My Rivals Daughter

Chapter Four

John POV

This is the second fight Kat and I have had today. She was right, something was changing about her. She is easily irritated and gets angry. The realization hit that it started happening once we moved here to Portland. She used to be so quiet, so respectful and polite. I watch as she walks out of our training area. My phone buzzes and I pick it up to see who it is. When I open it, a text reading 'Meet @ LB' flashed across the screen. LB was Leach Botanical Garden. I remember taking my wife so long ago. The memories of her pain me. I run up the stairs to shower and get ready.

As I'm ready to leave, I walk out of my room and head for the stairs. Stopping and turning to Kat's room I slowly open her door finding her fast asleep in bed. I walk in and stare down at the young girl I raised on my own wondering if what she said was true. Had I never shown her love as a father should? I mean how could I, I never knew how to love until my wife and she was gone. She starts twitching in her sleep and mumbles, which makes me smile. I need to understand her changes. But right now I have to get going. I walk out of Kat's room and close the door. I reach back under my jacket and pull the Beretta Px4 Storm, check the bullets and place the handgun back under my jacket.I run down the stairs and get in the car and begin my drive to the meeting spot.

I finally pull up and park the car. I get out and walk to a nearby bench, sit and wait. Flashing memories of my wife Lily flood my mind but its disrupted when I hear a twig branch snap in the distance. I turn abruptly towards the sound with my Beretta drawn and ready to fire. A figure starts to emerge from the shadows their hands raised in the air.

"Easy there tiger. You wouldn't want that going off and hitting your little sister now would you?" Says the woman with a smile.

I smile at her remark as I lower my weapon and tuck it away safely. "Leila." She comes over and we embrace each other. And I squeeze her so hard she growls at me.

"John! Let go I can't breath you doofus!" I release my grip and chuckle at my little sister who punches me in the arm. "Its great to see you baby sister."

"Uh, no. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm a grown woman." Leila says standing tall with a grin spread across her face. But the smile goes away after a bit. "What's with the gun John?" She askes with a concerned look on her face.

"Long story. You look good sis. How've you been?"

She raises an eyebrow at me. "I'm good considering we are meeting at a secret location instead of at your place. Paranoid much? I mean I know I'm the one who picked the spot but I was hoping this time you'd say 'No little sister, let's meet at my place!' but I guess that was just wishful thinking."

I sigh, "You know I have to be. For Katherine's sake." The mention of my daughters name brings a smile back to my sisters face. She only met her once, before I started moving around. But she fell in love with her.

"How is my KitKat? I'm sure she has a lot to say about all this moving around you both do."

"Oh she has loads to say but you know how teens are." I say with concern in my voice and stare off in the distance. My sister watches me for a beat.

"What is it John? Your worried about something I can see it in your face. What is it?"

"I can't Leila." I tell her.

"What John?"

"She doesn't know. She doesn't know and I can't tell her."

"What doesn't she know??"

"She doesn't know any of it." I say looking over at my sister who stares back at me wide eyed.

"Are you f*****g kidding me?!" She says with anger behind every word she spoke to me. "Are you out of your Goddamn mind John?! She still doesn't know?!"

"Dial it down, Leila. This isn't easy for me." I say with my head hanging and a sigh.

"Easy for you?! She's a 17 year old girl John. That alone is hard to deal with!" Leila takes a few breaths, sighs and sits next to me. "Johnny, why didn't you tell her when I told you?"

"Ugh because..I don't know!" I said throwing my hands up in frustration. "I wanted to tell her. But every time I looked at her, she was so innocent. Knowing nothing made her perfect. Now, she hates me." I say running a hand through my hair. "She hates me Leila. And if I tell her, she'll turn on me. She'll hate me even more." I say with tears in my eyes. "You know, she said something to me today. She said 'I have never known you to show me the love and support when I need it.' And you know what, she's right. I don't think I've ever even told her I loved her. Here I am thinking that I'm doing everything, to give her everything to make up for what she lost that I didn't even stop and realize that I was destroying her." I say slumping down into the bench.

Leila stays quiet and stares at me. She then takes a seat next to me and puts her hand on my arm to comfort me. "What did you expect her to feel Johnny? She's growing up, just you and her. Moving all around the globe. She doesn't even know she has family. She's a young girl and probably feels all alone. And your not the most cuddly understanding person since Lily." I flinch at the mention of my wife's name. "If you want her to trust you, you have to give her a reason. Why don't you start by backing off her a bit? Giving her space to be a kid. Then we can work our way up to it. And, you can work on being more..cuddly." She says with a grin.

"We?" I ask with a raised brow. "Well yeah! There is no way in hell I'm going to let you screw my niece up any more then you already have!" She says with a huge grin on her face.

I narrow my eyes at her. "Geez, thanks Leila!"

"Don't mention it!" And I chuckle. Remembering why my sister and I always remained close. She always told me how it was even if it was something I didn't want to hear.

"Alright." I say giving in. "But you have to help me with one thing first. I need you to find out about her change. What it'll be like for her and what precautions I have to take."

"You don't mean..?"

"No. Never, I would rather die. But neutralizing it would be ideal."

My sister let out a breath. "Okay gotcha. Well I better get going to start up. I want to meet my niece asap so I'll gather info and meet you here?" She asked.

"Yes, then..after we know how to deal. I'll take you over. But, I have one thing to do. I gotta cancel training for tomorrow. Guess it's a good place to start." I say uncertainly.

"It'll be fine bro. Just trust yourself."

I smile at my little sister who has grown to be so wise. We lost our parents 3 years ago. I couldn't risk coming back so I missed the funeral. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. On my way home, I stopped at the market to get Kat's favorite flowers. My sister is right, I need to start by working on myself. Tomorrow Kat is going to see how I'm willing to change for her. And I'm going to make my Lily proud.