Serendipity

Chapter 21. Unknown

Chapter Twenty One ~ Unknown

              Moments later, we were back on the road. We had been driving for a long time and it got to the point where the plaguing feeling of sleep crept up in my eyes. However, I couldn’t sleep. I was too frantic.

            What would Crystal do if she saw Dad? She gave me a not-so-subtle warning of what would happen to me if I tried anything. I had a clear idea of what would happen to my dad.

            “So-” Levi released one hand from the steering wheel and leaned back into his seat, “-you’re going to have to tell me what’s going on sooner or later.”

            “I know.”

            “So, why don’t you just tell me now? It’ll kill the time.”

            I looked over at him and saw his grin. It was a smug grin, much like the grins he gave when we first met. “Because I can’t,” I said for probably the millionth time that day.

            “Why can’t you, again?”

            “Because.”

            “Ah!” He nodded in understanding. “Just because? That’s an excellent reason.”

            I knew how he must have been feeling inside, but if I told him now, he wouldn’t take me back to Clearbourough. Withholding this information was only for his own good.

            Instead of dwelling on my situation, I brought up another subject. “Does your mom love Henry?”

            His grin remained but it looked forced and there was a strange glint in his eyes. “Yeah.” His grip tightened on the wheel. “Yeah, I guess.”

            There was something in his voice that told me he wasn’t certain. “You guess?”

            Levi let out a sigh and it was then I knew he was going to tell me. He was right about one thing. I knew much more about him than he knew about me. “She comes home late, you know?” His voice shook as he spoke. “I don’t want to think of the worst possible scenario but I can’t deny the possibility…”

            Instantly, I knew what he was talking about. He had suspicions that his mother was cheating on Henry. And she was. But I wouldn’t tell him that.

            He scoffed. “It’s probably nothing, it’s—look. I don’t know what I’m talking about.” In a matter of seconds, his face softened and his smug look was present again.

            We talked for a little while more, though the conversation was mostly one-sided. He told me about his close relationship with Sam and that she still had a crush on me. From our conversation, I could tell he was a family man and he would do anything for them.

            I caught myself smiling. He was lucky. Even though he didn’t have a perfect family, he had people who loved him. I envied that.

            I wouldn’t call the relationship between Dad and I love.

            It wasn’t.

            Deep down, I knew my father loved me, but he had to push those feelings aside for the sake of our survival. And I didn’t blame him for that. He was doing what every father should.

            Provide.

            Despite everything that happened, I could never hate him. When Mom got arrested, he could have abandoned me and ran away. But he didn’t.