Juvenal

Chapter 09

"Dad!!"

Mabel screamed aloud and she jumped the last few stairs to the ground floor, as she saw her father slip through the open door to their house. Before her father landed down with his head banging on the ground, Mabel leapt to his help, and she held him by his shoulders.

"Dad, are you alright?"

Mabel cried. Robert gently shook his head and tried to get into an upright position. Mabel held on to his upper arm tightly and she helped him sit straight.

"What happened dad?" Mabel asked softly this time, but Robert merely chuckled.

"Don't worry darling. I just slipped."

Robert said, waving his hand in front of him as though he was trying to push her worries away. Mabel did not look convinced, and she still looked worriedly at him.

"Where did you go dad?" she asked. "You could have told me if you needed to go out. I would've been there with you." Mabel said in a small voice, trying to stop her voice from cracking. Robert shook his head and gently patted her cheek.

"You don't have to worry about me always, Mabe." He replied, but Mabel shook her head.

"Let me help you inside dad." She whispered, pulling her nose up and Robert nodded. She held on to her father's upper arm and helped him to stand up.

"Ah!"

Robert groaned, holding the side of his waist.

"Dad?" Mabel bit her lips, looking at her father.

Robert shook his head and they walked slowly towards the sofa. He leaned heavily on Mabel's thin self and groaned as he relaxed himself to the sofa and leaned his head back, rubbing his forehead.

"Dad, are you in pain?" Mabel asked, even though she knew that she sounded stupid to ask that question. Robert neither nodded nor shook his head. Mabel gently touched her father's shoulder.

"I am okay Mabe. I am just tired, that's all." He said softly. But Mabel shook her head.

"You are lying, dad. I know that you are lying." She whispered. Robert touched her arm and squeezed it gently.

"Does it hurt?" she asked again. Robert let out a deep sigh and looked up at Mabel.

"Darling, please..." he whispered. Mabel nodded. She knew that her father did not want to answer her at that moment.

She took a step back and stared at her father as he closed his eyes tightly. She wondered whether her father was badly hurt or not. She wanted to take her father to the hospital, but knowing about her father very well, she knew that he would never allow her to take him to the hospital for a mere accident of slipping.

Mabel shook her head. She thought of asking Edwin to take a look at her father, but decided against it as soon as the thought crossed her mind. She thought of letting her father decide on what to do and thought of taking him to the hospital if he showed any sort of discomfort.

Mabel sighed and bit her lips. She thought that it was lucky that she was at home when her father had slipped on his foot. As it was a Sunday morning, she was not at her office and that had been helpful for her father as well. She wondered where her mother was as she had not seen him since the morning.

"Dad, do you know where's mom?" she asked her father. Robert opened his eyes and his eyebrows knotted curiously.

"I've no idea." He replied and closed his eyes. Mabel nodded and helped her father as he laid back down on the sofa.

"Let me close my eyes for a few minutes darling." He said, Mabel nodded, biting her lips. She did not see her father wince in pain and thought that the pain must have been temporary as an element of surprise due to his sudden fall.