Tailored Hats, Cats and White Rabbits Original

37// "Who Are You?"

37// "Who Are You?"

"Alisa seems to be progressing well. We've got to run a few more tests but she should be ready to go home this afternoon." Nadia gave me a smile as she flipped the paper over on the clipboard. I gave her a tight lipped smile as she walked away. I was out in the hallway with a cup of tepid coffee in my hands. Blondie and Cherry were sharing a packet of chips by the window while Jaxon and James were simultaneously trying to flirt with one of Alisa's nurses. This was how things should be. Relaxed and what home felt like.

Home. What was home for Alisa? She didn't have one. She wasn't going back to the institute and that sorry excuse of a mother was going have to get past me before I even let her cast eyes on Alisa again. Alisa Wilders was never going back to that hell-hole again. I would make sure of that. But where could she live? I guess she could live with Mom and I. I liked the idea of Alisa sleeping in my bed every night and waking up beside me every morning. Although Mom would probably poke her nose around like the overprotective woman she was. That would be awkward. Besides would she really accept Alisa to live with us? For how long? Weeks, months—years even?

Draining the grainy coffee I decided to do some investigating and headed to the front desk. Jaxon and James were jogging after the pixie looking nurse as I headed to reception. Poor girl. Vampire Diaries was thankfully not there to assist me, instead a petite girl with an eyebrow piercing was tapping away on her keyboard, occasionally glancing up at the monitor screen. Did every nurse in this joint have some sort of body alteration?

"Hi can I make an enquiry about next of kin for Alisa Wilders" I didn't bother with polite formalities. The girl looked up and her piercing glinted at me in the light like a third eye.
"Sure thing" she got to typing again. I leant my forearms against the cold of the desk and waited in silence with the tapping of keys and the occasionally mutter under the nurse's breath.
"The direct next of kin is Sandra Wil—"
"Not her mother, what about her father?" I interrupted. The nurse gave me a pointed look before scrolling down and leaning closer to the screen.

"Howard Wilders?" the girl asked, her brow refused to be raised but it wanted to, the silver ring was restricting. I nodded to her.
"Are you able to contact him in any way?" I continued. The girl did a few more clicks before she replied,
"We have a phone number here. Can I ask why you want information?"
"Sandra Wilders is no longer next of kin to Alisa Wilders" I stated nonchalantly.

"Has there been an accident? Any reason why Mrs Wilders can no longer look after Alisa?" other than the fact that she is a senseless, abusive, bitch with no sense of kindness or morality. That fact that Sandra doesn't even accept what her daughter is. The fact that she won't even acknowledge that Alisa has schizophrenia.
"Unfortunately Sandra Wilders has not been in an accident. However she is no longer fit to look after Alisa" I say plainly. The nurse looks slightly worried and afraid. If my face was any sign of how stormy I'm feeling than she should be. I'm done with being Mr Nice Guy. Fuck that, my girl deserves better than what she's getting right now. Including my docile and mommas boy façade.

"Do you have any evidence of this?" the nurse's mouth twists and I think she's trying to sneer but that won't fly.
"I have entire bible of offences." I tell her and my hand comes up to show her the thick file of paper. I slam in on the desk and she flinches at my anger.
"Howard Wilders is as of now Alisa's next of kin and I'd like to ring him...please" the nurse goes to say something, most likely along the lines of 'I cannot give you that information', but she refrains as my jaw clenches and I raise an eyebrow, daring her to refuse me.

***

There's ringing on the other end and I am imagining how Alisa is going to react to the fact that I called her father without her consent. But how long since she had seen her father? Did she even remember his face? How long had Sandra kept the man from his only child? What if he was as fucked up as Sandra? What if he wanted nothing to do with Alisa? But it was too late now,
"Hello?"
"Mr Wilders?"
"I don't want any" he snapped at me quickly.
"Sir I'm not trying to sell you anything. My name is Michael Lantara and I'm calling you about your daughter Alisa."