After ✔

37

The next day, I call my father. It's finally time to listen and to make some decisions, perhaps because it's my last day here in America if I decide not to stay.

"Dad?"

"Hello? Valencia?"

His voice is urgent, almost surprised at the same time.

I swallow nothing but air and close my eyes. "I want to talk to you, dad." I say. "About everything."

I can almost see the relief on his face. "I'm in Dalton, honey. Maybe we could catch lunch together in an hour?"

"Okay."

"I'll text you the details?"

"That'd be great."

Out of my window, cars are rolling by, lazy as a reward of avoiding the morning traffic. Two birds are perched on a telephone line wire, chirping to themselves and staring into the sky.

When he's off the line, I twirl the phone around my fingers. I debate on whether or not I should call mom. I meant it when I said I didn't want any bad feelings towards us.

But then I decide to call her after speaking to dad. That is, if I still want to. Whilst dad's opinion maybe biased, it sure won't be any less truthful that mom's. 

I drive around the city, my thoughts clouding my vision much like the sky above me. I try to imagine life here, in this growing town. Would I follow into my parent's footsteps? I sure hope not. Whilst I still want to run dad's business...

I suddenly have an idea.

Not waiting any longer, I drive to the address of the restaurant dad had texted to me. Dalton is forty five minutes away, and by the time I reach, dad's already there, waiting by a table in the corner of the restaurant.

He looks nervous. Like really nervous. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him like this since the divorce.

"Hey," I pipe up from behind him.

He raises his eyebrows. "Hey, honey." He replies.

I look at the table. He's already ordered a cup of coffee for himself and hot chocolate for me.

I take off my jacket in a hurry and set it on my chair before sitting down.

Dad is wearing his black suit and a tie. His hair is sort of messy, but his face is clean shaved like always.

"Let me start..." he says, eyeing his cup of coffee. He brings it to his lips and sips slowly. "I just wanted to apologize, even though I know it's not enough--"

I tuck my hair back. "I'm not saying I forgive you," I say, getting straight to the point. "However, I might be willing to."

He looks up at me, and a smile etches onto his face. "Really?"

I nod my head. "But on one condition."

His smile disappears. "I'm not naming you Cookie."

"Legally, I can do that myself now." Surprising myself, the corners of my mouth turn up in amusement. Not more than for a second though.

"I just want you to tell me everything you know."

I study his face. His expression doesn't change. "Fair enough." He replies.

The waitress comes to take out orders, and me not being hungry, order the first thing I see.

When she's gone, I turn back to dad. "Did you always know?"

"Not until the divorce papers were being finalised." He says. "I wanted to tell you so badly, wanted you to come live with me. But a greater part of me wanted you to decide on your own."

"What about after?"

"I don't know." He sighs. "I saw you less and less. Then you went to Spain, plus all the things happening with Dani... I didn't want you to think of your mom as the bad person."

But she is. 

The food arrives. Seafood platter for my dad, grilled chicken for me. Along with two cokes and plenty of garlic bread.

"Did you know him?" I finally muster up the courage to ask. "My biological...father?"

"Not really." He says. "I know he was an old friend of your mother's. Worked at some bar in downtown Valencia City."

I process the information. My mother hooked up with a bartender. Genevieve and I were the result.

Instead of letting my emotions get the better of me, I try to think of this in a more logical way.

"Do you know his name?" I ask slowly.

He bites his lip. "No, honey."

"An address?"

"I know the name of the bar. Atleast I used to. Jionni... or was it Jinnoi?" He scratches his temple. "Are you thinking of meeting him?"

"I don't know." I sigh. "Maybe when I'm ready. Does he know...?"

My dad shrugs. "Knowing your mom, she probably hid it from him too."

We finish our food in silence. When dad is done, he wipes his mouth with a napkin and smiles at me. "I'm glad we had this talk, Val. Are you sure you can't stay for a few more days?"

"Sorry, dad." I reply. "Oh, and speaking of, I had an idea."

This perks his interest. "Idea?" He asks. "What kind?"

"The kind where you open up a hotel in Spain?" I beam in hopes he'll understand. "I could run it, you know, take care of everything. It'll still be under your name..."

"A hotel in Spain." He says as if, ironically, the words are foreign on his tongue. But he looks intrigued, which is a good sign.

"Not a bad idea." He finally states. "I'll talk to my advisors, get back to you. Meanwhile, we're still on for dinner tonight at home, yeah?"

I nod. The bill is paid and just as dad is about to get up, I stop him. "I can still call you dad though, right?"

He looks at me and his eyes seem to be shining. "Sure thing, kid."

That evening, when I get home, I tell Evie everything that happened between my dad and I. Recent events have made me realise how lucky I am to have a stepmother like her, one who will listen and love me like I'm her daughter.

And she does exactly that. She's happy dad and I have made up, and that I've finally made a decision.

I'm going to Spain.

I might not live there for the rest of my life, heck, not even after university, but it's a start. I'll complete my studies and take care of dad's business. That's the plan for now and I'm going to stick to it.

After we're done talking in the kitchen, I trudge up the stairs. My flight is at one in the morning and knowing my jittering nerves, I wouldn't be able to get a wink of sleep tonight. 

I hear giggles and laughter coming from Gabriella and Mason's room. Curious, I knock the door and open it.

Mason is beaming, with the biggest smile on his face I've ever seen. He's sitting in Gabriella's lap, staring into the laptop, video chatting with someone.

Gabriella ushers me over. Raising an eyebrow, I see it's no other than Nate, peering back at his family through the laptop.

"You do know you guys live twenty minutes away from each other, right?"

Nate laughs. "With Amelia and Dani home, plus all their paintings, there's hardly any space. Doesn't matter, though, does it? I'll pick them at ten, head to the airport. You wanna join us, Val?"

"Yeah, that'd be great actually."

Gabriella looks at me. Her eyes are shining, and the dark circles under her eyes have reduced. She doesn't look so tired anymore, like she carries the weight of the entire world on her shoulders.

"Thank you, Valencia." She says. "For everything."