Beyond the lens - Billie Eilish

51 -

The man was standing at the door, visibly uncomfortable. Kate, unsure how to react, broke the silence.

Kate: "Do you... maybe want to come in?"

Ellie, with a cold, steely gaze, interrupted immediately.

Ellie: "No." She put a hand on Kate's shoulder. "I'll take him outside. We'll go have coffee somewhere." Her voice was icy and distant. She didn't want this meeting to happen here, in the privacy of the hotel room, and especially not in front of Kate, who was already vulnerable.

Kate, still worried, gave Ellie one last look.

Kate: "Take care, okay?"

Ellie forced a smile.

Ellie: "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

She closed the door gently behind her, then turned to face her father. He hadn't changed after all these years. His face still bore the marks of time.

The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating, as they walked to a nearby café. Each step seemed to drive them further apart, despite their physical closeness. Ellie hadn't seen her father in years, not since he'd left her alone in Portland after her mother's death. She wondered what he could possibly have to say to her now, after all this time.

They finally reached a small café. The place was quiet, with only a few people seated at tables. After ordering, they sat down across from each other, an oppressive silence hanging between them. Ellie couldn't stand the waiting any longer and finally broke the silence, her voice sharp.

Ellie: "How did you find me? I'm literally on the other side of the world, and you just show up?"

Her father took a deep breath, hesitating for a moment.

Father: "Chloé helped me find you."

He avoided her gaze, as if he anticipated her reaction. Ellie sighed in exasperation, her face twisting with anger.

Ellie: "Chloé?" She let out a bitter laugh. "Of course. It just had to be her, making my life hell until the end..."

Ellie's father looked down, visibly uncomfortable.

Father: "She thought that... maybe you might need me."

Ellie: "Need you?" She repeated his words incredulously. "And since when do you care about what I need, Dad? Because I remember the last time I really needed you."

She leaned forward, her gaze hard and piercing.

Ellie: "It was when Mom died, and you left me. You walked away without looking back."

Her father finally looked up at her, his face devastated.

Father: "I know what I did was unforgivable. I made mistakes, Ellie... mistakes I regret every day." His voice trembled, but Ellie felt no pity for him. "Losing your mother destroyed me. I knew she didn't love me as much as I loved her, but I was crazy about her. When she left... I lost my way."

Ellie felt a lump forming in her throat. His words affected her, even though she resisted it. She knew how much her father had loved her mother, even though her mother had never seemed fully invested in their relationship. But that pain, as real as it might have been, didn't excuse what he had done.

Ellie: "That doesn't change anything, damn it." Her voice cracked. "You left everything behind. Not just me, but our life, our house, even Livai."

Her father nodded slowly, overwhelmed with guilt.

Father: "I know, Ellie. And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. But I moved here... to Australia, because I couldn't bear to stay there, in that house, without her." He paused, his trembling hands gripping his coffee cup. "I remarried. I have a new life here in Australia, a new family."