Daddy Issues

74 - Another chance

'Emma,' Dan says, sounding excited. 'I know you said that you needed some time, but... can I please come over? I have to talk to you.'

'I'm not at home,' I say, slowing down to a very easy walk. The bus stop is not that far, and honestly I'd rather not have anyone listening in while I talk to Dan.

'Oh,' he responds disappointedly. 'When will you be home? Can I see you later?'

A half-smile makes it to my face. It feels good to hear him be so excited again. It's a big contrast from how down he was yesterday.

'Dan, I know what you want to talk to me about.'

'What?' he responds, clearly confused.

'You went to talk to Mom. To get her to delete the video?'

'How the fuck do you know?' he asks, in total disbelief. 'I was there just minutes ago.'

'I know. I was there too.'

All I hear are some incoherent noises on the other side of the line. Clearly, I caught him by surprise. Since he's too confused to form an actual question, I decide to just explain some more.

'Me and Mel broke in to find the video. Then you and her showed up just before we could leave. We hid behind the kitchen island. I heard everything.'

'What the fuck.'

I laugh shortly at the way he's completely dumbfounded. And then I hear him laugh as well. A sound I haven't heard in so long. It makes my heart do a little jump.

'Where are you now?' he asks me. 'Are you still there?'

'No, I'm on my way to the bus stop. Mel's waiting for me there.'

I think I can hear some clicking noises that indicate he's in a car. Of course he only just left the house as well. I didn't talk to Mom for longer than a few minutes.

'So you heard everything?' he asks me.

'I did.'

'Then you know, she's going to delete it.'

'She won't be able to,' I tell him smugly. 'I already found it and got rid of it.'

He snorts.

'Of course you did. Didn't I tell you to be careful?'

His tone is playful, not reprimanding. So is mine when I answer him.

'When have you ever known me to be careful?'

Dan laughs again. Which brings a smile to my face in return. I felt so conflicted when I spoke to him yesterday. But now, after speaking with my mother and with the video of out of the way, everything feels just a little lighter.

'So what did you do? Climb through the fucking window?'

'No, honey, I'm not some lowlife burglar,' I say dryly. 'I knew where to find a key and I let myself in.'

'And you sneaked out after I left?'

'Actually, I didn't. I showed myself to her and told her what I'd done. And that I'd heard everything between you.'

'Why would you do that?' he asks, his tone baffled.

'I don't know,' I shrug. 'After hearing you two talk, it didn't feel right to just flee. I guess I wanted to talk to her one more time. I don't know, the things I heard her say to you... They made me think that maybe there was a small part of her that cared about me after all.'

'It seemed that way to me too,' he says softly. 'How did it go?'

I sigh into the phone and stop walking altogether. Because the bus stop is just around the corner and I'm not done talking to him.