Chapter 109: Awkward reunions
Lily’s POV
In the weeks that had gone by, we all moved around with whatever was revealed to us hanging above our heads , yet nobody spoke about anything openly.
We all just carried on with everything in my minds, processing everything, I’m sure. Daniel, My father had been coming around more often, or maybe it was just the same thing and I was just overthinking everything.
It was so awkward to act around him or how to address him. I wasn’t even sure he wanted to have me as his daughter. What if he just wanted to move on like nothing happened.
Oh who was I kidding, even a blind man could see that he was elated when he got to know he had a daughter. Maybe I was just scared, because of how my family, the one I grew up with it, turned out to be a whole lie and they never loved me.
What if this was another lie then I would wake up one day tied up to a chair with Daniel holding a gun to my head. I might also find out that he is not my real father and my biological father is Mr. Mark.
Come on!, anything is possible in my story. Whoever was writing my story was definitely playing tricks with me. I had to be on guard to be ready for whenever she decided to play another game with me.
We all believed that we were the author’s of our own story and lives but I think it’s all an illusion. I knew deep down in my heart that there was something or someone, or the universe that controlled our lives. The illusion of free will and control on our part makes us think that we actually control our decisions.
Take for example, why on earth did I marry Alex when I knew he did not love me and there was a night tendency that he would ever love me. I could have refused to help my family, damn I could have even ran away. Rena would have been glad to step in as she confessed. Then I wouldn’t be in this whole mess. But no, that shows that I wasn’t in control but I thought I was.
What about Tiffany, why keep her all these time in life when she does is cause havoc. I was glad that she no was no longer in the picture. I guess the scale had finally fallen from Alex’s eyes as he fired her and threw her out of the house. It was a relief.
Maybe the author of my story wasn’t so wicked after all. I guess I could say I had some sort of peace now. I and my children were safe and that was enough right?.
“Lily”. I heard my name called softly from the living room. I had gone into the kitchen to prepare the bottles to feed my children.
“Do you need something?.” I asked as I made my way to the sitting room. I handed a bottle to Daniel to feed Ross and I picked up Rose to feed her also.
“I just need to speak to you.” He said with hesitation. “If that’s okay with you.” He added with pleading eyes.
Things were about to get more awkward. “Yeah.” I responded looking down at Rose, avoiding Daniel’s eyes.
“I just, uhm.., I just wanted to say that i ..” He paused and exhaled. “I truly loved your mother.” He said quietly staring down at Ross. “I really did. I always have and I fear that I always will.” He said with a dry chuckle.
I was silent but now watching him as he poured out his heart to me. “When she died, I was beyond devastated. It truly broke me.” He said with a sigh. “But I never knew she had you. If I did I would have taken you in.”
“I’m so sorry for all you had to go through, I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there. I should have known, how didn’t I ?.” He placed the bottle down and kept Ross in his crib.
He walked to me, carried Rose and placed her in her crib too. “Can I?.” He said asking for permission to hold my hands.
“Yes.” I said quietly.
He took a seat close to me and held my hands. “I so glad I finally found you, I know all these must be somewhat awkward for you.” He said with a chuckle.
“No shit!.” I chuckled.
“I have always loved you as a daughter Lily.” He confessed. “And now that I know that you’re truly my daughter, I don’t know how to express how I feel. It’s like all the love I had for my dear Rose, I had pushed on to you.”
“I hope you forgive me for the times lost and we can start over as father and daughter..”
I flashed a small smile at him. “You don’t have to be sorry for anything. It’s not your fault”. I responded. “I have also felt a connect with you that I didn’t understand but now it all makes sense. I’m willing to go on this journey with you but you know it will take time.” I explained.
“Of course. I’ll take whatever I can”. He smiled and pulled me into a hug and I embraced him tightly. It felt good to have talked about this and moved on. I guess I now had a father who I could love and rely on and he could love me too. This was exciting…
I heard the front door open but I did not pay any heed, as I was too caught up in my new found relationship with my father.
“Uhm…, mind if I cut this little moment short!.” Alex’s deep voice said out of the blue, causing me to jump out of Daniel’s embrace.
“Alex, how did you get here?.” I asked staring at him in surprise.
“The maid let me in.” He said with a small smile. “I guess you both didn’t hear because of the whole, you know, father and daughter moment .” He said glaring at Daniel.
“Oh okay.” I said quietly. “So what brings you here?. You want to see the children.” I asked picking Rose up.
He took her from my hands and cuddled her in his arms. “Yes and you too.” He said quietly.
“Oh okay. Do you need something?” I responded in a firm tone. It was stranger that he asked to see me, after the revelation we had carried on as usual, he would come over some times to check on the children and we wouldn’t speak so him asking to speak to me was uncommon.
“Can you step out for a moment.?” He asked gesturing to the door.
