Aurora of the Phoenix (Book 1) (Under heavy construction)

Chapter 53

Aurora was wearing an outfit that I haven't seen in a long time. It was Isabella's favourite blue dress and it even had her blue bow on her hair. Seeing it makes me remember when she used to wear that to school or on our dates, she also looked beautiful in it.

"Dad?" she came running towards us but when i wanted to come near her, she wasn't running to me. She went running to James. Which really made me have a panic attack and in that moment I just left the room without saying anything.

"Toni!" I heard James call my name but I just don't feel like talking to him or anyone else at this moment.

*She called him dad, she CALLED HIM DAD! Not me... my little girl, she was here all this time?! And I didn't know it? For years, I have missed her and her mother and now to find out that she has always been here made me feel terrible that I wasn't being a father to her. But James did. This isn't happening!*

I went to my room and locked the door behind me, crouching near my bed crying like a little boy. I then heard my door open, but I didn't look because I knew who it was or who they were since I heard more than one footsteps.

"Bro? Are you okay?" James asked and I heard Sofia scolding him.

"Of course he isn't okay! His daughter is alive and she called you dad instead of him! What do you think?!" she scolded James.

"I was just asking him! Stop scolding me Sofia!" James yelled back.

I then looked up at them with my nose sniffling from my crying. "Guys! I'm upset and you are still fighting like when we were children?!"

"Well he started it!" said Sofia.

"No I didn't!" yelled back James.

"GUYS!" I yelled at them back.

They then looked at me with childlike eyes like they used to do when they were kids whenever mom scolded them.

They then came and sat next to me, and I was in the middle still crouching, holding my legs with my arms.

"Wow, I haven't seen you this upset since dad stopped you from playing the piano, playing other instruments or singing." said Sofia.

"Yeah, well, this is way worse than that, my own daughter is alive and i was near her, i saw her when she was kid and i now saw her as a teenager but i didn't really see her until now. She was there all along, under my nose and I didn't see her!"

"Bro, it's not your fault. No one knew, not even I or Emily knew until Aiko found out herself. The only thing we knew is that Aurora is a Witch but we didn't think she was yours and Isabella's daughter." James explained.

"I know you don't know James but..." I looked at him with tears in my eyes. "When she called you dad and ran to you. It makes me feel like I lost my daughter again just as I just found her. I failed as a father, I failed as a parent and I failed Isabella."

"You didn't fail her, you were there for Aurora, it's just that you didn't know. You paid for our living arrangements and the kids' schools and you handled their transfers to a school here. You did all that and Emily and I appreciate all that you have done for the kids and us. Don't say you failed as a father or a parent. You are as much of a father to the kids as I am."

"James but still... she was there...my little girl, i didn't protect her!"

"What are you talking about?" Sofia asked as she looked at me and then looked at James with a confused look on her face. "What is he talking about James?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Aurora was bullied before she came here and I wasn't there to comfort her like I had done with her mom. I used to comfort Isabella whenever she was bullied by other girls, by other guys or anyone else that tried to hurt her. But I didn't do the same thing for our own daughter. Isabella would have been disappointed in me."