Dangers in the Dark

Boys Being Tactless 9.2

Holly POV

That night when dad got home, rather than ordering a takeaway like we had originally planned, I helped him cook us a proper dinner instead. We had decided—after much debate over the matter—that we should do something simple like spaghetti Bolognese. I mean, not even we could screw it up that badly.

So as I chopped up some onions, constantly having to turn away to stop my eyes from stinging, dad tried to cut up some fresh tomatoes but he kept on just squashing them.

"I think next time we should go for a takeaway," dad commented, making me laugh and nod in agreement.

"I think you're probably right," I replied, turning away again just in time to see dad squash, yet another, tomato. As I turned back to the onions, I decided it was probably time to address the elephant in the room. "When do you think Barbara will come back?"

Dad remained silent for a moment so I glanced over my shoulder and saw he had stopped trying to cut the tomatoes and was now staring straight ahead of him.

"I don't know," dad finally answered, shaking his head. "I reckon she just needs time to clear her head."

"Yeah, I guess," I sighed.

"I know I probably should have asked this more often but how are you doing after the Falcone incident?" dad asked, and I could feel his gaze on me.

"Fine," I answered half-heartedly.

"Holly..." dad trailed off, and I knew he was waiting for a more sufficient answer.

"Honestly, I don't really know. It still sort of feels surreal, like it never really happened and it's all just in my head," I said. "And to be honest, I was more scared of that Zsasz guy than I was Falcone."

"Why's that?" dad asked.

I paused and thought through my answer before I sighed and turned to face dad, who was now leaning up against the counter, looking at me.

"Falcone could have killed us," I replied bluntly, the words sounding strange coming out of my mouth. "But he didn't. He didn't kill us because he wanted to give you a chance to prove something. I'm pretty sure if it were up to Zsasz I'd be dead by now."

"No. No, you wouldn't," dad shook his head, pushing up from the counter and walking over to me, placing a hand on each of my shoulders. "I might not have been able to protect you and Barbara then, but I will now. I will never let Zsasz, Falcone, or anyone like that even come near you again. I promise."

"How can you promise that, though?" I asked, my voice breaking slightly. "Falcone has hundreds of men at his command. One word from him and... and..."

"And nothing, Holly because they can't hurt you anymore. You want to know why?" dad said, crouching down to my height and wiping away the stray tear that had fallen down my cheek. "Because you are my daughter. You are so strong and brave and if you show men like Falcone and Zsasz that you are not afraid of them and that you will not let them intimidate you, there's nothing, I repeat nothing, they can do to hurt you. Men like them don't just kill for no reason, everything they do has an explanation. Give them no reason to harm you, and you will be fine."

"But what about Barbara?" I asked.

"Barbara is stronger than she knows. She just needs some time to realise it," dad replied. He wiped away a couple more of my tears before he straightened up. "Right, this dinner isn't gonna cook itself now, is it?"

Dad then turned on the radio to a station that was playing 'Dancing in the Moonlight' before he grabbed my hand gently and spun me around, making me laugh slightly as I nearly lost my footing. He held onto my hand to stop me falling as he twirled us around the kitchen, almost tripping over a dropped onion skin, forcing him to grab onto the counter to hold him laugh making me laugh again.