Circles - Post Malone

Fifty Two

Dahlia would rather die a slow painful death than back down or be intimidated by anyone. Fuck that. So although her body is vibrating with anxiety she squares her shoulders and glares up at the lawyer. She is short, but he best not let himself think she won't go down without a fucking fight.

"Nice face," she says. The lawyer touches the side of his face that's bruised. It looks pretty bad. Dahlia suspects he has not been around for a while because he had to recover. Thank you, Austin.

"Your boyfriend has an anger problem."

"No. My boyfriend has a you problem," she says and steps around him but he reaches out and grabs her arm to stop her. "That pissed-off boyfriend of mine is right behind me at the bar. You think touching me is going to be beneficial?" she asks. The lawyer drops her arm and puts his hands in his pockets. "I just want to talk, Dahlia," he says. "Fuck off," she says and turns her back on him to head for Austin again. Her mind is racing - turn around Austin, fuck.

"A man's life is at stake here."

Dahlia stops in her tracks. What the fuck did he just say? She turns around slowly and glares at him. "Mark, Marshal, Moose, or whatever the fuck your name is...the man you mention better not be my fucking father," she says - her teeth clenched. Anxiety replaced with anger. "My name is Mitch and yes the man I am talking about is your father. He has suffered enough and as his daughter, you owe him some loyalty," Mitch says.

Dahlia does not see him - he is moving so fast that he is like a blur. Austin practically jumps over her, fist ready, and smashes it into the center of Mitch's nose. The cacking of bone crunching loud and clear in the now quiet bar. Mitch would have gone flying from the force of Austin's fist but Austin has the front of his shirt in a tight grip and keeps their faces inches apart. "What the fuck did you just say to her? She owes that cunt nothing!" he spits out. Mitch whimpers and his knees give out but Austin holds him up. Dahlia can see Austin's hand balling up in a fist again - Austin intends on smashing into him again.

Dahlia steps to the side of them and touches Austin's arm. His eyes look slightly crazy and his face is furious. No doubt, she would not want to be in Mitch's place. "Austin, stop. That's enough," she says softly. Harry is on the other side of them and Dahlia flicks her eyes to him and nods slightly. Harry then takes Mitch's shoulders and pulls him away from Austin as Dahlia pulls on Austin's arm. Austin lets go but keeps his angry stare on Mitch. "I fucking warned you," he says under his breath. "Harry put him in that booth in the corner. Gina gets him ice and a towel for his fucked up face," Dahlia says then turns to Austin who is looking at her with a frown.

"I am going to hear what he has to say."

"Absolutely not."

Dahlia hugs him then pulls back and winks at him. She turns and starts walking to the table but feels Austin practically attached to her back so she stops and turns around.

"Alone."

"You are fucking crazy if you think that's happening."

"Austin-"

"Either I come with you or you leave with me now. There will be no debate, Dahlia."

She knows him well enough to by now, he is a stubborn fool. She sighs and resigns to her fate then turns around. Fuck. The twins have weaseled their way to either side of Mitch, Harry and Gina are sitting on one side of the booth glaring at him. "What the fuck is this?" Dahlia asks. No one answers her - they are all too busy glaring at Mitch. "Fine you can all fucking stay but one word from any of you and you go," Dahlia says sliding into the bench opposite Mitch. Austin follows her then takes her hand discreetly under the table.

"Quite the little following you have here," Mitch starts. Austin throws a sugar packet at him, "just get to your fucking point," he says. Dahlia looks at Austin with a warning but he looks back at her with defiance and a shoulder shrug. Mitch clears his throat and wipes some blood that's still trickling out his nose. "Ok. So as you know your father is in prison. He has had the opportunity to think about his life and wants to mend his relationship with you. He loves you very much, Dahlia," he says. Dahlia frowns, "he said that?" she asks. "Well yes. It's important for him that you are both able to work past this...umm...incident," Mitch says. "Murder," Austin says suddenly. Everyone including Mitch look at him. "It was not an incident, it was murder. He murdered her mother and almost killed her in the process. Don't downplay it," Austin says. Dahlia grips his hand tighter.

"Ok well, I try and stick to the positives. So what do you say, Dahlia? Are you open to working on your relationship?" Mitch asks.

"You didn't answer my question. Did he really say he loved me?"

"Yes."

"He used those exact words? He said I love my daughter?"

"Well, not in so many words. But actions speak louder than words, Dahlia."

"I agree. The action of him killing my mother spoke volumes. But even so, he was around until I was fifteen...would have been nice to hear him say that he loved me. I have never heard him say it."

"Well, he would say it now. He has learned a great deal in prison. He is a changed man."

"Why now? Why is this important to him now?" Gina asks. So much for people shutting the fuck up. "Well...he has the opportunity to sit in front of the parole board and he wants Dahlia by his side when he does," Mitch explains. "You mean he wants to manipulate the board into thinking he has changed because his daughter is by his side," Austin says. Mitch looks at Austin with a frown and then back at Dahlia. "Your father made one little mistake. He deserves a second chance, you can't seriously be so selfish that you won't even respond to him," Mitch says.

It was the wrong thing to say. The table erupts. The twins practically turn red and explode. Their words tumbling out their mouths into one long string. Harry is holding Gina back as she is leaning forward gnashing her teething at him. Whiping frustrated and angry tears from her eyes, "how fucking dare you!" she hears Gina say. Gina never swears. Harry may be holding Gina back but he is not quiet either with a few choice words of his own for Mitch. Mitch looks like he has realized that he just might die tonight.

Dahlia feels sick, Mitch stripping her mother's murder down to one little mistake does not sit right with her. It did not feel like one little mistake back then and all these years later it still is absolutely not one little mistake. It ripped her entire world apart and molded who she is today. She has had enough, she leans into Austin. "Take me away," she whispers. Austin does not hesitate, he slides out of the booth taking Dahlia with him. Neither of them looks back as they walk out of the pub and straight to the safety of their apartment and the little cacoon that no one else is welcome in.