Changing Gears

Chapter 30 - Fawn

Fawn came round not minutes later, the fainting was starting to get on her nerves. Looking around the room again she recalled what had happened. Oh, yes! –Daddy dearest was home.

Eyeing the man in question she noted how he was sat, relaxing in a black leather chair behind his desk, the smirk that he shot her when he noticed her gaze gave the impression that he was rubbing his hands together internally and planning her death. Fawn swallowed adverting her gaze.

Instead, she turned her mind to other things, a blood red (what looked like velvet) carpet, the zip ties on her hands and legs, a stone mantle and fire pit sitting to the side of her.

'Glad to have you with us again!' her father's voice rung out, demanding Fawn's attention.

Who else was here beside him and her? Fawn decided not to correct him.

Instead, she tried to disarm him, make him falter in what looked like a well-rehearsed story of his presence. 'Love the stonework' she mused 'Victorian, is it?'

Her father paused, scrutinizing her question, 'I've been told its Georgian.' He played along

'Oh,' she nodded gently, pursed her lips and darted eyes round the room

'I bet you're wondering what I've been up to all these years' he begun moving around the desk to sit on the edge, facing her.

When fawn didn't speak her father obviously mistook her silence as and ask for an encore as he began his story.

'well, I am sure as your friend, what's his name, Charlie?'

'Chase!' she bit out causing him to smirk

'Chase, as aim sure Chase has told you it wasn't long ago that your dear old Pops was living all alone in a run-down trailer after he precious daughter abandoned him...' he paused for dramatic effect.

'And?' he shot her a glare

'Well you see, I was in the right place a the right time and ended up with quite a bit of money on me, as time went by I built myself up a business, hired some' he hesitated, thinking of the right word, 'employees' he said coyly as his deadly smirk growing.

'More like lackies' Fawn huffed not letting the flow of information affect her. She'd changed and was no longer afraid of him......that much.

'And then, this is the part you won't believe...' Oh, he was still talking! 'Here I was, dealing with some....clients... when a young man tracked me down – said he had been living with his uncle when he died, whilst he was clearing out his uncles home he came into possession of some information, which to cut a long story short, declared he was my son.'

Fawn gasped, shaking her head – no this couldn't be true, her father was just trying to manipulate her. When she next saw him he had pushed himself up off of his desk and moved to squat in front of her

'It looks like our dear Maria has been keeping secrets from us my sweet Fawn' she frowned at this. She had never known her mother but she still didn't like hearing anyone talk bad about her, she had done nothing to Fawn and probably would have been the loving mother Fawn always wanted.

'Wh-what?' Fawn could barely form words as her mind raced to find possibilities, did she have a brother? And if so how come she never knew about him, a baby would be hard to hide, especially if he mum was pregnant

'You see, this young man, your brother, found some letters your mother sent when she was pregnant with him begging her brother to take the baby, you see when he was born, the doctor told me the baby was stillborn.' He bit out gruffly moving away from her as he continued the story 'I always did underestimate Maria' he said more to himself.

'How do I know you're not tricking me?' She asked 'It's not like you're the most trustworthy person.'

Her Father gave her a look of mock horror, 'Never would I lie to you, my sweet girl', Fawn flinched at the nickname it gave her flashback from the past of crying down in a dark basement and the false sense of safety he would allure into when she was younger, apologising for hitting her, call her sweet names, telling her it was just for her own good -building up a sense of trust before he would turn on her, laughing at the sense of betrayal on her face as he would hurt her. She shivered at the memory – shrinking back into her chair staring at the floor.

Her father sighed 'Fawn I am not the man I was before, I've changed' he pointed with both hands towards his heart. 'I hope in time you can forgive me' he stepped towards her and pulled out a pocket knife from his suit jacket causing Fawn to flinch and she couldn't stop herself from paling considerably and starting to shake.

'Whoa, easily' he cooed like she was a wild animal 'I'm just going to cut your ties' he told her explaining his actions as he threaded the knife through the plastic zip ties and cutting her free.

As soon as she felt her wrist released from the chair she curled her fist and flung it into her fathers face. Unfortunately, her father caught her wrist before it could make contact with his check. He held her fist for a moment as they held eye contact and she was unsure how he would react.

Her father released her and stepped back he held his hands out 'Fawn I promise I have changed, I want this business I run to be a family business. I am sorry that I had to do it this way – I want our family back together'

When she didn't respond he huffed, walked over to the door and left. Fawn was so bewildered with the actions she just sat there in the chair waiting for him to come back, when he did a few moments later, he ushered a young man in behind him. Fawn could not believe her eyes.

The man looked like her, with the same flaxen hair and hazel eyes which she remembered were so like her mother's from the only photo she had ever seen. He also had her father's nose (of course not literally). She stared bewildered at the man who wore a suit just like her father, he was clean shaven and he looked at her, examining her just as she, him. Fawn guessed he was about twenty or twenty-one.

He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck, 'Hey little sister!'

A/N: Hey all my Kiwis out there! I UPDATED! it's a bit of a wacky chapter cause I was in a weird mood when I wrote it!

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Until the next update!

- Kiki the Kiwi - the best in the fruit basket! 🥝