Obsession

Chapter 22

After taking the time to change my number, my email address and blocking Kai on all forms of social media, we drive to the other side of town to my dad's small, one bedroom apartment.

He's been living here, alone, for the past year, drinking and wallowing in self-pity. After confessing to a year-long affair with an assistant instructor at my mom's dance studio, who was my age, mom kicked him out and filed for divorce. He begged her forgiveness for months, showing up at the studio and at our house all hours of the day and night, drunk. Mom finally filed a restraining order against him and reluctantly, he went away.

He's made a few attempts to contact me since then, but I was angry at him for hurting my mom the way he did. I listened to her cry herself to sleep for months. I watched her pull herself together and go to work every day, barely hanging on. It caused me to despise him.

Now that she's better, and obviously moving on, it's a little easier to face him.

He's standing outside waiting for us when we pull up. He looks a lot different than he did the last time I saw him. He's clean shaven, he's lost some weight and his eyes don't look so tired and heavy. He's actually a good looking man to be in his mid-fifties.

He takes my bags from me when I get out of the car and just stands there, staring at me, as if he can't believe I'm really here.

"Mara..."

"Hi, daddy," I smile.

He drops my bags and throws his arms around me. I finally bring myself to hug him back, thankful to have him in my life once again.

"I've missed you so much, baby girl," he whispers, kissing my cheek.

He looks over at my mom who's standing on the other side of the car, watching us and smiling to herself. "Beth," he nods.

"Adam," she nods back.

"You look good," he says, pulling away from me, still watching her.

"I know," she smirks.

He looks back at me and grins. "I've got my room all set up for you. I figured I'd just ride the couch while you're here."

"Dad, it's okay. I don't mind sleeping on the couch."

"No way. You'll need your beauty rest for school. By the way, I'll be dropping you off for the next few days; at least until I feel good about you riding alone again," he says, gathering my bags.

"Yeah, mom informed me already. It's okay. I'm not too cool for my dad to drop me off at college," I smirk, patting him on the back as I walk past him.

The door to his first floor apartment is already standing open, so I let myself inside and look around. There's only a TV, a couch, a small coffee table and a lamp. No pictures, no decorations, not even a throw pillow.

"Your room will be this way," he says, pointing down a small hallway.

I follow him into the only bedroom in the apartment and gasp when I see what he's done with it. He's replaced his bedding with a light gray comforter and cute, fluffy mint green pillows. Twinkle lights hang around the walls with pictures of me and my friends attached with tiny, earadesent clips. There's a black desk in the corner of the room with a laptop and a framed picture of me and my mom in front of our favorite waterfall.

I pick it up and stare at it in amazement. I look up at him with tears in my eyes. "Dad, this is perfect. Thank you so much!"

I hug him tight, grateful that's he's gone out of his way to make me comfortable here.