Destined (A Midnight Rose Story) {On Hold}

Waking up a Princess

I woke up to the sound of my phone going crazy on the bedside table. It startled me because I hadn't realized that I got reception here.

"Hello," I said groggily into the receiver, wiping the sleep from my eyes with the back of my hand.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!!!" Lauri wailed. I actually had to pull the phone away from my ear.

"Nice to know I'm loved enough by my friend for her to make my ears bleed." I moaned flopping back into the pillows.

"Rose" I heard her huff and could imagine her rolling her eyes. "This isn't funny. I came into work today and they told me that you just up and quit. Something about you gong somewhere and couldn't take anymore days, so you said you were just done. That is so not like you. So I will ask again, WHAT THE HELL?!?"

I let out a sigh, "Lauri..."

"Don't you dare 'Lauri' me. I want to know where you are this moment."

"I'm with my dad."

I heard a small gasp.

"But he's..." I could only imagine the theatrics that she was going through. You know the fluttering hand at her mouth, pacing (or dramatic flop onto nearest cushion.)

"Dead as a door nail?" The sarcasm in my voice could not be missed, but then I sighed "it's a long story. Apparently there is a lot that my mom didn't tell me when I was growing up."

"Oh Honey," I could hear that Lauri was on the brink of tears.

"I know." I curled onto my side and clutched the phone to my ear. "Mom has yet to explain everything to me but I understand why she did it. And now seeing her with him," I let out a ragged breath, "she is happier than I have ever seen her, and he just lights up when she is around. It is rather lovely actually, if it wasn't mildly nauseating."

Lauri chuckled "I almost forgot that you can't stand seeing happy couples." Her voice then took on a serious note, "but how are you doing? I know that you have fantasized over the perfect father for years and have all but given up on believing anyone could fill that place in your heart."

She was right obviously. I had always dreamed of having a father. Someone to kiss my head and tell me that I was their special little girl on the nights when mom was out working late. Someone to teach me how to ride my bike without being all fussy about me falling. I mean how many times had I imagined big warm arms that would lift me into the air and twirl me around like I had seen other fathers do?

"I'm ok," it was nearly a whisper. Goodness I was trying to be strong, I hate crying. "Truth is I don't know how I should feel. I keep thinking that I should be the happiest girl on earth, but I feel the same. Right now he just seems like another guy on the street. Not my dad, I mean he hasn't even earned that title yet. I still call him Matthew, and it is weird for people to call him my father." I let out a long exasperated sigh.

"I with I was there to hug you sweetheart."

"I wish you were too. You would love it here."

There was silence on the other end. Then she piped up with "OK!!!"

"What in tarnation are you yelling about?"

"I'm coming to wherever you are. You and I both know that you need some girl time and it is likely that your mother isn't really helping right now."

"Lauri I don't know I...."

"No!" she nearly screeched. "I am coming and that is final even if I have to track this phone signal."

"Do you even know how to do that?" Lauri was not by any stretch of the imagination technologically advanced.

"No but Heath does." Crap I forgot about her tech savvy munchkin of a brother.