It's not just complicated, it's a disaster

Disaster (Chapter Fifty-Four)

Chapter Fifty-Four

Having to spend my days at the hospital was disappearing. Claire only came to see Tom, and was going to avoid this place until she needed her treatment, and today my dad was finally checking out. I was going to pick him up, so Zeke wasn’t with me this time, but that was part of our plan. I wanted to tell my dad about the whole England thing and it would be just be easier without Zeke there, and I was going to Zeke’s after anyway.

I walked into my dad’s hospital and when I shut the door turned to see him standing up and packing his bag.

“Almost ready?” I asked him.

“Yep, I’ve just got to sign some papers before we leave,” he told me.

“That’s okay, good to see you out of this. Good to see everything get out of this,” I muttered.

“I know, it was a bit of a scare. I thought I was about to already lose my son-in-a-law,” he told me.

“I thought I could lose my whole family,” I told him, stepping forward.

“You should’ve drove to the airport that day,” my father sighed. “You would’ve never crashed that car.”

I shrugged. “Can’t change the past, Dad.”

“I know,” I nodded.

He smiled at me and then looked back down at his bag and put a shirt in there. I sighed. I should tell him now, right? Better now than never.

“Dad,” I said, getting his attention. “I’ve got something to tell you.”

“Oh?” he looked up at me.

“Yeah... um, you see, England, the scholarship, they want me,” I told him. “I got my letter, and they’re holding my place.”

“Alex, that’s great!” he almost yelled.

“Yeah, it really is,” I nodded.

“I’m... I’m so proud of you,” he said, stepping forward and pulling me into a father hug.

“Thanks, Dad... oh, can’t breathe a little,” I complained.

“Sorry,” he stepped back. “I just can’t believe how much you’ve grown up... how fast you’ve grown up. You’re.... you’re so much like your mother.”

I kind of froze and looked up at him. He had never said anything like that to me. He never mentioned my mother... especially not like this.

“You have her eyes, and her face,” he said, “her kindness, her love, her strength. Both you girls do. Your mother would be so proud of the women you’ve become.”

I felt tears well in my eyes and my father again pulled me into a hug and I didn’t care this time if I could breath or not.

Once my father was one and safe I drove over to Zeke’s place. I hadn’t been to this giant house in a while and I was surprised to see a for sale sign outside. I rang the door and barley had to wait a second for Zeke to answer.

“Hey, babe,” he smiled.

“Hey... sign?” I asked him, pointing to it.

“Oh, yeah. Dad decided the house is too big for us, so we’re moving somewhere smaller,” Zeke shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Still somewhere here I hope,” I said.

He smiled, and wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. “Of course, I told you I’m never leaving you again, I meant that.”