“No, he is calling you inside, Grace.”
I blinked my eyes in surprise when she said that. I'm sure he wants to see Sabrina and not me. Why would he want to see me? I'm the less-loved daughter. Less loved. I even doubt that. I was never loved because I had never seen my father's loving side. I worked so hard to get his appreciation, but I never got one. He never appreciated me. When I thought I had achieved something, he would always say I could have done better. I was ready to do better, but I also wanted him to appreciate me and tell me how good I had done so far, but I kept only waiting. That day never came in my life. All those memories flashed in front of my eyes, making my body go numb. A hand grabbed my shoulder in a firm hold, pulling me out of my thoughts. It made me look at that person.
"Go. He is waiting for you,” Lily said with a small smile on her lips. I blinked my eyes when she said that. I exhaled deeply and nodded my head. Why does he want to meet me? He should call Lily and Sabrina inside, not me.
“Go,” Lily said once again while patting my back. I stood up, and Erick was immediately on my side. He held my hand tightly while intertwining our fingers. I looked at him, and his cold blue eyes gave me the warmth I wanted. I was so nervous to see my father. I don't know which emotions will come out of me after the breakdown I experienced a few hours ago. I looked at him again when we stood in front of the ICU door.
“I'm so scared to see him,” I whispered those words while looking into his blue eyes. I never expected to lean on this man this much. I was showing him my vulnerability without any fear. My nervous eyes once again met with his.
“I know,” he said, understanding my situation. A pain he had experienced a long time ago flashed in his eyes, but he blinked it away.
“Go inside. I'm standing here. If you need me, just call me,” he said softly, and a sigh of relief left my mouth. This is what my ears were waiting to hear. I don't know how, but his words gave me some confidence to face my dad. I nodded at him. He pressed the back of my hands to his lips before letting it go.
“Go,” he said with a small smile. I took a deep breath and opened the door to my father's ICU room. My heart was still beating so fast inside my chest.
As soon as the door opened, my father looked in my way. His cold green eyes clashed with mine. The nurse had elevated his bed so he could sit. I stood in my place thinking he would ask me to go out and send Sabrina inside. But he didn't say anything and I kept nervously standing there. I slowly walked towards his bed. He smiled at me when I stood in front of his eyes. I kept standing quietly because I didn't know what to say. My mind was completely blank. I'm supposed to say something, but what should I say? We never shared a relationship where we ever comforted each other. I was finding it too difficult, and slowly the situation was changing into an awkward one. My hands were gripping the side of my dress in nervousness. He put his hand forward and looked at it and then at him. Slowly, I let go of the side of my dress and placed my hand on his. He covered it immediately. I kept looking at his hand, which was holding mine in a tight grip as if I would yank my hand out of his hold.
“I was struggling for my life, but you know what was scarier than losing my life?” he whispered, but I still kept looking at his hand, which was holding mine. I kept quiet, not knowing it.
“I thought I would never get a chance to see you for the last time,” he whispered in his raspy voice. My eyes widened and I moved to him. A tear slipped from the corner of his left eye. My throat was clogged with so many emotions, and my eyes were filled with tears. I have never seen my father crying.
“I was scared that I would never be able to see you before this life slipped out of me and my body became cold as ice,” he said in the same voice, and now I couldn't hold back my tears. I never expected him to say that.
“You have been my everything since the day you were born. A precious gift your mother left for me before she left this world. I never express it through my words or actions, but I have loved you all my life and will keep loving you even if this heart stops beating and my body turns cold,” he said, shedding more tears.
“I thought I would die without saying these words to you,” he said, and I couldn't hold back anymore. I leaned forward and hugged him. Warm tears kept rolling down my eyes.
“I’m so proud of you, Gracy. Always have been,” he said while moving his hand in my hair, and I started to sob even more loudly.
“I don't know if I will be alive for one hour, one day, one month, or a year more,” he said while still moving his hand in my hair.
“Dad, don't say it like that,” I said in between my sobs. I don't want to lose him. He never showed his love to me, but my heart refused to let go of him. He was my only parent. Even if I hate him, he is all I have, and I am not ready to let go of it. I hugged him tightly.
“It's the truth of life. Before I die, I want to give your responsibility to trusted hands,” he said, and it made me break the hug and look at him with my glassy eyes. His next words knocked the air out of my lungs.
“Marry Erick now so I can at least die in peace,” my dad said, looking straight into my eyes. My heart flinched when he said that.
“Please, Gracy,” he pleaded to me in his weak voice. More warm tears slide from my already damp cheeks. How should I refuse my father?
How should I?
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Bed of Nails
Romance"Get out," I said in a firm voice, but it shook a bit at the end. The muscles in his jaw tensed when I said that. Instead of getting out, he closed the door and started taking calculative predatory steps toward me. His eyes moved all over my length...
