Secrets

Chapter 21

This chapter is dedicated to _nialls_babe_ for being an awesome reader! She followed, and voted! Honesty I feel like I have amazing fans, you guys are amazing and make me want to write more :) thanks again oh and OMFG WHAT THE FUCK 1.1K READS WHAAAA IS THIS SOME KIND OF SICK PRANK U GUYS ARE AWESOME~ Sarina is crying in her closet CUZ HOW DID THIS HAPPEN THANK UUUU

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Today was the day. I would be meeting my dad in Manhattan in less than three hours. Niall had offered to come with me and I thought that would be amazing and really sweet of him to do but I don't want to put him into awkward situations like this just yet.

After I had returned from work I quickly took off my clothing, jumping into the shower. After scrubbing a few times I hopped out of the shower, wrapping my wet body in a long towel. I dried my hair and put on my under garnets. I decided on curling my hair and wearing something nice, I wanted to look good. I applied a natural make up look, and once I was happy with my look I was done. It took me almost two hours to get ready and it was time to go, I quickly dialed a taxi service and walked out of my apartment and downstairs to the lobby.

I greeted the man at the front desk and walked outside, where the taxi was waiting for me. "Where to ma'am?" The driver asked with a friendly smile. "Chevor Lou, the restaurant in Manhattan. Also, could you kind of hurry I'm kind of in a rush." I explained, flashing a quick smile. This was extremely weird and unfamiliar to me, I was meeting my dad, a guy i have last seen in nine years. Mine years, time flies by fast.

Once I finally got there I tipped the driver and walked to the front door of the restaurant. This is it. I walked inside and walked over to the front desk, where a friendly looking middle aged woman was sitting. "Hi, I'm meeting someone by the name of Gregory Steinbeck?" I explained, flashing a quick smile before she looked through the computer for the name. "Ah there it is, let me show you to your seat ma'am." She said with a smile, leading me to an isolated table area. He was sitting there, only he was reading the menu, preventing me from seeing his face. I was extremely nervous. I thanked the lady and slowly walked over to the table, taking a seat in front of him.

He slowly put the menu down, revealing his face. He looked the same as he did in pictures; only now his hair was halfway gray and he had a few more wrinkles by his eyes and forehead. He had the same friendly and inviting smile I remember from nine years ago. "Maria, hello." He whispered, like he was studying my face. "H..hi umm dad." I stuttered, it still felt weird and I wasn't sure what to call him. He chuckled before his eyes met mine. " you can call me dad, it's okay MariaBear." He said, giving me a smile, as I returned one. He remember my nickname. He used to call me MariaBear because of my addiction to stuffed animals when I was a child.

"So, uh... How are Elizabeth and Catherine doing?" I asked, trying to start a conversation. "They're actually doing great, we just bought a cat before I came here, her name is Mitzi." He explained before the waiter walked over, giving us a quick smile before asking what we'd like to eat. "I'll just have some salad please." I said with a smile, waiting for my dad to order. "I'll have the spicy ravioli please." He replied. The waiter left and it was just me and my dad once again.

"Why did you leave us?" I whispered, sometimes I really need to keep shit in my head. He looked at me confused before he realized what i was talking about. "Well your mother and I had our conflicts and obviously your mother didn't want me to see you guys anymore." He explained. "But why? Wouldn't she think about me? Or how I might've actually missed my dad?" I tried to speak as my voice started to crack, I was about to cry but tried extremely hard to hold back the tears. "Look Maria, I'm sure your mother had her reasons but it doesn't matter anymore, the past is the past." He explained, flashing a quick smile. "Not when it has effected me so much. Look what that has done to me? I bet you wouldn't even know I was your daughter if you saw me across the street a year ago! Hell I doubt you even remembered my name until a few weeks ago!" I said, kind of raising my voice.

"Maria you know it wasn't my choice, and of course I remembered you. I missed you every single day, I thought about calling or visiting but I didn't want fights with your mother. She was threatening to call the police." He explained further, making the tears find their way down my face. How could they do this to me? Both of them, how could they just leave me?

He stopped talking about my mother after that, and the whole dinner we talked about his adventures around the world with Elizabeth and how they first met. The entire time I was angry, angry at him for listing to my mom and leaving me alone when I most needed him, and angry at my mother for not considering my feelings before she did the things that she did. I'm glad I didn't make Niall come with me tonight because I'm sure he would feel extremely out of place, just like I do. My dad may still look the same, but he sure doesn't act as same as the man that left me nine years ago.

After the dinner was over I said goodbye to my dad and called a taxi to drive me home. While in the taxi I texted Niall telling him about how terrible the dinner was, worst than I could imagine.

Maria- had the most awkward dinner tonight, wish I was with you instead❤️

After a few short moment he relied back.

Niall- You're my princess. Tell me the details about the dinner tomorrow ;)

I smiled at the text before I realized I had arrived home. I tipped the driver and got out of the taxi and inside my apartment. I changed into my pajamas and washed the make up out of my face. Today was extremely terrible, I don't think I want to meet my "other" family anytime soon.

After brushing my teeth I hopped into bed, rethinking everything that had happened tonight. I truly wish I was with Niall instead even if that's a terrible thing to say about my dad.