Knock knock. The sound wakes the house. Knock knock. I check my watch. The light blinks exactly six. I slip off my bed and take off my headphones. I again had been listening to 'if we're honest' by Francesca Battistelli. Long name I know. The floor is cold even through my socks as I walk down the entryway. My father is already at the door, I can hear him talking but not what he's saying. I peek into the entryway my hair falling in my face. The door is closed. Father must be talking on the other side of it. I can make out what he's saying now. "My daughter didn't tell me of this." My father says. "Well, I can't imagine she would want to get her hopes up. With a guy like me, she's already pretty lucky." I want to groan but enstead open the door and step outside.
My father looks at me surprised and Jaxson flashes a full teeth smile at me. I try to smile back, it's the kind thing to do but I barely manage one. "Belle, this man claims to have scheduled a date with you. Is that true?" Father asks me. I shake my head lightly my hair bouncing. "No father it is not." Jaxson looks astounded, as if no one had ever said the word 'no' to him before. "But Belle," he argues. "Do you not remember out phone call? We scheduled it for six and here I am." I shake my head. "I'm sorry but you scheduled it for six. I said no. You didn't exactly listen to me. Goodbye Jaxson." With that I gently lead my father into the house and close the door behind us.
"What was that about?" He asks. "Christine gave him my number, he called to schedule a date but I refused. I guess he wasn't used to hearing no." I admit. "Christine gave him your number?" He asks angrily. I put my hands on his shoulders. "Daddy, I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it." He shakes his head but doesn't say anything else. "You were always the most like your mother, out of the two of you." He sighs eventually. "Please, tell me more about my mother." I plead. He doesn't much mention my mother. She died in the hospital giving birth to me, her youngest. With a small smile he disipears into the living room. I follow and we both sit side by side in a cushy couch.
"Your mother." He begins. "She was a reader, just like you. She also had a fun personality just like your sister, she had many friends." I nod. This is how he starts every time. "What else though daddy?" I Ask trying to be patient. "Your mother, she saw true beauty in things. She saw them as they were. Magnificent." A dream,a look passes over his eyes. "Just like you Belle, she saw the good in everyone. She was an amazing younge woman when I met her. She loved my art and I loved her fascination with it. I taut her all I knew. She became a very expressive and skillful artist. Before she died..." he is done. I know when he starts mentioning her death that he has had enough, even if he doesn't always know it. I smile. "Thank you Father." He pulls me into a hug and whispers in my ear. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more." I shake my head.
He knows it's okay, that I understand. He stands up abruptly. "I'm going to go make us some popcorn then we can watch a movie, yeah?" I nod. I love movie night. "You choose the movie tonight Okay?" He asks. I flip through the ones we have and finally settle on one popping the disk into the DVD player. The TV blares to life as soon as I click the red power button on the remote. He comes back and we sit leaning into each other the bowl of popcorn between us. I know Christine will come home before the previews end but for now it's just the two of us. And despite everything, that's the way I like it.
YOU ARE READING
petals fall (a modern beauty and the beast retelling) discontinued
RandomThere are rumors, just outside of town where no one ever goes, lies a beast. You won't see him coming. He won't hear him coming. At the edge of town where he lies, there is a place hidden from sight. There in his lair he waits, he waits for his prey...
