Entanglement [COMPLETED✔]

14

Laura

There he stood, green eyes watching my every step as I slid towards a cup of coffee.

For three days I had been avoiding him, for three days I had stayed in my room, with Alex. For three days I tried pushing away the conversations I knew we were about to have because I wasn't ready.

And a part of me was hoping that by now he would have left, that he'd get tired or see that I didn't want anything to do with him but no. He stood there a few feet away from me, disapproval lining his features as his gaze slid up and down me. Taking in my skirt and top, the little I wore to piss him off.

Even if he called himself my father, even if we had the same eye color or blood, I wouldn't believe him. Not that I even want for it to be true. I didn't need him, I had it all here.

I was fine.

Alex said I didn't have to talk to him but that Mark at least deserved to be heard. To tell his part of the story and I couldn't help but to wonder what Alex knew that I didn't. What they talked about when I was in my room and Alex was trying to make it as uncomfortable as possible. But today Alex had left early for work and he wasn't here to help me out. 

"I hope you aren't going out like that," Mark said after a few more seconds.

I turned and looked at him with the coldest stare I could give him, annoyed at the audacity he had to say that as if he had been there all those years ago. As if he'd been there to protect me from all those eyes and words I was thrown at for many years. 

"It's not your business," I said coldly. 

A pained look crossed his features, eyes dimming a little. "You're my daughter." 

Daughter. I laughed, a cold humourless laugh. "Your daughter?-" I asked incredulously, taking a step closer to him- "Where were you when my mother had to scrape by? When we had to sleep in a car because we couldn't pay the rent? Do not call me your daughter when you are nothing to me."

So many years and I wished I had a father. That maybe he could have stopped my mother from making some choices, who could have bee there to comfort her and tell her not to stress about money. That he would take care of us. But no. 

He flinched at my harsh words. "I didn't know," he muttered. 

Another laugh came out of me, "Didn't know?" Pure fucking lies. "Where were you?" All those years and not once did he appear. No card. No call. Nothing. 

"I never knew you existed," he said again. 

I looked up and down at him, seeing his beard trimmed nicely, seeing his hair pushed back. Nothing like the man who had stood at the door saying he was my father. "What a cheap lie."

I didn't know. No one ever knew and look at where it got us. 

My so-called father took a deep breath, "It's not a lie. I never knew about you. Not until I came back a few days ago. Until I read the letter."

I froze, looking at the sincerity in his eyes. Seeing how much pain lined them, "What are you saying?"

Another breath, "Martha never told me about her pregnancy. Not until nineteen years later. Laura- I- you… I was traveling. I'm always traveling. And a few days ago when I came back?-" he shook his head- "I found a card with her name on it dated back more than a year. And I dropped it all to see her. To see you." 

My heart tightened at his words, my eyes flickering down to an envelope in his hands. And ever so carefully, he slid it to me. "Read it. I swear I'm telling you all I know."