FATHER ALWAYS SMILING

Chapter 15 ~~~~~~~

And she was gone from sight after that.

Alastor then turned to continue on his way, only to stop after taking a few steps and stifling a laugh. His right hand resting along his smiling lips.

An angel, that's what people thought of him? Really? Oh, if only they knew, the closest thing that he could have been would be a fallen angel, considering all he's done, but then Alastor was no angel or demon. He was merely himself through and through. He would never be arrogant to think anything else. Although, if there were someone who could be seen as pure like an angel, it would be Amalie.

He would never have imagined that someone so pure and kind would come from his flesh and blood. Perhaps it was a sign? Or maybe he was just that good of a parent. After all, he loved Amalie, his daughter would become whatever she wished, and he would be proud even if it meant his end at her hands.

Wouldn't that be something?

He chuckled at the thought, but he felt that such an event wouldn't happen for some time because she still had a way to go before completely accepting what she would become and what she could do, and he had no intention to rush such a process.

Though, if possible, he'd prefer it not happening until after she married, for that would be one thing he would like to see more than anything else. To walk his daughter down the aisle to her beloved before whispering his deepest darkest secret that not even she was aware of. How'd lovely she'd look, dressed in white, the picturesque image of beauty.

Such a thought filled him with joy as he began to sing the song Dúlamán softly as he skipped his way to his office to prepare for the day's work.

Fully aware of someone watching him from around the corner with an intense stare but chose to pay them no mind. Where when Alastor entered his office after his song ended, he came to a halt. Someone had been in here.

It was faint, but he could smell it. Someone had come into his office, even though he had it locked and showed no apparent signs of change. His grey eyes shifting about as he walked the short distance, only to land on his immaculately clean desk where the smell was the strongest.

"My pen's missing," he said aloud. The pen in question was a Montblanc Catherine II The Great Limited Edition. With red gold, the aubergine-coloured barrel and had precious rubies decorate the cap top. It was hard to come by and very expensive. "How troublesome," he said with a rye smile as his eyes became dark and cruel. "Oh dear, what should I do about this?" as he tapped his index finger along his desk. "Hmmm, decisions, decisions..." his smile twitched as he stopped tapping his index finger when a thought came to mind. An excellent idea to quickly bring an end to the string of thefts around here from such a degenerate rat.

* * *

"Hello, my Dear Friends," Alastor spoke when he went on air, drawling his words. "It's been such a long time; I hope all of you are well this day. It's my first day back after a much-needed time away. Though I'm sure many of you were anxious for my return. I've received countless emails and fan letters asking if I'm alright, and I can assure all of you that I'm well. This time away was something I needed to take care of. I hope you can understand."

"He's not going to talk about his wife?" the new temp, Daniel, asked Simone, the woman in charge of a good amount of what was done in the back as she showed the temps how things were done. "It's why he took time off. After all, a funeral's kind of a big deal."

"Alastor makes a habit of not bringing much of his personal life on air. His daughter is the exception."

The man frowned. "Still, does no one find it a bit strange? I mean, people pay attention to the news. They should know about his wife and his situation, right?"

Simone nudged the man with her elbow. "It's not polite being so nosy. People respect his privacy and his personal life. When his wife disappeared, many people thought that he did something, but when the truth about her came out in how she almost murdered their child, people decided to respect the man's choice in keeping that quiet."

That made little to no sense to Daniel. Given the man's popularity, Alastor would have been swarmed by countless fans, unless... "Is it because of his kid?"

"Uh? Yeah? You think?" Simone looked at him before looking to Gwen, who remained quiet through their conversation. A timid girl with a tiny thin frame that many thought that she was like a mouse in human form with how she would move with little to no sound. With brown hair kept in a short, low ponytail and freckles splattered across her pale skin like a speckled egg. "You alright, Gwen?"

"Hmm?" this snapped the young woman out of her trance. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something."

"Oh yeah?" Simone eyed Gwen. "What about?"

"My boyfriend, he gave me this pen." She then held up the pen, which was red and gold, keeping the top of the pen firmly in her grasp. "He gave it to me since I lost mine."

"Wow, that looks expensive," Daniel said.

"You keep talking about your boyfriend. You ever going to introduce us to him?"

She tucked the pen back into her notebook. "I will when I'm ready."

Alastor's smile grew. Faster than he expected, given what he knew about the thief and all of what had been stolen. He wasn't the least bit surprised since the woman was a fan of his. She must have finally worked up the courage to finally steal something of his.

There you are, my little rat. "To celebrate my return, I thought about doing it with a song. I was given the go-ahead, and I thought to sing one of my favourites." He then moved to where a band was ready as he took a seat at the piano. Rolling up his sleeves as he did so while turning his gaze to the temps and smiled at them, which caused them both to become flustered as Simone laughed. "For long-time listeners, you'll know who this is, but for first-timers. This is Sinnerman by the talentedly wonderful and oh-so-missed Nina Simone. If she were still with us, I would be delighted to invite her for dinner along with you."