DEFYING MY MATES

What Are You Hiding, Dad?

I woke up to the chirping birds outside my window, as the sunlight leaked through the curtain gaps. It was cozy under the duvet and I didn't feel like getting up. Alas! I had to. Slipping from the comforter, I drew the curtains. Yawning and stretching my tensed muscles, I went to the loo. Brushing my teeth, I took a long shower listening to music and did my morning routine

Wearing a simple tank top and sweatpants, I rushed downstairs to the mouth-watering smell of breakfast. My mum was cooking pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and coffee. Hugging her back, I kissed her cheek, wishing her morning while I dipped my finger in the pancake batter and sucked on it, tasting the heavenly flavor of apple-cinnamon, exactly how I like it.

While she made pancakes, I put water in the coffee maker to brew coffee.

My dad set aside the newspaper he was reading and a handsome smile lit his face, as he saw us making breakfast.

“Good morning to you too!” My dad interrupted us while we placed the breakfast on the table. I greeted him by kissing his cheek and said,” Good morning!! Dad”

“Did you sleep well?” Dad inquired, as he knew I get nightmares for a few days whenever my bed changes, which was quite weird as I didn't get one last night. However, I was glad about it.

“Yuppp. I slept like a baby.” I said, popping the p while I filled my plate with a little of everything.

He didn't say anything, but I knew he felt relieved too.

“How are you this fine morning?” I asked as I poured syrup on my pancake. My mouth watered as I looked at the little piece of heaven.

“I’m good now that you’re here.” My dad replied with a gleeful smile while he dug into his food.

“You know your dad, he kept whining about how much he missed you, your voice and the house felt empty without you. Thank god! You came earlier otherwise my ears would have bled with his nonsense.” My mother exclaimed in relief, pouring coffee for us.

“Awww, dad. I missed you too. Now that I’m here, we can spend our time like we used to do.” I said cheerfully, imagining all the things we could do together, reading books, discussing our views on it, watching movies, pranking my mom…Definition of my perfect week!

“We can, baby. I have already taken a week off from work. I don’t even want to miss a minute with you this week.” He bobbed his head and we glanced together at my mom, who was unaware of our plans, eating heartily.

“Well, that’s a little too much. But, it’s alright.” I said, sipping my coffee.

“How was college?” My dad said excitedly. One could see he was eager to listen to my college stories, but didn’t dive right into it and gave me time to tell him of my own.

“Good. And, I don’t think I’ll attend the graduation ceremony. It will be too much of a hassle to take a leave from work when I have just joined, travel back to college and all. Is it okay with you?” I asked while glancing in between them to see their response.

“Well, it’s your day. We are okay with whatever you want.” My mother shrugged. I didn’t think it would be that easy to convince them, but I’m glad they didn’t force me to come.

After we ate our breakfast, I helped my mom to wash the dishes while my dad drifted back to his office doing god knows what. My mom went back to her studio while I followed her to the room. She tied her long, wavy hair in a loose bun, standing in front of the easel with the new painting she was working on.

The scenery was beautiful, it was about a girl standing sideways on the porch and staring at the moon peeking from the dark stormy clouds. The mesmerizing thing was the tired look on her face, as if she stood alone against the world, fighting a war she knew she would lose in the end. A little sad but beautiful.

Picking up her brush, she painted using tiny brushstrokes on the unfinished painting resting on the easel as I looked through the rest of the paintings, admiring her work. After a while, I left her with her paintings there and went back to see my father in his office.

I never knocked on his door and directly barged into his office whenever I wanted to see him, and he was fine with it. So, I never bothered to change my habits.

This was exactly what I did as soon as I reached his office's door. When I entered his office, he had a nervous expression on his face and I knew he hid something in between the books on his shelf, but I didn’t see exactly what he was hiding as his back was turned to me. However, I decided not to comment on it. It might be something related to his work, so I ignored it.

One could see the room wasn’t dusted in weeks, papers were carelessly scattered on his table, and books spread all over the floor as if someone was searching for something. That was strange for me because he was always the neat and tidy one. Well, maybe he was too busy to do it himself, I thought, so I decided to help him clean his office while he did his work.

“What were you doing? I thought you wanted to spend each and every minute with me this week,” I said sarcastically, as I took steps towards his table to collect the papers.

“Ah..I…I thought I should clean my office, you know.” He stuttered anxiously as he swiftly walked to the table blocking my view and hurriedly collected his papers.

"Okay!!!!” I said, prolonging the word.

Maybe he doesn't need my help. Well, that was fine with me. I sauntered towards his bookshelf to find something to read, avoiding stepping on the books carelessly scattered on the floor while he kept the papers safely in his drawer.

