Viridescent Flares

25

A/N:

I want Lauren to shove that tongue of hers to my mouth.

Oops.

➳ 

"What do you mean your mom was here earlier?" Dad asked as we settled in his room. "And what happened to you?"

When he got home, I immediately told him about Mom's visit and he wanted to talk about it as soon as possible, so here I am, seated on the couch he had while he was standing across me.

"When I walked out last night, I was running. It was really dark and I tripped myself and accidentally used my arm to support my whole weight as I fell—not quite a good idea," I lied, shrugging nonchalantly. When I saw that he was satisfied enough, I went on with answering his questions. "And Mom came over just to tell me how pathetic I am. She was drunk and we sort of fought."

"What did she say?"

"That I don't really know what's love," I replied flatly, refusing to meet his gaze. "She told me that we weren't important to her anymore and she just wasn't happy with this family so she decided to do what she's doing right now."

He fell silent and I watched him contemplate his thoughts, but I have a much more complicated mind so I decided to push him further.

"I know you have an idea of what's going on, Dad," I said, trying to sound as collected as I could. "I know what you could've done when you saw Mom with some other guy, and what I saw just wasn't you, you know?"

He left his eyes glued on the floor as he sighed, making his way to sit beside me. "I know about her and Dennis."

"Why did you let it happen?"

"Because—" he paused, staring at the ceiling as if it gave him the right words to say. "—I saw how happy she was with him. It's been a long time since I heard her laugh like that."

"You made her laugh like that, too," I told him, not give him any hope but I can say that he needs some support.

"Not anymore," he said, turning his head to me with a sad smile. "I knew about it since we're working in the same hospital and I see them meeting up almost every day. I know what's happening—I just didn't speak because it will only lessen the day I get to spend with your mom."

"Since when?" I asked softly, imagining how hurtful it could've been for him.

"I can't remember, but I held it in for too long until she started going home drunk. She'll hurt Sailor and I'll only be able to stop her. I can't talk it out with her because if she knew that I know what's going on with her and Dennis, she'll immediately break up with me. I'm just trying to buy some time, y/n. I never thought you'd find out."