Daddy's Little Angel

12

Her pov

We walked out the door, and I couldn't tear my eyes off his cold, straight face. He was walking forward like a king, not seeking worship, but commanding fear, who could make anyone kneel in front of him.

I was obsessed with him, obsessed with the way he was possessive over me, jealous of everything that touches me, even the air I breathe in and the worst part is I am liking it.

I liked every second of what he did to that man. I knew he wouldn't let him walk away so easily. But I wanted more– I wanted to see his darkness unfold in front of me. I wanted to witness the fear that the world had seen but I didn't. He kept that side hidden, maybe not to scare me, but he didn't know it only made me want him more.

“Are you okay, Ms Easton?” He asked. I looked into his brown eyes and for a moment I felt the world had fallen silent. The butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

“I am fine, Mr Parker. Thank you,” I murmured, slipping into the seat of his car, clutching his coat tightly in my arms like it could hold me together.

The ride was silent but his scent wrapped around me like a comfort.

“Do you need a day off, Ms Easton?” He asked, eyes fixed on the road.

I nodded, unable to meet his gaze. I needed the space.A day off to clear my head from my twisted thoughts, from the fantasies that I couldn't say out loud and most importantly from him.

“Ms. Easton, shall I drop you at your house or the campus?” he asked, cutting through the fog of my thoughts.

“To my house,” I replied. It was difficult–painful–to go back to those memories that I shared as a family.

We stopped in front of my house. I stepped out. His coat was still hung around my shoulders. I didn't take it off–not yet. I wanted to give it back to him but before I could give him back or ask anything, he was already gone. No words. Nothing.

I hung the heavy coat and went inside my house. The footsteps were slow and the memories hit back.

I switched on the lights. The house felt empty, with an echoing silence. I rarely came back to my place, not since my father left the world. My mother drowned herself with her own grief and I buried myself with mine.

I slipped off his coat, placing it nicely on the chair. The photographs on the walls stared back with the beautiful memories of laughter, happiness and innocence but it couldn't come back, not without the man who held it together.

“You came back,” I looked behind me and saw my mother, standing there, looking at me.

“Yes,” The words were stuck in my throat. Her eyes filled with tears and she immediately pulled me into a long hug, holding me tightly, like she never wanted to let me go.

“I know you’ve missed your home so much,” she said, and I nodded. I had missed my home so much. I had moved back last week, but due to my mother’s busy schedule, I’ve been spending some of my days at Mr. Parker’s house. Still, this house always reminded me of my childhood—the days I spent here, running around the corners of the walls, and the movies I watched with my father.

“Come…would you like some tea or coffee?” she asked gently, wiping her tears.

“Coffee without sugar,” I replied and settled down. She came back a moment later, placing a mug on the table, before sitting down beside me. We sat in silence, trying to communicate with each other. But our relationship was never that good.

“Did you get settled in your office,” She asked, looking at me with gentle curiosity.

“Yes, the place is good. And Mr Parker has always made it comfortable for me,” I replied. She responded with a small nod.

“And your university,” she asked.

“We have exams coming up this week so it should go well, as it’s my last year,” I replied casually. She gave a small smile, but I could tell she was just trying to keep the conversation going—trying to catch up on a life she hadn’t really been present for. She had buried herself so deeply that her life was all about working and drinking late at night, she never seemed to have time for her daughter. She didn’t even know which university I went to. Or which year I was in. And maybe I had stopped trying to update her a long time ago.

I went back to my room, dropped the coat aside and collapsed onto the bed. The packing still wasn't done and I didn't want to do it. I pulled the coat again, smelling his familiar scent from his warm coat. It feels like him, near me, holding me tightly.

A knock shattered the silence.

“Alina..” my mother stepped in, her presence quiet and heavy. She sat beside me, holding my arms tightly.

“I know I wasn't a good mother for you, for all those years you needed me, I wasn't there.” Her eyes were filled with tears.

“ I wasn't there for you, your father always wanted us to fix things, to be like a happy family and I really wanted to do this, but I was ashamed, I failed you. And I knew I couldn't give you back those years you suffered because of me, ” Her words were like a whisper that echoes in my heart. All my life I wanted to hear the same words from her but it's too late for now, too late to fix things.

“Mother…it's okay, we still have time to mend our relationship.” I whispered, offering a small smile as I wiped her tears. She pulled me in a tight hug and for once I felt like an eternity, for once I felt a mother’s love.

Somewhere between the silence, I heard her voice softly, her words blurring into the dark. I felt her lips press gently against my forehead… before she left the room. And I didn't know my insomnia, silent nightmares changed into soft snores.