Changing The Inevitable

Chapter 17

I woke up in the middle of the night with a start, I was freezing but I was sweating like crazy. I got up and crept along the hallway to the bathroom but to my surprise the light was on and my mother was perched on the edge of the bathtub, with her face turned away from me. 

“Mum?”

 Her shoulders slackened and she turned to face me.

"Why are you up?" She asked

"Couldn’t sleep, same for you?"

"Yeah, I just needed to think, your Dad was at the reunion. He said, he needs to see you, and I agree with him, he is your dad after all."

 That took me by surprise, Why was here there? Then I remembered Tracy used to go to my mums school.

"Well he can't come barging back into my life like everything's fine. I don't want to see him."

 "What he did to me should never have affected your relationship the way it did. Remember those days you used to go to the park together, shopping. He loves you Maisie." Of course I remembered but those things didn't matter now, I had erased him from my life and I intended it to stay that way. 

"Then why hasn’t he tried harder to see me over the last two years? That’s right because he has a new family now he doesn’t want me anymore."

 She was quiet for a few seconds then her face changed into a look of determination.

"Well you have no choice; you're having lunch with him tomorrow." And with that she brushed past me and left me standing in the hallway with a giant scowl on my face. 

She turned around at her door. "You’ll thank me later, I promise."

What the just happened? I haven’t seen him in 2 years apart from the odd visits he attempted at first, but he soon gave up. I didn’t sleep at all, as my mind whirred about his sudden change of heart. Why now, after all this time?

When I woke in the morning the first thing I did was tell my mum to change the locks but she looked at me and sighed.

“Did you lose your key?”

“Uh, yeah.” I was thankful she came up with an excuse for me because I was so focused on telling her that I forgot to think of a reason. Without her noticing I slipped out the back door to check if the key was still there. Of course it wouldn’t be but I couldn’t help checking. It wasn’t there just like I knew it wouldn't be.

Going back into the house, I suddenly remembered last night’s conversation. I groaned, it was the last thing I needed right now, part of me wondered if I’d dreamt it. His face appeared in my head and for a second I did remember all the good times but they were quickly replaced with the heartbreak he caused my mum and the fact he hadn’t even tried to get in touch for two years.

“Maisie your dad said he wants to meet you in the café on Brooks Street.” What she said confirmed that it wasn’t in fact a dream. I knew he would pick that place, we used to go there all the time and I always used to get a banana milkshake. They made the best. 

“Seriously, of all places? Do I have to go?”

“Yes, and that’s final.” 

“He better not bring her.” 

“He said it will just be you too, having a catch up.” 

“A catch up? Yeah two years, he’s got a lot to catch up on, since he didn't chose to keep track of my life.” I rolled my eyes and laughed.

“Don’t be difficult. Please…just be nice.” 

“Fine.” 

I saw him through the glass of the café window and he wasn’t alone just as I thought. I opened the door and walked  up to where he and Tracy were sat. I looked at her and then at him, she looked terrified and he looked guilty. She realised she wasn't wanted when I didn't sit down and instead gave her a pointed look. I waited while she fumbled with her stuff, mumbling a goodbye to my Dad; she bumped her hip on the chair as she rushed to stand up. I took this moment to look at her properly, she had changed. Tracy had lost a considerable amount of weight since I had last seen her, her mousy brown hair had been cut into a bob and hung lifelessly around her heart shaped face. She leaned over the table to give him a quick kiss and then walked towards the door, her childlike shoes squeaked on the laminate as she hurried out of the cafe  I smirked at how uncomfortable she looked under my glare.