The Wedding Planner (Open Novella Contest)

Chapter 14

"Last time I saw Rachel she was 6? maybe 7? I know it was a Sunday because we had pancakes every Sunday!" Oliver leaned back in the chair and smiled fondly at the memory. Luke smiled awkwardly, letting the older man talk. He could smell the whiskey on Olivers' breath. Oliver stroked his matted beard as he thought about the memories he had with Rachel. "She was a good kid, I can't wait to see her."

"I'll let you know this now, Mr Anderson -" Luke began.

"Call me Oliver." Oliver waved his arm about dismissively.

"Oliver, Rachel is hurt about what happened. Even though to you it may be so long in the past, for her the wounds are still open and fresh. You may not get the reception you want from her." Luke explained, Oliver laughed.

"Every girl is their daddy's little girl." Oliver laughed loudly, it echoed around the office.

"No, they're not," Rachel muttered from the doorway, her hair was dripping wet from the pouring rain outside, her mascara was dripping down her face, it was from her incessant sobbing on the way to the offices but she would tell them it was the rain. "What do you want?" she folded her arms protectively across her chest.

"I need to make things right with you and Imogen, Rachel. I made mistakes yes but -"

"My mother killed herself, did you know she committed suicide?" Rachel spat, she was desperately trying to show him that it didn't bother her, that he had no hold over her any more but she was failing.

"I should wait outside." Luke went to leave, Rachel nodded gratefully at him, Luke shot her his best reassuring smile before closing the office door behind him.

"I made mistakes, Rachel. I was a fool back then. But I've worked hard to redeem myself, make a name for myself so I can look you and your sister in the eye." Oliver rose from his seat and tried to walk towards Rachel but she jumped back out of his reach.

"You don't get to come any closer, you stay the hell away from me, you hear?" she seethed, Oliver nodded.

"Look, I want to apologise. What I did to your mother was inexcusable, it was disgusting and I am ashamed of myself. Truly I am sorry. I gambled away everything, I left you and your mother in so much debt that you lost the house -"

"And then my mother killed herself because of everything that happened, she went into such a deep depression that nothing could bring her out of it. I found her, slumped on the sofa, dead. I didn't know what it was at the time, I thought she was sleeping. Do you think a child should ever have to see that?" by now Rachel was sobbing, she was trying to shout through the sobs but words would catch in her throat, she would gasp as she finished a word, trying to catch her breath.

"No they shouldn't but, it happened and there's nothing I can do about it now Rachel. But what I can do is show you and your sister how sorry I am and hopefully, one day make up for my actions." Oliver looked at the ground, he couldn't even look his daughter in the eye because deep down he knew she was right. He knew that she had every right to feel the way she did and he was truly and utterly ashamed of his past, how he acted and how much of an absent father he was.

"Oliver, let's be serious here. You're only here for the money. Right?" Rachel sneered, she wiped her mascara-stained face with the sleeve of her shirt. "Did you gamble away the last lot of money Imogen sent you?"

"No I started a business but I need a contract from a big firm to get me going, to get my name out there, luckily I found this one because that led me to you." Oliver reached out for Rachel with his hand but she slapped it away.

"Don't ever and I mean ever try and touch me." She spat, "Oliver, I don't want to see you again."

"Please Rachel, I'm sorry." he pleaded.

"Is it true?" Rachel asked.

"Is what true?" Oliver looked dumbfounded.

"I found the papers, Oliver. You gained custody of me when my mother killed herself, but you adopted me out and one of the reasons that were listed in my files was because I would disrupt your family life." Rachel scowled at the man before her, he truly was a dreadful excuse of a father.

"Yes..." Oliver hesitated for a moment, unsure of what he could say to ease his daughters' pain. "I was selfish and immature."

"I was in and out of foster care, some carers were lovely but others were cruel and unkind - actually - you don't need to know this. You don't deserve to know anything about me. Now, Oliver, I would like you to leave Lukes office and go home. Wherever that is and please, do not contact me again." Rachel clenched her fists, desperate to keep her emotions under control, even if she had cried she would not let him see her at her worst.

"But..."

"Go. Now. Before I call the police and get some form of a restraining order taken out on you. You have no rights, you signed your parental rights away when you gave me up. Now go." Rachel had reached a breaking point, by now she was almost screaming, Luke slammed open the door, Oliver pushed his way past Luke and left the office, Luke noticed tears streaming down the mans face.

"Rachel?" Luke whispered, he slowly took a step towards her.

"Look, I need one minute and I'll be out of here okay?" Rachel snapped.

"You don't have to go." Luke tried to talk to Rachel but she was having none of it.

"I'm going Luke, I'll talk to you tomorrow." She snapped as she made her way towards the office door.

"Don't do this Rachel, you're bottling things up again." Luke sighed. Rachel stopped in her tracks, he was right. She was trying to close herself off once more, to avoid feeling this pain, to avoid feeling this hurt. She felt so many emotions she didn't know which one to focus on the most. The anger? The loneliness? The sense of abandonment? The resentment? So many emotions swirled intensely around her head, not giving her a moment to think. Warm arms embraced her from behind and for a moment, for the smallest moment, her mind went silent. No thoughts. No feelings. Just warmth. Rachel did not want this moment to end, the peace, the silence in her mind was too important at this moment.