Coffee & Biscuits

10|IOU

He had taken the flyer. That realization was on repeat in her mind since she'd discovered it's absence and now she was desperately wondering if he had planned on coming. As if the discovery of the missing flyer wasn't enough she had felt a tension between them yesterday, an electric tension. Of course he had moved away from her before she had the chance to attempt a kiss and although she was sad about it she had yet to give up hope. After getting dressed she rushed downstairs but wasn't greeted by her mother; but by her father John. The shock of seeing him there had her frozen in her step and while she stood there Aria glanced around the room but Catherine was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is mom?" She asked him with a whisper.

"Is that how you greet your father? Come and give me a hug, I haven't seen you for weeks!" John stretched his arms out for her to run into but Aria stayed put where she was. For her father to be back home so abruptly must mean that something was wrong, hence why her mother wasn't present.

After the shock had settled Aria moved past her father and took out the ingredients for a sandwich as she had suddenly lost the appetite to eat breakfast at home. If only she hadn't learned what her mother told her maybe she would have run into his arms in joy but something held her back now; most likely the knowledge for her father's long repeated absence was the hands that restrained her.

"Is something wrong, honey? I haven't seen you or your mother for weeks and first she speeds away to work and you won't even give your father a hug. Are you both on your...you know--"

"Ew, that's gross and no we're not. I need to get to the bus or else I'll be late for school." Aria said after she hastily assembled her breakfast.

"I'll drive you to school today. My meeting got postponed till after lunch so I have all the time in the world. I might even pop by the cafe and greet your mother." John said and fished the keys to the BMW out of his suit jacket pocket.

Reluctantly Aria followed her father to the car and jumped in the passenger seat. She knew that being driven to school would be much faster than rushing to the bus stop but at least on the bus she wouldn't have to put up with John's attempt to converse.

"Catch me up on what I've missed," John said once they were out on the rode.

Aria didn't know where to start because he had been absent for so long. The few times he was home he rarely bothered making time for them at all. Instead he'd be locked up in his office to work or go to the golf club for a drink with his friends all the while Catherine and Aria would have dinner by themselves. The anger from those memories were coming up like vomit and with her father's gas lit question it was only a matter of seconds before she said something regretful. 

"You have missed my recital, my birthday and yours and mom's anniversary--"

"What are you talking about? Your birthday isn't until fall and our anniversary is in December--"

"I'm just catching you up on what you've missed, dad. You think you've only been gone for weeks but technically you're never here, even when you physically are. I couldn't begin to tell you how much you've actually missed!" Aria exclaimed and cursed silently. 

John glanced at her and gripped the steering wheel harder. John wasn't like other father's that Aria knew. Other father's felt guilt for being absent, they brought home gifts and flowers to their loved ones but John had never thought twice about it. Instead he came and went as he pleased as he made jokes about 'since he supported the family he had the right to come and go' and Aria and Catherine didn't say much about it - until now.

"I don't quite understand what has gotten in to you or your mother but this is rich coming from you, Aria. I work my butt off every day to support you and Catherine and this is the thanks I get when I arrive home?" John said sternly.