Coffee Stains (Discovery of Love)

Chapter Thirteen- Borgia

{Chapter Thirteen}

"How-?" I stutter in shock as the familiar dark eyes of my father land on mine.  I pull my hand from his shoulder as if it's on fire.  Hurt flashes across his irises but he quickly covers it up.  I feel my chest tighten as I remember the sound of his suitcase wheels rolling against the wooden floor of the house, as I remember his stony face, as I remember crying in the driveway.   The memories hit me so hard that I feel myself stagger a step back. 

"Jade..." his deep voice comes out gently, cautiously taking a step forward.

"Don't come any closer," I take another step back with a shake of my head, my voice cracking.

"Jade..." he says again but doesn't move this time.

"Why are you here?  Don't you have a woman to be pampering?" I glare at him, feeling my blood boil.

My father opens his mouth to say something but closes it again. 

"What?  Can't say anything because it's true?" I growl.

I see hurt flash in his irises once again before his face turns to one of stone.   The weight on my chest gets heavier.  Though my father has hurt me, I always wished he would come back and wrap me in the warmth of his embrace again.  I wish he would care for me again, care for my family again.  I feel my anger turn into sadness.

My father doesn't say anything.

"Do you even care?" I feel tears prick my eyes as I ask the same question from years ago.

I see an emotion flicker onto my father's face but he composes himself before I can figure out what it is.

He does the same as before.  He says nothing and walks pass me exiting the alley.

"If you didn't want us, you shouldn't have helped our mother make us!" I shout as I feel myself break down like before all over again.  I slowly squat on the ground, tugging at the roots of my hair.  The tears that I have been holding back come to the surface and sobs rack through my body.  My cries echo off the walls of alley as my chest tightens.

I guess he really never cared.

~~~~~~~~~~

Father of Jade's P.O.V:

As my feet pound against the sidewalk, I feel tears leak from the corners of my eyes. 

One day,

One day, I will tell you the truth.  I'll tell you everything, I promise.

~~~~~~~~~~

Max's P.O.V:

I lean my head against the wall and let out a silent breath as Jade's cries echo inside the alley.  I peek around the wall into the small open space.  Jade is squatted on the ground, her face shining with tears.  When she randomly ran out the coffee shop,  I followed close behind her to make sure she was okay.  I heard the whole conversation and I really felt like I was intruding something personal.  However, I couldn't just leave Jade by herself, that man could've done something to her.  I knew that her father left but I didn't know why.  I still don't but I have a few clues to work out part of the story.  Jade's father left for another woman.

My heart contracts as Jade looks up and starts to walk out of the alley.  She walks right pass me without noticing, her eyes glossy with thoughtfulness.  I slowly fall behind her, my feet's rhythm matching hers.  By now, the sun is setting, causing a light shadow to fall behind Jade.  Jade wipes her cheeks and takes in deep breaths to hide the fact that she was crying as we get closer to Coffee Beans.  I stop walking to put distance between us so it doesn't seem like I know what happened.  She enters first and then after a few minutes, I entered the coffee shop as well.