As I glanced at the different books: fantasy, biographies, non-fiction, thrillers, etc.…my eyes lingered on a vintage journal, probably a decade old by the looks of it. My dad wasn’t a journal type, probably wasn't his. So, I thought it would be okay to read it as I have never read one.

And change is good for one's health. With that thought in my mind, I approached the shelf, but before I could pick it up, my dad grabbed it.

“I was doing research on something and I found it. I skimmed through it and it was awful. And I know you won’t like it at all. Read this one. It's a new one, fantasy, thriller, exactly how you like it.” He rambled, thrusting another book into my hand without even taking a look at it.

“But, dad…let me take a little peek…just a little one…this journal seems so cool. I bet you didn’t finish reading it and now, you’re making excuses so that you don’t have to give it to me. Right?” I questioned him, raising my eyebrows.

“Oh my god! Are you a witch… or something?” He exaggerated, hiding the journal in the same drawer as before, but as soon as the witch word came out of his mouth, his face paled a little bit.

Okay, I don’t get it at all. What is wrong with him? I don’t understand. I was so confused. Firstly, he hid the papers and now, the journal. What exactly is he hiding? My mind wasn’t helping at all with all the questions that kept popping one by one.

“I have a little something to do. I’ll finish it as quickly as I can. Okay? Why don’t you read that book I gave you till I finish up here?” He said as he walked me to the door or, more like, kicked me out of his office. Shutting the door on my face, he locked it as I heard a quiet click.

Okay, that was not weird at all. That was suspicious and he was definitely hiding something. I think I should find it out myself, I thought, with an evil smile on my face.

I bet one could see the devil horns forming on my head with that kind of smile.

With a determined thought to get my hands on that journal, I strutted towards my room.

I looked out the window. The sun shining brightly in the day was nowhere in sight , probably hidden in those large gravel-blue clouds as if they were ready to soak anyone in its path. I heard a tapping against the window, then it became a pitter-patter. People ran for cover while umbrellas were opened as the clouds kept on weeping. The tears of the clouds washed the leaves off their miseries of the day, giving them a chance to start afresh, as they poured heavily.

I opened the window and breathed in the earthy scent lingering in the air. I settled on my bed with my eyes closed, breathing in petrichor while listening to the murmuring of the weeping clouds lulling me to sleep.

I stirred up from my beauty sleep when I felt my mum caressing my hair. Stretching my numb muscles, I turned to face her.

"What time is it?" I asked while I placed my head on her lap. I loved it when her dainty fingers combed my hair. All my worries, miseries and problems would be gone when she used to do this whenever I had a rough day.

"It's quarter past 4." Enjoying her affectionate caresses, I just hummed in response when she replied.

"Hungry?" She asked, smiling while I played with her smooth and long hair.

"No." I replied, curling her hair on my fingers.

"I forgot to give this to you." She handed me a gift box wrapped in a glittery red color.

"What is it? Let me guess a book." Instantly, I sat up excited to add a new book to my collection.

The book cover was beautiful and read 'The Damned'. I wanted to read it for a long time, but kept forgetting to buy the damned book. Now, I don't have to.

"Mum, thank you! You're the best mum one could ever ask for." I hugged her tight as I nuzzled my head in her hair, breathing in her familiar scent while she chuckled, patting my back.

"I'm going to read it." I said delightedly while I hurriedly threw the gift wrapper in the dustbin and laid it in a comfortable reading position.

"Now?" Mum mumbled something like I shouldn't have given it to you, right now.

"Yupp.." I said, popping the p while I grabbed chips and some candies from my side drawer. I kept my snacks close so I wouldn't bother running downstairs every time. Smart move.

"Just don't skip dinner." Mum said firmly, as she knew I tend to forget everything happening around me whenever I read a book.

"Yes, Mum." Giving her a flying kiss. I flipped open the book. I heard her sigh as she shut my door quietly.

Just as I thought, I forgot, human beings need food to survive. After a few hours of non-stop reading, I came back to my world. This book certainly felt like a roller-coaster ride of emotions. It was so f*****g good.

"f**k!! It was half past 10." I didn't even realize I had forgotten to have my dinner. My stomach growled in hunger, mum was going to be so furious.

I tip-toed downstairs. There was no one in the kitchen, to my relief. I saw the lasagna, tomato feta salad and chicken wings kept in the fridge as I opened it.

Reheating the chicken and lasagna in the oven, I ate the delicious meal with my thoughts full of Celine and Sebastien [The protagonists of the damned book.]

Placing my dirty dishes in the sink and leaving the rest of the food in the fridge, I retired to bed for the day.