Snow White and Seven Devils (rewrite) ✅

(26) Anonymous D

26.

''Would you like some coffee?'' Mom was terrible at making coffee, she always opted for instant one and the brand of instant coffee we had at home would probably leave Dad with a very bad taste in his mouth. Dad, like me was a coffee addict and he was pretty choosy when it came to things he liked. I wondered if I should have stopped mom and told her but suddenly remembered that mom had no intention to be hospitable to dad. They had been married at one point, she knew about his habits well.

''Sure'' He waved to her and helped me to sit on the couch. After coming back from the hospital, I was still sporting a cast on my left arm and a crutch to help me walk around. Mom said that bones took longer to heal, but they eventually will, so I would be able to walk properly in few weeks time. At least it was a relief that my bones were intact.

I was still having hard time to adjust using the crutch, but they were helping me at it so that was another source of relief.

Even though not being dead should have been my only relief at this point.

After Dad helped me settle down and mom went to kitchen to get us instant coffee, he sat in front of me with a concerned look on his face and I tried to fill the empty space between us with words. They came out pretty awkwardly, as if I wasn't talking to dad but having coffee with my new boss.

''How's New York? I mean, how's Elizabeth doing?'' Dad saw right through it. He must have been wondering that I, who had never bothered to learn Elizabeth's full name was least interested in her.

''She's fine, the kids are fine. They are really worried about you, in fact Elizabeth wants to come here and visit you.'' He replied, and I couldn't shake away the way he was looking at me. With tiredness in his eyes and a million questions. In the hospital I didn't get any chance to talk to him properly, not that there was much to talk about. Things between both mom, dad and myself had gotten really weird. I had no idea how to change that.

''Oh no, tell her I'm fine. It would be a waste-''

''You should have told us Ally.''

''-to come here- wait, what?''

He sighed and rubbed his temple, ''About being bullied in school and getting suspended. So much was happening and you never mentioned anything to your mother and me.''

I didn't reply, letting him go on, ''And I think its about time we talk about other stuff.''

''What stuff?'' I sat straighter, alarmed.

Dad looked back at me with exasperation, ''Your lack of communication.'' Gosh, I never thought dad would be this direct about bringing it up. My face burned with shame, and my cheeks went red. The fault was mine and we both knew it.

''I'm sorry about that-''

''I called you so many times, and you were always looking for an excuse not to talk to me. You didn't want to talk to Elizabeth and the kids - I get it. But you never bothered to reply to my messages either. If you were that angry about Elizabeth you should have told me so!'' I didn't like the direction this conversation was taking but it was too late to go back. Mom came with three cups for us, behind dad she motioned me to stay quiet when I tried to open my mouth,

''If I knew, even a little bit that you were upset, I would NEVER had married her.'' Dad explained and my guilt came rushing back to me, swallowing my words,

''I never meant that...''

He shook his head, ''Your mom told me everything.''

Silent, I flashed a look at mom who just shrugged before taking a seat next to him. Why did she babbled about everything to dad? I buried my face in my hands, embarrassed about the confrontation. Gosh I wanted to run away and fall in a hole somewhere or disappear from the face of universe.