A Knock From The Past

CHAPTER-24

Chapter -24

Few days passed in slow agony and fear of what will happen next? When they say Wait make you crumble in heaps of weight, they tell you the truth and as ignorant as our nature precedes us; a default installed by mighty goddess; we die in anticipation thinking what will happen? Will it go our way or south hill? Well you can't know until the actual happening right and sometimes results may surprise us.

Lucy knocked of her father's study and entered quietly "you called" the first thing she said after few moments of silence.

"Why don't you take the seat?" her father asked and indicated towards one of the chairs.

Lucy finally moved and finally observed her father for first time in years, he aged certainly and he did; worrisome lines on his face are all proof one need.

"You did good jobs with your kids" Russell Brington started the conversation "they are strong"

"They are" Lucy agreed "but, I reckon you haven't called me here to discuss my kids upbringing, have you."

"Some things never change" Russell chuckled "well then, I don't know from where should I start or even if I haven't in me to ask you this?" a certain pause in their conversation, which now taking the serious tone "I failed you as your parent, as your father. I should have believed you all those years back and not Zeena knowing well enough how she can be? I can't bring those days back and I certainly can't replace your hurt with simple words but, all I have now is sincere apology and goddess knows I'm not seeking your forgiveness but, rather taking the step as failed parent in hopes one day, whenever that day is you will be able to forgive me, your father. Who ruined his precious flower life? So, I'm sorry Lucy for not believing in you, loving you enough and abandoning you when you need me most? I'm sorry." A dead silence falls on them; her father's apology clenched her heart, her throat choked with emotions. The words she wanted to hear were said but, hurt can't be patched so easily.

"You are right" Lucy finally spoke concealing her emotions "hurt can't be replaced with simple sorry but, at the same time I never held grudge against your or Zeena or even Dante, for a while I did but not anymore. I appreciate your efforts and your apology too." Again they fell quiet not knowing what else to be said or done to mend this relationship "well if that's all I'll take my leave first"

"you'll think about it right" Russell quietly asked "about my apology I'm not asking now in future maybe we will find an amicable ground to walk on."

Lucy sighed "as I said I never held a grudge and forgiveness; I forgave you long time ago but, at the same time it will take time to find a common ground; bridge only start mending" with those words she silently took her leave.

Some unsaid words hanging to be tied finally in meaningful sentences took long time to be read, find answers in them. Sometimes it might take you by surprise. Lucy never expected to find Dante in front of pack house, waiting for her.

"Do you have few minutes to spare?" Dante asked

"Sure" Lucy replied and together they started to walk around her brothers pack territory. It was first time since they meet, they both were quite and not at eachother throat. Lining their thoughts together is not easy task but, sometimes it's better than losing track and let them run wild.

"if it were up to me" Dante suddenly started shaking Lucy from her thoughts "I would definitely take this issue into royal court" and fell quiet again.

"Are you threatening me? Lucy questioned

"No" Dante replied "I'm in no position to. Am I? I simply said what I truly believe? Whatever happened between us and what you went through? I don't know what you want from me at that time to and today itself. An apology I don't think I'm capable of asking your forgiveness. But, I still think you should have told me about my kids, about our kids. I had the right to know about them. All those years back when they were born I felt it?" Dante revealed a part of him that no one ever knew. A secret he held precious then his life.

"I felt it" Dante repeated his words "I did, a dream so true like reality rendered me shook, wild and you believe it or not I did try to contact you after that dream, I really did but, couldn't and soon after Zeena fell pregnant and just like that life went on and from time to time I would get glimpse of them, you. All three of you from time to time but, never knew what? How? Whom to talk? But when you guys came here and when I finally saw them, so grown up and looking exactly same from my dreams, made me wild in want of their affection, their embrace."

"Why didn't you tried harder then?" Lucy finally asked shook from this revelation too "why didn't you?"

"You think I didn't" Dante asked flabbergasted "of course you would think like that but, believe it or not Lucy I did. I truly did but, my mother found out and threw a fit and made me promise her not to go looking for you and I never did after that."

"Your mother ruined your life Dante" Lucy stated boldly "do you realised that?" feeling pity for him, a little bit anyways.

Dante chuckled "every day. But, what you sow you reap; huh? Well all I want is chance to know them. A chance Lucy, to finally make something right for once, I know I can't do it with you? That boat sailed long ago but, with them I want to take a chance, whatever it takes I'll do it. I want to be part of their life, I only I ask this. No more schemes, bad words or rage just I want to know them. This is me being desperate Lucy." He revealed his soul, spilled his secret no one knows. At that moment he was most vulnerable, naked without any games just his emotions and his true self and with sincerity.

Lucy never once in her wildest dream thought she would see a man like Dante with such sincerity and vulnerability sound foreign to her own ears. It's true every one of us hide a certain part within us only we can see and not anyone else "they would love too Dante. I never once against you knowing our kids but, you have to work it out with them, just be sincere with them' they definitely come around after a while." Lucy said "you have long road ahead of you with them, will Zeena and your son be okay with this."

"Zeena doesn't matter" Dante confessed "and Sander will love too. I'll keep my words Lucy; this time I'll definitely not be disappointment to them"

"That's all I'm asking" Lucy "don't let them down. They suffered too." And they quietly completed their walk back to pack house, with little less stressed too much to think still and certain questions they both have but, too afraid to ask.

"Lucy" Dante called her name "if I chased after you would have you accepted me?" hi questioned made her twenty year old naïve girl gain with hope and whole life ahead of her.

"Only if you had Dante" Lucy honestly answered "only if you had tried harder"

"Yeah" Dante agreed "if only"

Mustering courage Lucy asked what she always wanted to ask him "have you ever resented your decision to end our bond? Have you ever regretted your decision?" and waited for Dante to response holding her breathe, for what she didn't even know.

Dante just stilled with emotions he tried to conceal and contained all these years ago "every day" truly replied to her "if I only regret one thing in this life is not recognising the gem given to me by the goddess and if I say this, I meant it with my whole existence without any doubt."

Some decisions taken render you with lifelong resentment without any solutions and when you finally have it in your hand, it's too late to seek it again. Some bridges can't be build again, some bonds can't be mend and some answers are better left in silence of past; because once left can never be replaced with another and only left is: what ifs?

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A/N

Q. what's your favourite line or chapter in this book so far?

P.S. let me know below in comments.

Who is excited for final showdown?