“Why can’t we speak here?”. I responded eyeing him. I didn’t understand why we had to go so far away to ‘talk’. I knew that i wasn’t making it easy for him but he deserved it. He never tried to speak to me in the past. It seemed he was used to doing things on his own terms and that was unacceptable.
I was holding any grudge against him for the death of my mother but till I had not forgotten about it. I was willing to listen to him and try to make things work but on my own terms and not his.
I had come to realize that it wasn’t entirely his fault, it was Susan’s. Although I never liked Susan, she was a person with feelings too. I couldn’t tell she acted based on her emotions, now I’m not trying to justify her actions but I’m trying to look at things from her point of view. I don’t know what I would do if Alex did that to me.
Now I could say that I wouldn’t go as far as killing a person but you would never know what exactly you’re capable of until you’re in that position.
“Please.” He pleaded boring holes into my soul with his eyes.
“Fine”. I sighed and made my way to the door.
“Thank you”. He said softly with a small smile.
“Alex!.” Daniel called, halting our movement. “A moment please.” He asked softly.
“I’m busy!.” Alex snapped eyeing him.
I could tell from the look on Daniel face that he wanted to try to make things right, and I know he derived that opportunity as well as anyone else. So I did the only thing I could. “Alex please, listen to him!.” I pleaded on Daniel’s behalf.
“Fine!!.” He dragged, rolling his eyes. “What?.” He snapped at Daniel.
“I just wanted to apologize for everything, all the things you had to go through as a child, the trauma and in any other way I may have hurt you.” Daniel said quietly.
I almost asked what exactly did Daniel do to Alex, it seemed there was more to the story then was let on.
“Yeah, of course you are. You’re supposed to just say sorry and boom, everything is washed away from my memory.” Alex snapped. “If that’s all then, I’m leaving.” I guess not every relationship could be fixed, some would always remain broken and there was nothing you could do about it but move on.
“Alex please just…”
“Just stop it okay, I can’t do this now.” Alex barked again, putting Rose back down in her crib.
I wanted to try for Daniel, i coudlnt see why Alex wouldn’t forgive him and he expects me to do the same for him. “Alex please just find a way to forgive him.” I added in a firm tone.
“You don’t understand Lily, it’s not that easy.” He said in a strained voice. Perhaps I didn’t, I just wanted to beg on my fathers behalf without knowing what actually happened.
“What exactly did he do to you Alex?.” I asked quietly, peering into his beautiful gray eyes.
“I…” He paused and flashed a look at Daniel. “Let’s not do this here.” He said with a sad smile.
“Okay.” I said quietly, making my way to the door.
“No!, not there.” He called out. “Why don’t we talk about things over dinner tonight!.” He said with hesitation.
“Dinner?.” I stuttered out, did he just ask me out for dinner?. That was the last thing I expected him to say.
“Yes”. He said quietly, looking at me with anticipation.
“We can talk about things anywhere, we do not necessarily have to go out to dinner for that.” I said with raised brows. I was being civil with him, but that did not mean I was just going to jump into his arms.
“I know but I want to try to make up for things.” He explained.
“Nice try.” I scoffed, taking a seat.
“Please I just need you to hear me out and after then, you could do whatever you want, you could even get rid of me entirely.” He added.
“And you’ll be okay with that?. I asked with raised brows.
“Not exactly but if that’s what you want then I deserve it.” He said with a sad smile. There was the Alex I knew, always ready to give me on me, on us. He wasn’t willing to fight for us, it’s like I wasn’t not worth his effort at all.
“Alright then”. I said in annoyance. “I guess I have decided to get rid of you now.” I spat out glaring at him.
“No Lily, you can’t do that. Please listen to me first.” He begged.
“Who makes the rules, huh?.” I scoffed. “That’s my decision so you can leave now!.” I barked out.
“Please Lily, I can’t.” He begged. “I can’t let you, not like that please don’t do this to me.” He begged teary eyed.
Now there it was, it wasn’t so hard was it. That’s exactly what I liked. Grown ass men begging me like their lives depends on it. “Is it a date?.” I asked abruptly, with a satisfied smirk on my face. Not that I had forgiven him but I was willing to give him a listening ear.
“What?.” He asked looking confused.
“Is it a date?”. I asked again with a smile.
“Uhm, yes but if you’re not okay then maybe it could just be a casual dinner for us to talk.” He rambled, looking nervous.
“Oh really?”. I pressed with a smirk.
“Yeah but if I say it’s a date, would it be okay?.” He said with hesitation.
“Whatever ” I said with an uninterested shrug.
“Okay, I’ll make it worth your while. Please be ready at seven Pm. I’ll pick you up.” He said with a small smile.
“But what about the children?!”. I asked looking at them in panic. I had never been away from them since they were born. I don’t know how they would survive or how I would survive.
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll stay with them and the maid will be here too!.” Daniel said with a smile, urging me to go.
“I guess it’s settled then.” Alex said with a smirk. “See you soon.” He waved and walked out of the door.
I guess I had a date at seven with Alex.