RIGHT CHOICE OR NOT

“Hey, what’s going on? You haven’t been in it since yesterday.” I was startled out of whatever trance I might have been by Nova’s words, and I turned to face her.

“It’s nothing, just a little work-related stress,” I replied as I rose from the kitchen stool with a cup of cold coffee in my hand.

I wasn’t being myself. How could I be? Not after getting a call from the person I tried my hardest to avoid.

I was genuinely terrified at the prospect of having to meet him again. To make it worse, I didn’t like how he approached me by exploiting my brother.

I knew very well what he was capable of and that he didn’t give two shits about my brother, so there was no way to avoid him but to go over to his house and see what he wanted.

I yelped, taken off guard, when a hand was put on my shoulder, tripping back and the cup in my hand collapsing and breaking into pieces.

“Oh my God, Val.” Nova calls out, grabbing a hold of my hand before I could bend down to pick up the broken pieces. “Are you insane?” She reprimanded me, looking at me worriedly. “You can’t possibly use your hands, or you might end up getting injured.”

“Right.” I mumbled, still in a trance.

I could feel her eyes on me when I walked over to where the broom and packer were. I picked it up to sweep off the shattered glass.

“Okay, that’s it.” She says, frustrated. “What is going on?”

“I told you, I’m just stressed out.” I say, avoiding her glance.

“Bullshit...” She calls me out, her hands folded across her chest as she gazes at me intensively. “What’s up, Val? You were so out of it last night, and I didn’t want to call you out on it because I thought you needed space, but now I can’t help but worry.”

“You’re not required to be, though.” I erupted. “Maybe you should simply let me be instead of treating me like a broken piece of glass. You don’t need to be in my face at all times. For the love of Christ, give me some space.”

She nodded, her eyes widening, and I could see a hint of tears in them. Immediately, guilt overcame me, and I tried to apologize, but she left the kitchen, heading straight to her room, making sure to slam the door behind her, and I exhaled sharply.

I disposed of the broken glass in a bin before walking over to Nova’s door. My hand hitched at the front of it but stopped when I heard her crying. I sighed again, returning back to my room and plopping myself down on my bed. I had an hour left before I would be seeing my father, and I was dreading it with every passing minute.

♤♤♤

I got to my father’s house about five o’clock in the evening. My attention was fixed on the two-story building in front of me.

The places where demons learn to hunt are prisons. Every time we turn the key, we twist fate’s knife, because every time we lock a man up, we seal the door on him with hatred.

Nothing has changed.

I feel like a caged bird in this meeting where my father is waiting for me. Again, I find myself gasping for air at the thought of seeing him.

I shouldn’t have responded to his frantic call by coming here. However, I am unable to back away at this time. It’s too late; he must have already noticed me.

What if he has something significant to say? What if he is ill or on his deathbed?

If it’s the last time we see each other, I don’t want to be that person who doesn’t show up. I’m not doing it to make up with him, but so that I can gloat in his presence. While I may have yearned for his affection when growing up, with the passing of my mother and what happened to Aiden, I could care less whether or not he harbours any regrets at all.

I genuinely believed that he had died for me and that his absence would be for the betterment of everybody; nevertheless, all I could do was hope. I mean, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t murder him. I’ll admit, my mind might have wandered to what it would be like with him gone. But there was no way I was going to let him ruin my life, even in death.

I wanted to live life to the fullest and prove to him that I was more resilient than he thought. I also wanted to leave a legacy that I could be proud of.

I was about to press the doorbell when my phone pinged, and I sighed, bringing it out of my bag to see that Ryan had sent me a text.

“Are we still up for the date today?” As a headache began to form, I clamped my eyes tight and massaged my forehead with one palm.

I looked down at my phone as I hesitated to respond because I had entirely forgotten about the date.

After deliberating for a minute, I typed a response and sent it to him before I could change my mind. “Sure, can I have the address as I might run late?”

“Nice. I will send it to you. “ I locked my phone, placing it back In my bag, nervousness clouded my mind as I raised my hand, pressing the doorbell.

The door was pushed open, and the very man I dreaded seeing stood there. I glanced at the man in front of me, our eyes meeting. His had no remorse in it. Nothing exists except misery and hatred. And mine was void of any emotion, as I struggle to keep it neutral. I won’t let him see me break.

Never again.

“Valencia,” he said, his tone bland, holding no hint of excitement.

“father.” I spat it out.

He rolls his eyes, pushing the door wider. “Do come in.” He says it in a dubious tone, making his way back into the house.

I hesitated to enter the house at first before gathering the courage to do so. I walked in and shut the door behind me.

“Do you need any refreshments, perhaps some food and a drink?”

“Can you just get to the point?” I snapped, not in the mood for fake pleasantries. “Why did you request my presence, and how exactly does it affect Aiden?”