Do You Believe?

Infinite (1)

In a space of eight years, Tiffany had grown into a beautiful and charismatic teenager alongside Paula.... of course.

Eventually, she stayed with Stephen - who was now her father, and enjoyed each and every single year she spent with him.

She was scared of a normal school so Stephen got her a private tutor for her - Mrs. Collins, who was also a fan of books was a little bit chubby and had long, curly brown hair which Tiffany admired. Literally, her life was perfect with a writer of a father, a cute pet, a house filled with everything she loved except for the fact Stephen was a lover of fantasy and magic and wrote about it in almost all his books. Her hatred for magic was simply because it didn't and will never exist in real life so what was the point of believing in something that wasn't real, Stephen found it funny as a teenager he expected her mind to be loaded with fantasies and magic but she wanted realism focused on writing about realistic things.

.......

That evening,she sat at the garden, typing out a chapter for a romance novella she was working on with the aid of her typewriter.

"She's not food, Paula" Tiffany said but Paula ignored her and chased the blue butterfly she was interested in. Tiffany shrugged her shoulders and proceeded with her writing.

"Almost done I see," Stephen said giving her a cup of hot chocolate. She kept the typewriter on a table close by and took it from him, he sat close to her and went through a page she wrote while she blew air softly on the cup.

"Yes... I'm thinking of making the finale tragic,"

" Why?"

" I think the world has had enough happy endings, we probably need a tragic conclusion to prove that life isn't a bed of roses and lilies,"

" Is that what you think?"

" Yes, almost all my books end with the couple having a baby and they live happily ever after in real life there's no such thing as happily ever after, you have squabbles some times, think about how to raise your baby and -"

"None of your books have happy endings, Tiffany," Stephen said and she froze for a while, what he said didn't surprise her she had never ended a book ,she dumped it and moved on with another one because she was an upcoming perfectionist and felt like the grand finale ought to be perfect. Stephen never spoke to her about it because he felt she had her own reasons,which she did.

"Ok fine, but if I ever complete a story it would be -"

"It wouldn't be tragic, writing a book is like a journey, determining if it's going to end with tears and grief is a little bit fast, don't you think?, unfolding your character's story is more important, the reason why the world needs happy endings is clearly because we are aware that the world isn't a bed of roses and would love to be reminded that happiness exists , proving a point which is obvious is heartbreaking, you could write tragic ending if you want but learn with the happy ones first, "

" Umm...but -"

"That's it, you know..I think you may learn to write your ending one day,"

" Really?"

" Funny question..of course I think so, whatever has a beginning must have an end but my love for you darling is infinite," he said, smiling.

" My love for you is infinite too,"

"Come with me,I have the perfect book to help with your ending issues," he said, standing up. She stood up along with him and followed with her cup of chocolate while he took her typewriter. She didn't bother asking him about their destination because she knew what he meant by 'the perfect book'.

They arrived at the grand library also referred to as the land of dreams by Tiffany. After keeping her typewriter on a table close by she watched as he ascended the wooden staircase in search of the book he spoke of , looking at him made her bored so she decided to do something else her gaze landed on the typewriter on a desk at the other end of the library along with pieces of paper on the floor. She walked up to it and trailed her fingers on the desk.

"You're still writing this piece," she said.

"Ah yes," he announced, climbing down the stairs with the book in his hand.

"When I can I read it?"

"After you learn the principles of finishing a book,"

" Seriously?" She mumbled, rolling her eyes.

" Yes, darling," he said, placing the book in her palms.

"You said,you don't like books with magic and fantasy and -"

" Yes, because it literally doesn't make sense, the mag-"

"You're quite a funny teenager dear, alright I won't force you I wrote about someone like you in that piece," he said, sitting on the chair and arranging the scattered sheets.

"That's copyright infringement," she said, laughing and he joined in.

" Yes,yes but you love realistic things and that crazy genre called romance,"

" It's really interesting,you just need to open your heart dear father,"

" Well dear daughter, you need to open your heart,mind,soul, spirit and body to accept fantasy....soon my dear you may have to scribble down words of magic,I just want you to enjoy one if the greatest part of childhood... being gullible,"

" Thank you,I need to give Paula a bath,poor thing has been enjoying the mud all day,"

" Okay, I won't be joining both of you for dinner,I need to finish up something," he stated and she replied with a nod before turning to leave, he watched as she skimmed through the pages of the book he gave until she left the library, then he continued with his work

While she scrubbed Paula's white did, she wondered why Stephen hadn't finished that book unlike her who sucked at writing endings he was good at writing happy,twisted and sad endings but why was that book different? He started the first chapter while watching her in her bedroom and protecting her from the 'monsters under her bed' which was about six years ago and til' date he kept writing.

He quit his job at the agency after a fight with his rude boss and ever since then Tiffany wondered where they got their money from, he rarely or never left the house he stayed with her 24/7, which made her consider making him her second best friend after Paula. Atleast she knew he wrote stories for an international newspaper company which he emailed to them at the end of the week and had earned more than enough money from his hobby. He also published short gothic novels which made huge sales because men loved creepy stuff and his fantasy novels were popular amongst women and children.

Tiffany never forgot about her birth parents infact she visited them at the end of every month, she communicated with Ms. Robbins via letters but lost contact three years ago, based on the last letter she wrote to Tiffany she was presently a nurse at a clinic and she got married to a wealthy baker.

She was always inside the house and never bothered about leaving, after studying with Mrs. Collins she made way to the garden nurtured by her and her father or she sat at the library binge reading on novels and biographies on other occasions she stayed in her blue themed bedroom and wrote her romance novels which she never completed.

That night after dinner,she spent the rest of late hours , reading the book Stephen gave her whilst making sure that Paula didn't play with fire. It was almost winter, hence the weather wasn't human friendly in terms of temperature but she managed make herself warm by making use of a soft blanket.