Fate

Chapter Seventy-Two

Chapter Seventy-Two

"No, I don't want to." I sobbed.

I was so confused and hurt right now. Feelings of happiness had invaded me thinking of how Alec and Mom were giving me this choice but I just didn't want to know right now. I was too scared of the unknown. What if Alec didn't tell the truth? What if he wasn't my father and would want nothing to do with me. I might resent him for not being the father I hoped he would be to me.

I'd likely grow to hate Kenneth even more for not being the dad I wanted and needing For becoming the man who cared more about alcohol than his family. For not loving me as he once was. Even if Alec was my dad would it change a single thing? It wouldn't make things any better for mom and I doubted it would for me either. I felt an ounce of anger once more surge through me.

Why had they done this to me?

Why put something like this in my hands?

Why put me through this?

How could they selfishly not want me to know the truth?

It wasn't fair.

"Ariel?" Mom asked putting a hand on my shoulder and I shook my head.

"How could you be so selfish? How could you do this to me?"

"We never meant to hurt you," she frowned.

"I don't want to know. I don't want Keneth to hate me. I just don't want to know," I sobbed into her shoulder.

Mom was crying again as she rocked me just as she used to when I was little. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. I really am. We don't have to do anything you don't want to."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders hugging her tightly. For once her loving embrace didn't comfort me as it usually did. My chest hurt and I had no idea why. She rubbed my head for a long moment and I looked up to Alec who was watching us with a sad expression not invading this moment between us.

"I'm sorry," I looked up at him meaning it.

"No Ariel you have nothing to be sorry for. Not a single thing. I'd never force you into anything you didn't want to do."

I was sorry to him because I suddenly felt like I was letting him down. Maybe he wanted to be a dad. Maybe I was letting mom and Kenneth down because I didn't want to know the truth. They needed closure and I was the one who was selfishly not allowing them to have it. How could I be so selfish?

"I'm sorry," I repeated.

He walked over to us placing his hand on my back and I looked up at him.

"It's alright. This is your decision as much as it is anyone else's. If you ever want to change your mind I'll do it at any time. If you never want to then we'll never do it. Simple as that," he smiled.

"Thank you," I voiced leaning back into mom's embrace.

"Thank you, Alec," I thought I heard mom mutter softly.

Once I'd calmed down I wanted nothing more than for us to leave. I needed to stop wanting to go home and lay in bed when something went wrong. Right now I just wanted to find everyone else and see how they were doing. I stood to my feet and told mom where I was going.

"Okay meet me at the car when you're done. I'll probably find Kaylin before that if you don't."

I wiped my eyes nodding my head and I looked at Alec one last time and he gave me a smile and after a moment I awkwardly returned it before leaving the room. I realized I was leaving the two of them alone together and I wondered if I subliminally did that on purpose or if I just a glutton for punishment.