Till Death Do Us Part

Ch. 31 - Sometimes Sorry Isn't Enough

**Hi guys. I'm so sorry I've literally disappeared off the face of the earth. I just started my next semester of nursing school this week and I'm already behind and I have like four projects due in a matter of a couple of weeks on top of clinicals, class, and studying. I'm going to try and update again today after I get some studying done. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Please leave me comments on what you think!**

Roxie's POV

"Can we please talk?" he asked. I cleared my throat and stood. Not wanting to make a scene, I slowly made my way up the stairs to me and Jedrek's bedroom. I could hear his footsteps following close behind me. Once in the room, he closed the door behind him. I could see him waiting for my attention in my peripheral vision, but I wasn't sure I could look at him. I meandered over to the window sill, watching the first snow of the winter begin to come down in big fluffy flakes.

"Roxanne-"

"It's Roxie," I shot back, practically snarling at him. "Only mom ever called me by my first name and you know that."

"It's been a long time," he ignored my comment, pulling a sarcastic snort from me.

"You know," I began, disregarding his words as he'd just done to me, "for the past four and a half years, the only thing I've ever wanted from you was to have a genuine conversation. Just you and I talking like we used to. Funny how when I'm suddenly presented with the opportunity, I realize it's the farthest thing from what I want anymore," I spoke, my eyes not wavering from the falling snow.

"I'm sorry," he finally said after a few minutes of silence.

"For what?" I barked out. "Turning your back on me when I was grieving the loss of my best friend and mother? Turning your back on her just months after her death? Remarrying the fucking reincarnation of the wicked witch of the west? Choosing your new wife over your own daughter? Or the best yet, choosing her daughter over me. Over and over and over again," I growled, my voice rising with my anger.

"Roxie-"

"And when I lost Jedrek, too, you were nowhere to be found! You didn't give a single shit about me or my wellbeing! I withdrew from life and you didn't even notice! And just to add salt to the wound, you never even tried to contact me after I up and disappeared!" I screamed. He swallowed hard before clearing his throat.

"I saw that you were hurting, but I didn't know how to handle it. Your mother was always the one to deal with the emotional side of things-"

"Really? That's the excuse you're going with? What about the last time we spoke on the phone before the wedding, huh? You know, when you told me to 'get over' Jedrek picking Tori over me? What about then? Or demanding that I come to the fucking wedding - of which the groom was the love of my life - is that something you read about in a parenting 101 book? Does that sound like something mom would've done?" I snarled.

"I've been an awful father..." he stated, wringing his hands together while fidgeting back and forth from foot to foot.

"Well isn't that the understatement of the year," I whispered so quietly I wasn't sure if he would even be able to hear me. He looked at a loss for words, something that made my chest ache.

"So that's it? That's all you've got to say to me?" I husked out, dropping down onto the built-in bench next to me. "No explanation for why you allowed Sandra to treat me the way she did. No explanation for why you forgot about mom so quickly."

"Her loss was just as hard on me as it was on you," he hissed as if he was offended by my words. "Sandra made me feel...important."

"Well I'm glad to know that while she was making you feel important, she was doing everything in her power to make me feeling like nothing," I stuttered out as my lower lip began to quiver, unable to believe the shit that was spewing from his mouth.