A broken promise

chapter 39

Elijah sat down across from Avery, he noticed how nervous she looked and decided it would be best to get it over with.
"Boarding school" Elijah stated, those two words were like poisen to say.
"What" Avery was confused.
"Well you don't want to live with me, and it's clear you don't like living with my family, so boarding school" Elijah tried to explain although it was killing him inside.
"What happened to being super protective because someone is after me"

"Well I intend to find that person or the people and put an end to all this"

"And you want me to go to boarding school"

"I don't want but I'm all out of options Avery. You have to understand I'm trying and I don't expect you to be open with me, I never have expected that. You could shut me out all you want, I just wanted you to acknowledge what I say, I'd still be okay with it but you didn't do that, you were disrespectful, you didn't acknowledge anything I said and quite frankly you were insulting" Elijah decided to take a gentler approach.

"You keep claiming I'm controlling , manipulative, you even compared me to them. You told me you don't want to live here and I'm not going to force you too. I want you here Avery, you are my daughter and I love you but I'm out of options. This all started with the guards, you wanted them gone, I compromised, you wanted me to stop getting involved, I did that, you wanted space, I gave you space, I've done everything I can Avery"

"You are acting like you are father of the year"

"I apologize if I come across that way because it is not my intention"

"Seems like it is your intention"

"No Avery it isn't. I know I'm a awful father, hell I don't have much experience. I had you when I was just a kid myself but I stepped up and did what was necessary, but a few months later you were taken from me. I have had you back in my life for several months and I have no idea what I'm doing. All I know is that I need to protect you from whoever is after you, I have to keep you healthy and safe. Do you think it's easy for me to do all this, I have searched for you since the day I lost you because I love you so much but at the end of the day I never got the chance to raise you, I don't know how to be a parent, I'm trying my best Avery" Elijah was frustrated, he hated it because saying it out loud made the pain worse.

"I understand we aren't close and that's okay, I don't expect us to be close, I don't expect anything but respect and a decent attitude but I can't get that and that's why I'm so tough on you, I may no have experience at this but I do know your behaviour isn't acceptable and I can't just keep trying and hoping for the best"

"You may choose the school in which you would like to attend, personally I'd prefer St Agatha's because it's only an hour away but the decision is up to you. I have tried everything" and with that Elijah walked out of the room, as soon as he was out tears started to fall.

He never wanted this but he didn't know what else to do.
He didn't care if she never told him, he just wanted her to acknowledge he was there for her and he wanted Avery to loose the attitude.

Avery sat alone in the living room thinking about the fact he was sending her to boarding school. She was annoyed and she dismissed the thoughts that came to mind, they weren't true at least she didn't think they were. She decided to go back to the room, Elijah hadn't told her she could go back to her room so she went to the guest room for the second day. She was fine with this room though, it had everything she needed in and that was okay.

Elijah sat in his office, he hated how distant they had become, he want asking for them to have a really close bond because he was aware she was a teenager now, teenagers didn't want to hang out with their parents and he accepted that. He let her hang out with her friends as much as she wanted, until he grounded her for sneaking out so it wasn't as if he was keeping her hidden and locked away.
He thought he was fairly laid back as a parent, at least up until her behaviour changed.
He let her do the majority of things, he let her choose what to eat, he let her stay up, If she wanted to do something with him, he would gladly take her wherever she wanted to go.
But he knew it couldn't all be like that, he just didn't expect it to be this bad.
Some things he could forgive her for but others he still hadn't forgiven her.  Every day he couldn't help but remember how she compared him to Garrows.

He didn't want to send her away but he couldn't think of anything else he could do. He had tried everything.
He had tried the calm approach.
He had tried to ignore her behaviour and let her come to him.
He had let her live with his parents temporary
And he was now trying the strict approach.

She wasn't happy living with him so maybe it was best for her to live somewhere else, even if it was a single term/semester.  He hoped it would only be temporary but he also knew she hated it here so it could be permenant if she wanted.

He just wanted her to be happy, he couldn't allow her to get away with her current behaviour so he couldn't ignore it.

He sighed, tears still falling as he picked up the photo he kept on his desk. It was a 19 year old version of him with a baby Avery in his arms.  It was one of his most treasured items and there wasn't a day that when he lost her that he would look at it and hope that he would get her back.

But it now killed him that he had hoped for so long to have her back but now he was willing to send her away.