Ericson's Care Home

Why Are You Really Here?

Its been a few days since we brought the whole 'dad' situation with Vi to Lee. She says that she still can't decide. After what she told me about him, I feel like I want to kill him. But part of me wants to tell her to give her dad another chance. If there's a chance that he has changed, that he genuinely wants to make things right. Maybe its worth it...

"Clem? You decent?" I hear violet from behind my bedroom door. "Yeah. I am Vi. What's up?" I ask as she walks in and sits down on my bed.

"I think I'm ready." I look at her confused and shrug. "To see him. I think I'm ready to see my dad." I stand up and go to sit next to her. "Okay. As long as you think you're ready, I'm here."

"Okay. Thanks Clem. I'm gonna go let Lee know now." I'm about to leave until I feel a hand grab me. "Yeah you could, or." This intrigues me as I grab her hand back. "You could come in here and stay." "Stay? And do what?" I ask as I suggestively wiggle my eyebrows.. "Wow Vi. Really? Don't think I'm ready for that, especially this early in the morning."

"What did you have in mind then?" I say as I shut the door behind me. "I just wanna cuddle." "Cuddle?" "Yeah, I guess we haven't had much time together since your dad got in touch." I think about it for a moment. She's right, we kinda have been a little distant. I guess the whole situation with my dad got to my head. "Okay. Yeah I'd love that."

She grabs my hand and leads me to her bed. We lay down and cuddle just like she wanted, and now I realise like how I needed. "Thanks for this Clem." "For what?" She asks as she buries her face into my neck. "Just. This, being here. Doing stuff like this with me." "Of course Vi. I wanna do this sorta stuff with you cause, well. I love you Vi." This makes me smile. "I love you back." She looks up at me and leans in, I do the same. We're inches apart before the door shoots open.

"Violet? What is this?" A man says as he walks in he's tall, a bit overweight and he's also. My dad. Great. I think as I let go of Clem. "Dad. Why are you here?" I ask as I stand up. "I just wanna see my daughter, and see how she's doing. And now I wanna know why she's in another girls bed holding each other!" This just makes me mad I thought he wanted to make things right between us, at least that's what he said.

"What does it matter? No matter how many times I explain it you're only gonna get confused or angry like you used to." He looks over to Clementine who's now sitting in the edge of the bed looking at me. "Its not natural violet. Please listen to me. What you're going through, its just a phase." What the fuck! I thought he was gonna be civil about this, why is he being like this?

"No its not! Dad you never listened to me and if you did you would've realised this isn't just a phase." I'm trying to tower over him but with my height compared to his its kind of hard. "How do you know its not a phase though?"

"Because I love her! I love her, and you can't stop that. So don't try." He looks over to Clementine and speaks up. "You did this to her! You turned her into this." Clem stands up and looks at my dad with fire in her eyes. "How dare you. What the hell is wrong with you? What kind of parent stops loving their child because they're not straight, and then blames it in someone else?" She's now towering over the man.

"What's going on in here? What's with all the shouting?" Lee says as he walks into the room. "Umm. Mr Aldon? How did you get in?" He asks as he gets the other kids to move away. We must've picked up a bit of attention with all the shouting. "Doesn't matter. I was just leaving." He says as he pushes past Lee. "Don't come back! I don't wanna even hear from you." I shout down the hallway as he slams the front door shut.

"You guys okay?" The gentle giant asks. "Yeah, just a bit angry." Clem says. "Vi. You good?" She adds. "I guess. I don't know what I expected when I saw him but. Fuck!" She wraps her arms around me and tries to comfort me. "I thought maybe, just maybe, he would've changed." Clem rubs my back and hugs me tighter. "You're okay. Its fine. I'm here Vi." She says. Just hearing her voice makes me feel calmer.