Shories

The sun was barely alive that day, like you could feel a faded breath coming from the clouds. You are not there yet, be strong! As I walked towards the courthouse, chills down my spine and cold hands shivering - I could not bring myself to believe it, I was hoping I could snap my fingers and be awakened from this. I kept seeing my dad’s face as I was so little I could barely walk and hear this voice calling me,so sweet and tender. And his eyes, wide open and filled with nothing but unconditional love. Now we are here, on the cold steps of a broken future, a lost family. I walked into the courthouse and I heard the lawyer calling me. Good morning! How are you ? I looked at her and all I wanted to do was scream. My eyes immediately filled with tears, but I froze. If only I could turn back the time, get my hands on what was eating through my father’s veins and cut it off. I am well, thanks, I responded to her, trying to look brave. When does the hearing start? Not for another 10 minutes. Did your father arrive? Not sure, probably not. I did not even dare to look around, cause if i did, all of this would become real. What was he doing? Who am I to him? OK, so what will happen is that the judge will ask you a couple of questions. Respond truthfully, there is nothing to be afraid of. The case is ours. Do not worry. My life just became a case, as my father reduced us to some names on a piece of paper. It’s time to go inside, the lawyer gently calls me. You may sit in the front, on the bench right behind me. And I started walking and with every step I took, only sadness filled my body. All of these strange faces that stared at me, or I thought they were, because everyone there had their own case waiting to be presented. But mine was different, was it not? This was my father being lost in a huge faulty transaction and his only way out was to trade me and my mum for a paycheck. It takes one moment for him to walk into the courthouse, sit right next to his lawyer across from me and not even take a glance towards me. He buried me somewhere deep, that he could not ever see or hear from me. I have never seen him so deep in his thoughts and surrounded by a cold aura, as made of stone. The judge asked me to approach the witness bench. I walk up and try to look straight ahead, not to catch my father’s eyes, as he is not to be bothered by someone who used to be his whole world. The hearing is short, but not painless. The judge softens his voice every time he asks me a question, as a signal he sympathizes with the situation. The ruling is quick, he did not get a dime from me or my mum. And that was that! He gets up, turns his back and walks out of the courtroom. And just like that, he walks himself out of our lives, out of our memories. My phone starts ringing, it’s my mum. How did it go? Is it over? How do you feel? I love you Mum! All is over, don’t worry. Talk to you later! You are the one who gets it all, everything my heart pumps and all the gratitude a child can have for a parent. Always fighting for your flesh and blood, even though it means peeling off the love of your life. I wish I had told her all of this, that is what she truly deserved to hear…