Road Trip

9:04am

Poppy woke up feeling numb.

She rolled over in bed and realized that she wasn't at her father's house. It took a moment to remember the events of the previous night, but then it all came crashing down on her.

She'd cried until Gregor had helped her with her wounds; her back was sore to the touch but it didn't seem that bad otherwise - that was probably her high pain tolerance talking; her eyes were puffy enough for a stranger to know that she had been sobbing; and she was lying in Gregor's bed.

He'd told her he loved her.

Like actually loved her.  She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Poppy knew that she loved him back and in the same way that he meant, but something was holding her back. Had been holding her back for years. Not yet, she thought, not yet...

She sat up in Gregor's bed, looking around the room. Countless books lined the shelves but her head was too groggy to read any of the titles.

She swung her legs out of bed and dragged her feet into the kitchen where Daniel was scrambling some eggs, Gregor already sitting at the counter.

Daniel tried to be discreet, but Poppy could tell that he was examining her new scars. She'd watched him do a cautionary glance over her body one too many times to know when he was looking. Gregor had no doubt told his father everything that had happened while she was still dead asleep.

"Tea?" Gregor asked her, breaking the silence.

"Yes please," she replied, her voice quiet and sore and he got up to get a cup for her. When he handed her the steaming cup, she thanked him and took a careful sip. She sighed, relaxed as the warm liquid went down her throat.

"I'll finish packing my bags while you eat, and then we'll leave, okay?" Gregor asked carefully and she nodded. He got up and left the table, disappearing into the room she had occupied moments before.

When Poppy turned back to the kitchen, Daniel was putting the eggs onto a plate with toast for her.

"Thank you," she said as he passed her the plate.

"Don't worry about it," he answered, no emotion in his voice.

She spilled some of the eggs onto her toast and took a bite, savouring Daniel's cooking. She watched as he started washing the dishes, his shoulders drooping. She wished she could have given him something. He was her real father, the person who practically raised her after her mother- since her father was so terrible.

"Actually," Poppy began, getting Daniel's attention. "I mean, thank you for everything." He put the dishes down and turned to her. 

"For your patience, your generosity, your son," she said, the words falling out of her mouth, wanting to apologize for everything. He raised his eyebrows at her last statement.

"I mean, thank you for letting me practically take Gregor away from you," she started. "We're-"

"I know," he stopped her. "You're leaving and it's most likely you won't be coming back," Daniel sighed. "I'm well aware of the situation. And I practically gave you the means of doing so," he groaned, almost to himself and Poppy felt a surge of guilt.

She took everything from this man. His free time, his food, his only son- only family.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered and continued eating.