Butterfly

29. A Better Man.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Better Man.

♡ Jessica Washington ♡

Monday arrives, the day I decided to go back to school. I've already ran out of clothes, so I need to get across to room and get some clothes. I put on a pair of dirty jeans and head downstairs, where Rachel is putting the kettle on.

"Hey, do you want a coffee?" Rachel offers, and I nod.

"Yes please, I'm just going to go and get some clothes," I reply, before I leave the house, walking over to my house and opening the door. I quietly walk upstairs to my room and start to find some more clothes to put in a bag. I take out a lot of clothes and put them into a plastic bag, before I head back to the door.

"Shit!" I swear when I see my dad stood there in the doorway with my Grandad's old walking stick. "You scared me."

"I didn't realise it was you," my dad says, in relief. I frown in surprise when I don't notice the smell of alcohol surrounding him, did he stop drinking? Or is it just because it's too early?

"Sorry, I needed to get some clothes," I reply, slightly suspicious as to why he seems to be relatively normal, compared to how he was before I left. He seems to have changed in a weekend, how odd.

"Oh, right. I went to therapy yesterday," my dad tells me, and I raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"Really? How was it?" I ask, cautiously.

"Not as bad as I thought. It was nice to speak to someone about it," my dad replies, and I bite my lip nervously. I did tell him he could talk to me, but I guess speaking to a therapist might be easier. They know what to say, they have a better chance of being able to help him that I would ever be able to. I'm just glad he's spoken to someone.

"Good, that's good," I reply slowly, not knowing what to say.

"I think we need to talk, do you have time?" my dad asks, and I nod.

"I have school and then work, but I can come round after? I can make dinner," I offer, and my dad smiles.

"Yeah, okay, sounds like a plan. I'll see you later," my dad says, before stepping back to allow me to leave. I frown in confusion, but leave anyway, heading out of the house and back next door, where Rachel has made me a coffee.

"Did you see your dad?" Rachel asks me, curiously. By this point, River and Ashley are both sat at the dining table with their breakfast. River looks up curiously, and I nod.

"Yeah, I did. He, um, went to therapy yesterday and said that it was okay. He asked me to go and talk to him tonight, I said I'd make him dinner, so I guess we'll see," I reply, still confused by the whole thing.

"That's good, I hope. Maybe you can sort things out tonight," Rachel tells me, and I nod.

"I hope so. Thanks for the coffee," I say, quickly drinking the coffee. Then I head upstairs to have a quick shower and change into the clothes I got from my room. Then I head back downstairs to where River is waiting.

"Are you ready to go to school?" River asks, and I nod.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I reply, before we leave the house. River and I walk down the street, heading to school.