A Photograph

Chapter 5

Today is the 'day after tomorrow' Zach and I are supposed to meet. My movie night with El and Alf went good except the fact that I had to force Alfie to carry  Ellie to the bedroom as she slept while making the popcorn and while waiting for him to come back I fell asleep on the couch, the consequences of which I had to endure yesterday in the form of back pain.

My yesterday was full of whining about the back pain and preparing the questions for the interview. And here I am today, sitting in my cabin pondering over where to call him. I got a text from the devil last night asking me to come to the same hotel he mentioned last time but going to a place decided by him sounds like a bad idea, so I plainly refused and said I would tell him tomorrow by 12. It's 11:58 and I'm still wondering.

Actually, chuck it, he's not gonna kill me or anything. I'll call him in the office itself.

I pick up my phone and type him a text asking him to meet me here at 2.

Within a minute I get a "I'll be there" as his reply. I saved his number under the name 'Cheater Slade'. So every time I send or receive a text from him it makes me gag and giggle both.

Without wasting any time I start doing the paperwork. To encourage myself I decided if I completed this before lunchtime I'll treat myself with a bar of chocolate. But I wasted so much time thinking of a place because of that idiot that I think I'll have to kiss my chocolate goodbye.

My alarm rings reminding me that it's 1 and I can go out now. I was able to complete the work but I still have to arrange and put it in a file. I close the door of the cabin after taking my phone and purse and walk out. I open my Facebook to check the notifications. I go through all the notifications and just when I am about to close the application, I collide with someone and end up on the floor.

"Oww." I rub my right elbow to make the weird feeling go away. I guess I hit my funny bone when I fell down. I seriously hate this feeling.

I look up and see Sarah, getting up from the floor with a frown on her face. Papers are lying all around us and two files are now empty. I quickly get up and muttering my sorry to her I start gathering the papers to help her.

Just when I had picked up 4 papers I hear the phone on the reception ringing.

"I'll collect these. Can you pick that up for me?"

Nodding my head I get up and pick the reception landline.

"Hello?"

"Hello? New Leaf Publications right? I am talking to Sarah, I suppose."

"Yes, who's this?"

"Yeah, I actually wanted to talk to Mr __, Mr. McCarrol's PA. But I couldn't get to him so I called the receptionist instead. I was wondering if you could give him a message, it's from Mr. McCarrol himself."

Dad could have called anyone in the office if he wanted to. And why is this girl making a call on his behalf?

"Yeah sure. What is it?" I ask her, a bit worried now.

"Just inform him that his trip has extended for a few more days. He'll be returning on the 14th. So, he can postpone or cancel the meeting or other work." The girl replied in a casual tone.

"Um? Why would he extend the trip? Also, Can you tell me your identity? To be sure we aren't being pranked."

"We are going on a family trip and I am Alisa."

What the hell is she talking about? What kind of family trip? Me and Grandma are his only family. If he was going somewhere with her she would've told me.

"We don't know about any Alisa being related to him so we are forced to assume this is a prank call. I'm sorry." I say ready to put the phone down.

"Wait a second. You can confirm it from him." She says before continuing to shout 'Dad'.

Although the word Dad is muffled from her hand I guess. But still, I hear it. Clearly. Although the word Dad worries me a bit but I'm still adamant on the fact that it is a prank call.

Everything in me, my thoughts, my actions, and even my breathing stops when I hear 'Yes Lisa' from the other side. I can recognize that voice anytime, anywhere.

I don't need to hear a single word to know it's him. It's him.
Another girl called him Dad.
He replied to her.
He didn't stop her from calling him Dad.
Why didn't he stop her?
How the fuck anyone other than me gets a right to call her Dad? How?

I drop the call even before 'Dad' could hold it. It's not like I'm afraid or anything. But how can someone else other than me call him Dad? That's just plain stupid. It doesn't even make sense.

I go back to my cabin. Counting my steps on my way back to keep myself distracted. It took me thirty-four steps but those thirty-four steps were of fucking no use.

'How can it happen?' I think before throwing the glass on the floor as hard as I can.

'How?' the same question replays through my mind as throw the paper holder on the floor.

I don't know how much of the stuff I broke or how much damage I caused in this small room.

I still can't get over what just happened. It would have been normal if she didn't call him Dad. It would've been normal if the person on the other side of the phone was anyone other than my Dad!

It would've been normal if he had replied in an indifferent tone. But he was so gentle while speaking. Like he was with me when I was little. But that was anything but little. Heck, why would he even let her call him Dad even if she was little or not?

And my train of thoughts was broken by a knock on the door. Before I could even ask the person to get lost, the door opened and Zach entered.

"You know, it's very unpro.." he stopped midway as soon as he saw the condition of the room.

"What.."

"Get Out." I shouted on the top of my lungs even before he could complete what he was saying.
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