won't survive." She whispered shakily.
I made another turn. "Parker! Parker please listen! I'll be good, I'll listen to you, I won't ever fight again, just don't send me back there" She pleaded.

I remained silent, my mind was set. Her breathing started to pick up as she continued pleading. I pulled over and finally snapped.
"I'M DOING THIS FOR YOU!" I yelled.
She flinched a little and as I looked at her bruised, terrified and tear stained face I couldn't handle it anymore. I broke down. I rested my head on the steering wheel.
"I'm a failure, K.O... and if I were to keep you any longer it wouldn't be good for either of us!" I said.
"So find an alternative! There has to be another way.." she cried. I shook my head, "I've made up my mind." I said. We were coming up the the orphanage and I took her inside, explaining our situation and why I needed to send her back.

I figured then that would be the last I saw of K.O...
I guess Karma does come for us all.