Getting The Guy

Chapter 17: New Friends?

"Sit down and have breakfast with your sweet father, won't you my darling daughter?"

I huffed and turned my face away from him to avoid his dark brown eyes. "There's no need for that because I'm suddenly very full, my darling father." I drawled, making no attempt at hiding my irritation. He sips his coffee quietly.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

Dad released a resigned sigh and placed the mug on the smooth table with a gentle thud.

"Don't worry about that, Van and stop being stubborn." Our worker, Bruce, comes into the dining area with a can of whipped cream and places it on the table.

"Thanks Bready," dad smiled at him brightly.

I mumbled a small 'good morning' to Bruce as he left the room.

"You know I won't do that dad." My head whipped in his direction as I continued our conversation. I stared at him with intense incredulity. Arms still folded and eyes burning fiercely.

"Vannessa," he warned.

I ignored the dangerous tone of his voice and pressed further.

"Why are you being so secretive?" I queried.

Dad's grip on the handle of his pristine mug, tightened. I knew I was pushing his buttons but I didn't care. I wanted answers.

"Vannessa!" He bellows suddenly. Drops of coffee sprinkles onto the ground and table.

I rolled my eyes at him. He's being so dramatic and I refused to feel threatened by his vexation.

"Stop this nonsense. Now." He gritted.

But I was unperturbed. I have no idea where this rush of ignorance surged from but I just knew that it had my body in a chokehold abiding to its every wish and command.

"You know. You're beginning to act the same way Alesha acted before she left this house a few years ago."

My heartbeat echoed hollowly in my ears

No.

He did not just say that.

My eyes flutter repeatedly as I blink away the tears that burned my eyes.

My feet involuntarily move backwards and before I can stop myself, I run out of the room and outside to my car.

I think I heard my dad calling after me to come back inside but the loud, empty sounds in my head blocked him out.

The heart wrenching thoughts were back again. Nibbling viciously at my darkest insecurities and tormenting me internally. My hands trembled as I fiddled with the keys in my hand.

I pushed the button on the keys and my green Honda Civic opened with a click. I managed to speed out of my driveway just in time for my dad to run out onto the front lawn. His shouting sounded like gibberish even though he was closer to me. But I didn't care to understand him.

"Breathe Vannessa. Breathe." I chanted over and over under my breath.

I was in complete and utter disbelief of what took place only a few moments ago.

How dare he?

I am nothing like my mother.

She doesn't even deserve the title that I address her as.

That damned man knows how much she hurt me. He knows just how much the mention of her name makes the blood in my body boil to an unhealthy degree yet he still compared me to her. And that too just because I challenged him with the truth.