Adanna

Chapter 20

It was around 7pm and I was home alone in my dad's house. That felt so different to say and it sure made me giddy.

I put my feet into my slippers and decided to take a tour of the apartment. It was all white with monotone furniture.

The floor had grey fur carpet in the middle with a glass circular table on its top. There were a few drops of colour like the red paintings and basket weave seats.

I walk through the hallway and my eyes fall on a white door with a golden knob. I twist it and push and it is just as I thought. Open.

Small with clean white walls, a single bed in the middle of the room, a desk with a blank blotter on it, sliding closets opposite the bed, and thin black shag carpet.

I walk further in and to my far left is my 42″ flatscreen TV. To my right is a framed poster displaying a poem of William Shakespeare, and a picture that had Chicago buses and trains. And to the far right is a black and white picture of National War Museum, with wide beams of light gushing in through the windows. The beams look like they are about to make the visitors levitate at any minute and float skyward.

And an antique chair to sum it all up. I twirl around the room until I hear the front door open. I run to the living room and try to act natural like I hadn't been snooping around in a house that wasn't mine.

"Hey" he says as he shuts the front door, "Got some snacks for the movie night" he raises them to his face and gives me a smile.

I smile back not knowing what reply to give him. I could tell he was a little bummed out knowing that my mum would probably not show up.

*flashback to earlier this afternoon*

"Call her" I say for the umpteenth time, "you want this to work, right?"

He nods.

"Okay, fine, I'll call her" he says and he dials her number on his phone.

"Hello" she says over the phone.

"Hi, Nene"

"What do you want?"

"To talk"

"Bring my daughter home and then we'll talk. Who do you think you are? I raised her all by myself and you think you can just waltz into our lives, correction, stalk our lives, and think it's okay"

"I'm sorry, it got a little-"

"I don't want your apologies. Where is she?"

This wasn't going out well, so I took the phone from him and decided to do this by myself.

"Mum"

"Baby"

"Uh...yeah. Okay, can you come tonight by 8? We're having movies night"

"You've been with him for only three days and you're already having movie night? I have been begging you to have one with me for 18 years." And I can already feel her eye roll, "I'll come I guess, I don't know"

"Thanks"

Beep.

*flashback over*

So yeah, it was now 7:30 and I had set up everywhere. Not because I was so interested but because I had nothing to do and I still wasn't talking to Jo.

I still had one more therapy session and I was going to make good use of it. I hear footsteps coming towards the direction of the living room and I already know it's my dad.

"Is she here?" He asks.

"No" I let out a small giggle. I pat the make shift seat, I made with pillows and gesture for him to seat down.

"You know I was hell for mum, right?" I look down and I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my neck.

"I was so angry at her. So angry at the universe and so angry at you"

"Me?"

"You left me. I had to go through Father's day sitting at home and watching movies about other fathers with their kids. I thought you hated me and I hated myself. I kept thinking I was the reason why you and mum broke up."

He leans in to give me a hug, "everyone in school found out I was dyslexic. They started acting like I had a physical disease they could contact and I guess the rumors got to my friend's head and she finally left me to."

"People think bullying, has to do with beating up someone, or physically torturing the person. It's the little and slightest comments you make about someone that affect their mental health. When I started attending therapy, someone spread it. And everyone came up with their own versions of the story. I wasn't a very happy child, you know?"

I let out another small giggle but this time, it's followed with tears. There must be something in the air making me to talk about, all this feelings, I don't want to be feeling.

"I know how you feel" he starts, "my sister was the same. She didn't have dyslexia but she sure was bullied and our family wasn't the best either and wasn't a great support system for her. We had a dysfunctional family and my mum was barely around, while my dad would travel for weeks on end without even a word. Your mum was my peace even though we may have made some bad decisions. But it still brought me you. And even though, I haven't been here. I promise to make up for everything I've missed out on. Every single thing, okay?"

I nod and I feel a smile creeping up to my lips. I swear, I can't remember the last time, I smiled like that. All of this still feels like a dream. I pick up some popcorn and throw a little on his face.

"Ada?" he asks playfully and I turn to run away when he happily dumps the entire bowl on my head.

I run around some more while I laugh trying to distract me while he stood in one spot as if saying, 'I don't have time for this'

I'm still laughing when I hear the doorbell. I remember ordering for pizza so I rush to open the door. I twist the handle and a shocked expression plasters across my face unknowingly.

"Mum?"

*****
A/n

I'm so happy for her father daughter relationship she's building but did she forget she had a mother *ahem*

Anyways, like I said, this book is almost coming to an ending. I think I have about, a chapter to go and an epilogue, inclusive.