The Chain (A Catherine Diary) - Stamfield. Complete

Chapter 70

70

'Ah, I see you two have met each other', dad said returning from the men's toilet.

I looked at him, then at her. Was there a possibility that she was his daughter. One he had kept secret all his life, or only just found out about, that would make her my half sister. My heart skipped at the thought. However, she looked nothing like him or me and why would she call him Ian?

'Are you two in a relationship?', I thought and suddenly realized I had asked out allowed.

Maria still had hold of my hand and chuckled again, this time it had a nervous tint to it. 'She's very perceptive'

My eyes darted from Maria to my dad, this couldn't be happening. My immediate thought was, mum would be so angry. Mum, who was probably waiting at home keen to find out whether dad was going to be part of our lives again, would be devastated. I was furious with my dad, how could he put me in this position, where I would end up being the one who would have to let mum know there was no chance dad was coming back to her.

'I want to leave', I blurted out.

Maria instantly released my hand, having the realization that they had pushed me too far, too fast.

'But we haven't eaten', dad said.

I wanted to scream at him, I turned my head and looked him straight in the eyes, trying to force my anger out at him.

'Ian, I think you should take her home'

"Yes Ian, I think you should take me home", I thought and was pleased it hadn't come out in words this time.

I got up and marched out the door to the car.

Dad came out three minutes later, a mixture of anger and concern on his face. He unlocked the car with his key fob, we both got in, in silence.

Once the car was in motion, he mumbled. 'I'm sorry Catherine, I imagined it quite different'

I didn't even want to consider how he imagined it. What was I going to tell mum, I wondered. I figured I could just tell her it didn't go too well, but I knew her response would be, "did you at least give him a chance". One thing was for sure I knew I couldn't go home yet.

'Can you take me to my friend's house?'

He turned his head to look at me, wanting to ask me who the friend was, the look I provided for him challenged him to ask. He relented.

'Sure'