Swordplay

Part 21

In front of the company's building, Druidus got out of the carpisto and accompanied her to the door naturally.

Moira put her hand on his arm. "Please, Druidus. I need to talk to him alone."

He opened his mouth as if to object, closed it, and nodded. "I'll see you later." He kissed her cheek and went back to his vehicle. Moira watched him drive away until the carpisto was lost in the traffic. A little later, she stood in front of her father's office. The secretary pointed to a chair. "Monsieur Bellamie will be free soon. If you would wait a little moment."

Moira sat. When the little moment had stretched into half an hour, she was fed up. "I want to see my father now," she said and got up.

The secretary hurried around her desk and grabbed her arm to hold her back.

"You can't go in like that. Your father is working with highly sensitive data."

Moira thought of the pile of files on her desk in the archive and grinned. "So do I. I will not get them tangled." She freed herself, knocked, and entered without waiting for an answer.

"It's not eight yet," Lavant said. Only then did he look up from his papers. His face lost all color, and Moira suspected his legs wouldn't have carried him of he had tried to stand. He moved his lips as if he wanted to talk but no sound came.

"Good evening, father."

"Father?" The word seemed to cost Lavant incredible strength. "I haven't been much of a father for you. I was a coward and an idiot."

With surprise, Moira noticed tears in his eyes. She struggled not to cry herself. "Why did you leave like that? Why did you start a new life?"

"It wasn't as easy as you make it out. I left because your mother couldn't bear the changes in my life."

"With changes you mean the new woman?"

"Your mother has always been the only woman for me." Lavant stared at his hands. "And my work. It was my company she hated, and she didn't want anything to do with it."

"You could have visited me at least." Moira's lower lip trembled but she couldn't stop it.

"Your mother asked me not to. She thought I'd be too preoccupied to be a good father for you, and that I'd make it harder for you to accept the situation. I wasn't even allowed to say goodbye."

Moira was taken aback. Had her mother lied to her?

Lavant got up, walked around the desk, and took her hands. "How I longed to talk to you or hold your hand in all those years. Your mother and I decided this because we thought it'd be best for you. But it hurt me so much."

"It hurt you? You?" Moira didn't feel the tears burn on her cheeks. "What about me? I thought someone cut out my heart alive. I thought you didn't love me any more."

Lavant hugged her wordlessly. He pressed her close as if he'd never let her go again. His arms shook, and his voice too. "We meant to spare you sorrow, not cause you pain. You were supposed to have a home without having to choose between your parents."

Moira cried into his chest like a small child. "I missed you so terribly."

Lavant kissed her crown and held her until she recovered. "Can you forgive your mother and me?"

"I don't know." Moira stepped back and wiped away her tears. "I really don't know, but I'll try."

"Thank you." Lavant kissed her hands. "From now on, I'll always be there for you. I promise I will never leave you again."