FATHER ALWAYS SMILING

Chapter 18 ~~~~~~~

"I hope she suffers then."

His smile subtilty grew, but Elain didn't catch it. "I believe she has. Wherever she may be now." He then stood. "But I do not regret having Amalie in my life. I never thought I'd be a good father or a father at all for that matter. But seeing her smile when she's happy warms my heart. She is the greatest joy to come out of such horrendous acts."

Elain looked at him, then asked. "Why tell me? I mean, I know I told you what happened to me, but..."

"I told you because I wanted to." He says as he remains sitting upright. "I did not want you to think that I'd pity you for what happened. As I've said, we have both been dealt with a horrible trauma, something of which that I'm sure not many would relate, understand or even sympathize with. But I wanted you to know, to show that I understand. I mentioned before that your feelings are valid, and that it's something you shouldn't feel ashamed of."

Still... she couldn't understand why he'd tell her; it didn't make much sense to her. Yet one thing did remain on her mind. "Then, did you also want your wife to die for what she did to you? Like I did for the people who did this to me?"

The air around him became far denser as he continued to smile, while his eyes seemed to be devoid of any life at all. "No, I didn't wish for her death. Simply because if she were to die, then it would be over. I would want her to suffer, to live for as long as possible knowing that I and my child are having a better life than she could ever want for herself. And that she goes mad from it while regretting her actions." His smile became warmer as he looked at Elain. "I always say the trick to defeating your enemies who are far away from you is to live your life the best that you can, be better who you were yesterday and that, perhaps one day, the one who hurt you so will get what they so rightfully deserve."

Elain found herself smiling a bit in response. "You know, you'd make a heck of a therapist, you always seem to know what to say for others who are feeling down."

"Thank you, Miss Ortiz, but I think I'm more than comfortable being a radio host. I can't see myself being anything else, at least for now. But who knows what things will be like in the future? All we can do is keep moving forward until we've reached the end." He then pulled out his pocket watch. "And speaking of time, we should get going, I need to pick Amalie up from school. Would you care to join me?"

"No, that's alright, I don't want to impose you any further. Plus, I should head back home, I don't want my parents to worry."

"Of course, then at least allow me to walk you back home. As safe as this area is, it would bring me at ease knowing you managed to get home safely."

After Alastor dropped Elain at her home, she went back inside and up to her room, where in a draw from her desk she pulled out the card that a nurse had given her back after she had been examined. And how the whole talk with Alastor went made Elain consider talking to a professional about this issue.

So much for starting a new life in a new school on the first day... she thought with a sigh but wasn't as bitter as she could have been had it not been for Alastor and his compassion. He just let her talk, though he talked too, it was mainly her. Like the lid in her head just came loose and all of what she felt, what she dealt with and the thought came pouring out like a waterfall and he just accepted it all without question or judgment.

Seriously, was there anything that man couldn't do?

Though the same could probably be said the same about his daughter, yet people judge her so harshly for things a kid like her can't help or change.

Amalie... Elain's heart felt heavy when recalling what Alastor implied about his wife, it made Elain hope that the little girl didn't know about her conception, but given how smart she seemed, that might not be a secret for long.

But deep down, Elain hoped that Amalie would never find out...

A kid like her deserves so much better than how things began for her. And as for the bitch that was Amalie's Mom, Elain hoped that she was suffering in the worst way after running away like a coward, wherever the hell she might be, she didn't deserve to be happy for as long as she lived. Wherever that may be.

Elain then lightly hit her cheeks with both hands, now was not the time to be feeling like this! She wanted to thank Alastor, not pity the man! But how could she go about thanking him without it being weird?

That's it! She thought. I know how I can say thanks to him! And then rushed out of her bedroom and down to the kitchen where she pulled out a cookbook that belonged to her grandma, Dad's mother, given to them before they moved across the border.

Scanning through the pages she found what she was looking for. A grin rested upon her features, just wait until he had a taste of this.

* * *

It was late that evening as Alastor sat in his office chair, tablet in one hand, the other along his face in thought as he scrolled through an article about what had taken place nearly six months ago. Article, after article from several different news outlets going on about the assault that Elain Ortiz had dealt at the hands of those who were more fortunate in regards to money.

He eyed it coldly as he continued to scroll through, seeing just of fixed this whole thing was. Especially how this Shantae girl acted so entitled online through Instagram and TikTok, there was no end to her depravity and arrogance.

Even going so far as to gloat that she got out of being imprisoned for her violent acts on another person, how she laughed calling Miss Ortiz a slew of horrible names. Alastor now knew that Elain choosing to not repeat what Shantae said wasn't just out of popper courtesy, it was truly vile virtual that was being spewed from a girl who thought she owned the world and all who lived on it. It made him vaguely think of his wife, Marie-Amédée d'Orléans, truly a beautiful woman, a shame it was only at face value. He found it somewhat amusing how Marie and Shante seemed to have so much in common sans familial background and skin colour.

The longer he scrolled through the young woman's comments, the hate that she wrote out to those who were angered by Shante's escape from the law, and of how Shantae continued to mock and threaten to harm Miss Ortiz even further caused a twitch in Alastor's eye as his smile became strained.

Wealth never did amount to a person's class, they could be a billionaire and be the truest scum of the earth, or the kindest of souls with not a penny to their name.

Yes, much like his wife, how arrogant she was. Though she was correct about one thing, about him, and his nature. Too bad it took her so long to realize. A smart person would have just fled, gone as far as they could so never to be reached. But Marie was never that smart. No, she made the horrendous mistake of going after the one good thing that came out of their sham of a marriage. If she hadn't harmed Amalie, then he wouldn't have acted the way he had to such a woman.

Alastor tapped his index finger along the temple of his brow as he continued to watch.

What to do, what to do.

He wouldn't act right away, no, he'd take his time, slow and steady always won the race after all. He wished to do something but needed time to formulate a proper plan for something like this.

With a half-smile, he turned off his tablet and left his office where he silently crept to his daughter's room where she slept. Clinging to one of her plush toys for comfort, his smile turned soft as he brushed some strands of her hair out of her face. Amalie's first day didn't go well, it normally didn't with those little miscreants, how he'd wish she'd tell him who it was that harmed his precious child so he could deal with it properly. She was so much like him in many ways, but also so different in so many others, it made him proud.

Soon enough though, he would get her out of that hellhole she has to call a school and place her in one that was far more suitable. Regardless of what her grandparents wanted. He had no intention of sending her to a boarding school far away from him where he couldn't see what she intended to do. He'd make sure that she would be happy, that's what she deserves. A happy, loving home and deserving of everything he never had at her age.

After softly placing a kiss on his daughter's forehead he whispered in Icelandic. "Ég elska þig svo mikið, ljúfir draumar litla stelpa mín." I love you so much, sweet dreams my little girl. Then silently left the room, leaving the door ajar in case she woke up and needed him for something, before heading downstairs putting the code into the lock on the basement door and going down to take care of things for the next day.