A Hundred Weddings [PUBLISHED]

Chapter Twenty-One: Broken Promises

CHAPTER TWENTY TWENTY-ONE: BROKEN PROMISES

By Thursday morning, the doctors allowed my dad to only have one nurse as a companion which means his health is improving. My dad obviously chose the beautiful female nurse. Of course. I just got home from school and I look at my dad funny when I see her feeding grapes to him in the living room couch. He merely shrugs as if it's perfectly normal but there is humor in his eyes.

Men will be men and they always want to be spoiled by women.

When my mom died thirteen years ago, my dad drowned himself with work. I rarely saw him then and I couldn't understand why he'd rather stay late in the office than eat dinner with his daughter. Until I was about seven when I realized he was doing it to forget the pain of my mom's demise. He wanted to bury himself with paper works rather than cry over mom again.

I have two friends who have step-moms and I thought my dad would remarry another woman once he has moved on. So I asked him one day when he'll start dating again. Maybe having another woman in his life will make him happy.

My dad smiled and promised me that he'd never love another woman just as much as he loved my mom hence he'll never date or marry again. I was somewhat relieved when he said that but also sad that I can't think of anything that will bring happiness to his face again. He's stuck with a dumb blonde of a daughter. I felt sorry for him.

Then on my twelfth birthday, he brought a woman to have dinner with us.

Her name was Angel Santiago, a Colombian national. She was really pretty and sweet. I guess seven years were enough for him to move-on from mom.

They've been dating for six months already when I first met her and I became aware that she was my mom's best friend, but they swore that they never saw each other more than friends that time. I believed them because I'm a witness of my dad's genuine affection towards my mother while she was still alive.

I just didn't know if I should be pleased that my dad has finally found a female companion again or pissed that he never told me his girlfriend of six freakin' months.

I could count in two hands the many times he brought her home to have dinner with us and I'm glad he never invited her to spend the night in our house. Although I've accepted their relationship, I still felt uncomfortable around her. And after their first anniversary, I ask dad if he would marry her soon.

He answered, "maybe next year".

My heart cracked just a little but I learned to accept it.

They broke up two months later when she threatened to kill herself if he doesn't marry her soon. As far as I'm concerned, she's still perfectly alive and well despite the break-up.

My dad had several girlfriends again even after that psycho, Angel. The last one I remember was 27-year-old model named Hannah but they only lasted three months last year. She slept around, my dad said. He still flirts with a few women and I guess I'm fine with it.

I have to be fine with it because I know it's only harmless fun for him. Hence, I simply wave the female nurse hello and go straight to my room to lay myself on the bed like a starfish.

For the past two days and a half, Lance is acting like he never knew of Ella's real identity when I badly want to have a confirmation already. I feel like I'm in a soap opera and the idea of my best friend being the long-lost sister of my new friend is so thrilling.

Jewel is still out of the picture until Friday since that's scheduled for our Music class.

I used to look forward to that class. Now, not so much.