Mouse

chapter ten

I sat up nervously waiting for Ricardo to return to the caravan later that evening.

Thankfully he came in just before midnight. I had been worried he might not show up at all..

There were some nights I knew he didn't.. Just because he was doing the noble thing by not having an affair with Carla anymore, didn't mean he was living the life of a celibate monk.

It was amazing the young women who would hang around after the show was over to get a chance to meet the circus performers like Ricardo, and want to sleep with him. I knew he could pick and choose from many of them

I didn't really concern myself with what he was getting up to, as long as he was leaving me alone

He looked a little surprised to see me sitting there, usually I was safely in bed out of the way.

"Wow! my little wife is sitting waiting up for me, how touching," he drawled

But I was filled with too much anxiety about approaching him on seeing my father to care about his mockery

"Ricardo I need to talk to you about something," I then said. I guess something in my tone or expression caught his attention. He stopped and looked at me, his own expression becoming suddenly serious

"Oh yeah, what is it?"

I took a deep breath, bracing myself. I still had my father's letter in my hand, although it was getting rather crumpled with all the handling

"Earlier today my Aunt handed me a letter, it was from my father.. He has been trying to get in contact with me since he learned my Grandfather died," I started to explain watching Ricardo's face carefully to study his reaction.

Right now it didn't show any sort of emotion. But his dark eyes rested on me intently, telling me I had his full attention, so I continued.. "It seems he doesn't live too far from where we are now, and he wants to meet up with me.... And I would like to meet with him

"Just like that?" Ricardo snapped now frowning as his expression darkened,

"He practically abandons you after your mother dies, leaves your grandfather and aunt to care for you these last lot of years, without a having any contact with you whatsoever. and now suddenly, he wants back into your life so you can play happy families.. so you want to go along with it. You are a bigger fool than even I imagined," he finished scornfully

"It-it wasn't like that!" I protested, "You don't understand how hard it was at the time,"

I got up and offered Ricardo the letter, "Just read it, and you will see for yourself"

He stared down at the folded letter, then up at me, as if trying to decided of it was worth his while.

In the end he reluctantly decided to humour me, snatching the letter from my hand he unfolded it, letting his eyes quickly scan over the pages.

My heart was thudding loudly in my ears, but I was not going to turn and run away from this one, no matter how nasty he decided he was going to be

"You know yourself that my Grandfather despised my father, because he blamed him for taking my mother away from the circus. So you know he would have punished my father by depriving him of any contact with me.. It's not something he wasn't capable of doing," I then said a little surprised by the forcefulness of my voice

Ricardo looked up from the letter, his eyes narrowing slightly, "So now your Grandfather is the big baddie in all this?" he demanded stiffly, "Pity he is not here to defend himself. And it's amazing how quickly your loyalties change," he flung the letter on the floor in disgust