DAMIEN:
I have loved every day of the week with Dabby so far, and it has been fun even though I had not admitted it to her. Her words of encouragement did something in my heart, and I could see myself pushing for my second challenge.
Getting help from her directly had been so great, and it amazed me that she was so intelligent and well-versed in so many things. She did so much research, made a list of people’s answer surveys about games to me, and even taught me her smart gaming moves.
Getting to talk to her about so many things made me understand her more, and it made me open up about so many things I probably have been wishing to tell someone too. She showed me her childhood pictures and talked about her life journey, while I had no pictorial memories from the past to show her.
It was fun to do so many things with her and communicate on a different level than I have ever talked to someone before. Even the one time that I was emotionally invested in my relationship with Gina, I was always the only one caring if everything was okay with her while she never bothered to know about me.
Dabby was so different. Different, that I knew that I had become so attached to her.
The rule of less romance, and more work got me working nonstop because Dabby wanted us to get more work done. I worked twice as hard and put my entire mind into my work during the weekend, and it earned us a movie night together even if I wasn’t a big fan of movies.
When I saw that Dabby’s attention had been fully focused on the movie for more than twenty minutes without even looking at me, I started to kiss her eyes so that she would not be able to see what she was watching.
She bit my ear and I acted like it was really painful, but she didn’t even give a damn and continued to watch. I put my arms across her neck like we were in some physical combat game, and we ended up kissing while sharing ice cream.
The door to the house opened and we certainly didn’t expect Joanna to come that early. She demanded to see Dabby in her room immediately, and I knew that it was game over. I just switched on the television, turned off the lights, and made my way outside to the garden to sit for a while.
I wondered how things would go since Joanna seemed to have caught on, and I worried that they would try to separate us. As much as they would try to make decisions that they would feel would help us, I was not ready to sever anything with Dabby as far as I was concerned.
I woke up so early the next morning, and decided to make toast for me and Dabby. Dad didn’t come home till midnight, and Joanna left home quite early without Dad the usual way.
I knew that something was going wrong in their marriage with the intense mood that was always palpable, but I couldn’t point out what could possibly be the problem and didn’t care. If one thing, I’d probably wish they would end things so that I could be with Dabby.
The day went fun because I was spending it with Dabby, and Xavier continued to ask if I was dating or in love. It was evident in every way of my life, and nothing else seemed to matter. Aunt texted that I should come over to her house, and
I went along with Dabby since we had hung out together all day.
“I think I found your mother’s whereabouts. She isn’t in Czech town anymore, and seemed to have moved back to Boston according to my sources,” Aunt explained to me as she showed me an email that was sent to her from an investigative agency.
“When did she move? And do they know exactly where she is?” I asked hurriedly in anticipation, and Aunt shook her head.
“The problem lies there now, because there hasn’t been any residential processing by her since she moved. So finding her is going to be more difficult than we thought,” Aunt said in a solemn tone, which made me breathe in and out so deeply, because searching around for her had seemed harder than usual.
“Maybe she is not there to move to Boston as her new home or what do you………” A loud voice which was clearly from Mason disrupted her, as we both came out to check what was going on. Right before my eyes was Dad, and I wondered what he was doing in Aunt’s house.
‘Damn.’
“What the fuck you doing in town?” Dad’s voice was mean with the question, and I wondered what was going to happen between both of them. It was clear that he never really liked her.
“Why are you asking me that kind of question, Spencer? Still as rude as ever hunh? You sound like the entirety of Saticoy was made for you,” Aunt went hard at him instantly, and I was so pleased to know that she had a totally contrasting character to Mum’s.
“You have resorted to stalking? Even to the extent of following me to town, and brainwashing my son? That is so cheap of you Adele,” Dad said in a derisive and arrogant tone to Aunt, and I was so pissed to hear him talk like I was still a child who didn’t know what he wanted.
“And can you see how delusional you are, to think a grown-ass like Damien would be brainwashed? Fate brought this beautiful day together, and I am proud of the choice I made between the two cities that offered me something different. This town has offered me a lot and I’m thankful for that. Know that, and know peace!” She yelled at his face so angrily, and I was so satisfied to hear her talk back to Dad. It seemed like she was letting out some pent-up anger too.
“Watch your mouth, bitch. I could sue you for your actions. I could get a restraining order right and make sure you can never see Damien again in your entire life,” Dad threatened ferociously with the use of lewd words, and I could not believe that it was my own father that was standing in my Aunt’s living room, and throwing unnecessary tantrums because of guilt.
“And that is always what you know? Sue, sign, rights, legal. When you do not even apply those values over your own life. So much for making Akeelah give up her parental rights because you were being a messed up man. I am so happy that a day like this has come, especially now that the kids are grown, when I can voice out everything that I have been holding for these years because of Damien! I am glad to meet you again, especially when you haven’t changed your nasty attitude!”
‘Wait. Dad made Mum give up her parental rights over me? What was Aunt saying?’
~~“~~
We returned home with Dad who threatened to have Aunt detained if we didn’t follow him, and I had no choice but to drive after his car left. Dabby was mute throughout the drive back home, while murmuring words that I couldn’t understand. I probably had the same question as her too.
‘Who led him to Aunt’s house? How did he find out that Aunt lived in that place and was in town?’
Immediately we returned home, Dad confiscated the keys to my car immediately, and declared that I and Dabby were grounded till exams were over. He demanded Dabby’s phone and she handed it over, but I said that I couldn’t hand over mine because I had things in it that were relevant to my daily life.
He threatened to freeze my credit cards, and I told him to go ahead since that was the worst he could do again. I told him that if he tried to hit any of us, it would be the last of the ones he would do because I would make sure he gets arrested for physical assault.
“I’ve got the doctor’s report from your previous acts too,” I said to him with a grin. He ended up smashing a few things in the living room to support his anger.
Dabby was so terrified because she had never seen my father act that way before, and it took so many minutes to calm her down that everything would be back to normal.
Joanna came back home after everything crazy had ensued, and Dad had stormed out of the house angrily to no one knows where. She asked the moment she stepped her foot into the house, and asked to know why everywhere was a mess.
Dabby stood up the moment her Mum asked that question, and walked to where she was standing with a very sad look.
“Mum. I would like to see you personally.”