Heart of Glass// Ethan Dolan✅

Chapter 13

"My, look at you," he says as if he's lost his voice or something. "You've really grown up, haven't you?"

"Yeah, Mom took really good care of me while we had to get away from you," I answer. "Actually, she was the best Mom and Dad I've ever met."

"Cara, I..." my father starts off, but I interrupt him.

"Where were you when I needed a diaper change?" I ask him suspiciously. "Were you beating Mom or something like that? I wouldn't know. At least, I wouldn't know until I was seven."

"I've changed, sweetheart. I really have," he claims. "I didn't want to be like that anymore, so I changed. I promise. I'm all better now."

"If you're all better now, then why did Mom decide it was a good idea for me to bring him along?" I ask pointing to Grayson with my free hand.

Grayson squeezes my hand lightly to know that he's still here.

"That was a good idea of your ma actually," my dad mutters under his breath. "Who is this boy anyway? Your boyfriend?"

"Yes sir," Grayson says politely, jumping in. "My name's Grayson Dolan, and it's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Same to you," my dad says tipping his hat.

"How do I know you've changed?" I ask him quietly, telling myself that I will not cry no matter what.

It's like when I hear him talk, I want to like him for some reason, but I know I can't trust him. Especially after he abused my mom like that. I don't think I'll ever be able to treat him the same to be honest with you.

"Here, look," he says, pulling out his wallet to show me something.

Inside, there's a picture of him with a woman and three children. One of them looks to be about my age, while the other two are little. So that's what he's been doing all of this time: he's been building himself a family.

"That little girl right there... she's your stepsister," my dad points to the girl with pigtails in her hair.

"Oh, so me and mom weren't good enough for you?" I ask smiling with tears in my eyes. Man, do I tend to be an emotional wreck at times or what?

"Your mom just wasn't for me, and I took it out on her the wrong way," my father explains, putting the wallet back into his pocket. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Of course you didn't," I tell him. "Because that's the reason that mom said we should move out in the first place. That's why she took me away when I was seven years old and moved us to where she hoped you never would find us."

Grayson squeezes my hand to tell me that I'm going too far with this. I literally don't care, but I don't want to turn into an emotional slob in front of Grayson again. That would just throw what little dignity I have left out the window and onto the ground.

"Cara McDaniel, don't you speak to me like that. I'm your-" he goes to say before I cut him off.

"Don't you dare say Dad," I tell him with a chuckle and continue. "Say father. Say sperm donor. Say guy that abused my mom. Don't you dare say Dad, because a Dad is someone who helps their kid ride a bike. A Dad is someone who plays catch with their daughter because they want to learn how to play softball. A Dad isn't whatever you were."

"Can't we just start over Cara?" he asks me in a begging voice.

"Well I mean you already did," I say with tears in my eyes. "You have you a whole new family that looks as happy as ever whereas Mom struggled for years trying to support me. But boy, did she do it."