True Love's Bite

36 // Whatever It Takes

My heart was literally beating in my throat, and my ears were as loud as a siren.

"Yvonne!" My head whipped in the direction of the yard where my mother was rushing out to meet me.

She was yet to realise that my father was out here. It would be difficult to convince him to leave once he noticed how jumpy we both were, if he insisted on going inside, he would become suspicious.

Sy had nowhere to hide, especially in broad daylight in the buzzing township.

I threw myself at him and hugged him tightly, and I was shocked at how easily my tears fell these days. "Papa!" I wailed.

Warning bells went off in my head when he went stiff, and I was puzzled by how his heartbeat was faint and yet so erratic.

It took a minute for him to finally wrap his arms around me, and there was hesitance in his actions. "Angel, what's going on?" He asked, and I took this opportunity to reel him in.

I pulled back and stared into his eyes in ears. "Papa, pease get me out of here! Please."

"What? What's going on?"

"I'm begging you, please take me away from here!" I cried even harder, and I knew I had him where I wanted him when his panic multiplied tenfold.

"Okay, okay... calm down. Come, let's go." He placed his arm on my back and led me to his car in a hurry, and we passed the gate just in time before my mother came out.

I threw her a warning glance over my shoulder, and she was quick to read the room as she quickly backed into the yard.

My father helped me into the car and drove without asking any questions. Even after we got home, he did not say anything, he just went straight to the kitchen and made me a cup of tea while he prepared breakfast for me.

It was as if he knew how famished I was.

After eating, we just sat at the dining table awkwardly. I couldn't remember the last time I actually shared a meal with my father. The last time we sat on the same table was the night Gift's family came to announce the wedding date, and it was not the most pleasant occasion; I still remember how my father sat there idly and didn't care to intervene or stop my mother's dubious plans.

I remember questioning his role in my life, I wondered of what use he was if he was not going to stand up for his children; what kind of parent would sit by and watch his children suffer?

It wasn't until he rescued me from that sham of a marriage that I realised how lucky I was to have him by my side. I was so grateful that he gave me an opportunity to be with Sy, he had given me my freedom and ultimately led me to the man I love. However, he took all that away in a snap of his finger.

For weeks now I have been asking myself, who is my father? Who exactly is the man who grew to be my hero? What exactly was he hiding behind his timid personality, was all that a facade or ruse to deceive us all?

And the one question that has been bugging me even in my sleep, was my father a friend or foe?

There was just no way he could be the evil man my mother described with such hatred earlier. He looked so exhausted, like he had not slept for days. His posture was slumped and his eyes were drooping as though they would shut off any second now. I couldn't tell when he had last changed his uniform, I was pretty sure that he was wearing these same clothes when he showed up to arrest Silas at the hospital.

I didn't realise I was staring at him until I felt tears cascade down my face and blur my vision.

"I didn't want to say anything before, but you are scaring me; what is the matter?" My father sounded a bit upset, but you could see that he was trying to be patient. "I came home this morning and Junior told me that you did not sleep at home, and that your mother had just left to check up on you at your aunt's place. And now this... what's going on?"