The Lost Girl (Complete)

Chapter Twenty Nine - Derrick

It was two days later that Celestia dropped Riley off at the college library before heading back to the diner where her Aunt Sang waited with Derrick.

She was nervous but after occupying her time with Riley’s company, work and study, she was less freaked out than expected. It was strange that her cousin’s hadn’t descended on the house but she had the feeling that her aunt and Uncle Nathan had warned them about her current houseguest.

A vote of approval on their part or simply a precaution to make sure that their family situation wasn’t discovered? She had no idea but she kind of missed the constant chaos. But then, Riley and his mysterious need to stay away from home took precedence – he was a perfect roommate and always tried to help out without even being asked. It was pleasant and she felt that their friendship was beginning to deepen which made her feel a strong sense of happiness.

Pulling into the diner carpark, she carefully pulled into one of the empty employee spaces as instructed and grabbed her handbag before stepping out and making sure that the expensive vehicle was locked up tight.

Wouldn’t it just be the worst to come back out and find it gone?

Shivering at the thought, she squinted through the large glass window, her breath catching slightly at the sight of Sang sitting squished between Nathan and Kota in one of the booths as another man sat with his back to the door of the dining room. This was a man who had known her mother and Sang when they were young, he’d known her grandparents before everything had completely fallen apart.

He was the man who might in fact be her biological father. She’d spent her early years dreaming of a white knight who would come in and save her, who would take her away from the depravity and darkness, a silly little wish that she had long ago let go of.

Waiting until her heartbeat slowed, she pushed open the door, the familiar sounds and smells making her smile as she returned the greetings of all the employees who called her name – damn she missed having to come here every day.

“Celestia,” the deep voice of her former teacher made her almost want to stand at attention but with effort she simply smiled and stepped forward until she was hovering by the edge of the table, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she realised that the only seat available was next to Derrick.

“Uncle Kota,” she leaned down to kiss his cheek before shyly glancing at the man opposite who was watching her with a great deal of intensity, enough to make her think that he was either trying to find any similarities to Marie or he knew about their thoughts and was actually trying to find any traces of him in her. “Hello, Mr Arkin.”

Blinking, he gave a small smile, “Good morning, Celestia. Is it alright if I call you that or do you prefer Miss Blackbourne?”

“Celestia is fine,” she continued to stand after making sure that she said hello to Sang and Nathan. “I’m sorry for making you come out to meet me.”

Picking up a cup of coffee, he sighed, “I was the one who asked for this meeting so I should apologise. I don’t want to upset you.” Derrick slid over, indicating that she should settle in. “You’re Marie’s daughter. I never expected her to have children.”

“I don’t think that she particularly wanted to have any children,” Celestia’s leg started to bounce underneath the table as she straightened the packets of sugar that were sitting in a small bowl on the table. “How much have you heard about Marie and what she was like after you left?”

“I heard that she was troubled.”

Holding in a snort, Celestia avoided all of their gazes, “Yes, she was troubled. I can’t remember when it started or what set her off but my mother was a depressed drug addict who hated her life. I could never tell whether she hated me or not but she never acted like a mother.” Glancing at her Uncle Nathan’s blanched face, she sighed, “I wasn’t abused, Mr Arkin, I don’t have any physical scars but I was neglected. I’ve gone without food, showers, new clothes, a loving environment and all of things that most kids take for granted. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t love her or that I don’t miss her now – for a long time she was the only family I had nearby so I want to know the Marie that you did, if that’s ok, because the woman I know was broken and sad.”

Listening to the silence, she let it go for a moment before glancing up with a tired and bland smile, “I’m sorry. I know that you probably wanted to hear about the happy parts of her life but I don’t have many memories of when Marie was truly happy.”

Except maybe the times when she found release during one of her sessions, Celestia added silently, her mind on the times when she’d been forced to help her mother into bed after the parties had died down.

Feeling hands enclose over her own, she tried to calm herself down. “I really am sorry. The woman that you knew and loved, Mr Arkin, was not a person that I ever got to meet.”

With what sounded like a shaky sigh, Derrick rubbed a hand over his face, “Celestia, I’m the one who should apologise. I spoke to Dakota before today and he explained that Marie had changed, that she was a drug addict who neglected her only daughter. A daughter who she chose to name after my...” Complexion beginning to pale, he glance between Kota, Sang and Nathan as they remained as nothing more than silent witnesses. “I’m sorry. I don’t that that I can do this today. I’ve been mostly overseas with the military since I was eighteen and I never that this is what I would find. I was always looking back at her but I never came back.”

Hearing the guilt in his voice, Celestia drew back and onto her feet, “I never wanted to make this more painful for you, Mr Arkin. I think we should stop for today.” Letting him know that she would be around, Celestia waited for her aunt to gently assure her that he would be taken care of before she headed out to her car.

The front seat was cold and her breath puffed slightly in the rapidly cooling air, “Haa,” she laughed. “What was that?” The man had come to learn more about the woman he’d loved and lost and all she’d been able to talk about was herself and what she’d suffered. What had she ever truly known about her mother? She didn’t know her pain, she’d never asked and now it was too late. There would never be a chance to ask Marie.

So many things had come into her life but that one chance to speak to the Marie that they had all known was long gone.

And why did that hurt more than the memories of her lonely childhood?

Glancing back at the diner, Celestia resolved that she wouldn’t sit by and lose anymore chances, especially if one of them was to finally meet the man who should have been her father.

A/N: I apologise for this seemingly non-chapter. She will get a better chance to speak to Derrick soon but other things must happen soon. 😚