MOVING ON

Time passed and the sun retreated back to its resting place behind the clouds. Allowing the moon its turn to shine unnoticed by the girl. She was so engrossed in the story that she didn't even hear when her father was calling out her name. Stepping outside onto the poolside, Jackson approached his daughter and touched her shoulder to get her attention "Lilliana??"

The girl jumped startled and quickly shut the book in her hand close before looking up at her father "huh?? Do you need me for something??" She asked, the man frowned.

"I've been calling you for the past five minutes now, what are you reading??" On reflex the girl pressed the book closer to her chest and stuttered…

"n..nothing, it's just a silly novel" she lied, the book was a dark romance novel with scenes she very much liked to keep to herself only. Not even her closest friend knew what she was always reading or half of her fantasies.

"Well it's late for you to still be outside, let's go inside …dinner is ready" the man informed before leaving, taking her empty glass along with him. Lilliana sighed, looking around the poolside. 9nly then realising just how dark it had become around her. She blamed the poolside lights for making her believe it was still daytime and got up from her sitting position.

With the book still in her grasp, she grabbed her phone and throw before making her way back into the house. She went upstairs to put on something over the swimsuit before joining her father at the dining table for dinner. Only to find out Belinda hadn't left yet, and as if to make matters worse was sitting on her father's right hand side in her mother's chair. Not wanting to cause a scene and embarrass her father in front of his business associate, she took a deep breath in and sat in her usual seat on her father's left hand across the woman. The three had their dinner together in a peaceful silence.

After dinner, Lilliana went upstairs to her room to sleep and her father requested an Uber for Belinda "don't worry Jay, we'll tell her next time" the woman said comfortingly and planted a soft peck on the man's lips before lowering her body in the backseat of the car and left in it. Jackson turned around to walk back inside but stopped when he noticed a familiar car's headlights approaching. Letting out an exasperated groan when he saw his friend sitting behind the wheel and waited.

The car pulled up in front of him where the Uber was parked seconds ago and the driver's door opened. Damon stepped out still in his work clothes and walked around the car toward Jackson. The two friends made their way into the house, and up the stairs to the man's office.

"Did you tell her??" Damon asked, sitting outside on the balcony next to his friend with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

“Is this why you came??" Jackson asked, Damon shrugged. The reason why he wasn't present earlier was to give him time to deal with the situation that was Jackson breaking the news of his relationship to his daughter, but seeing how defensive and hesitant he had become from his question, Damon guessed things hadn't gone according to plan.

"So you didn't??" He stated, looking down at his glass. His hand swirling the golden liquid around in the glass before bringing it up to his lips and took a sip. Jackson sighed, turning away from the view of the distant rainbow lights that were the city and leaned against the railing.

"I wanted to tell her but I got nervous.." he started, looking up at the dark night sky and smiled at the stars, his late wife. Juliana believed stars were the souls of every person that leaves this world behind. He couldn't help but wonder if she was looking down at them at that moment, listening to their conversation?? Would she approve of what he was doing?? What would she have done if instead of him it was her in his shoes??

Looking away, he continued "...I just don't know how she's going to react, she's still dealing with her mother's death"

"It's been a year, Jack," Damon reminded him, making the man let out another sigh. Why did it feel like yesterday then?? He had somehow managed to move on from his wife's uncalled for death but Unlike him, Lilliana only looked fine on the outside. She still avoided talking about her mother's death. The last time she visited her mother's grave was during her funeral and her panic attacks had only just stopped.

"I don't want her to think I'm trying to replace Juliana" he said honestly, and it was Damon's turn to sigh. He placed his hand on Jackson's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze in understanding. He was there, he saw how his friend suffered stuck between his own pain and his daughter's pain. He had to force himself to stop being a grieving husband for his wife to be a strong father for his daughter.

"All I'm saying is think about it, I mean ...I'm not one to talk about feelings but I don't think Lilly will be happy finding out about her father's relationship from a stranger rather than from her father instead" he said before walking back in the house, giving Jackson time to think about his words and his next step of action.