Serendipity-Phase 1

Chapter 1 | Nightmares & Clichés

But it still sucked.

My brain was a fucking puddle of contradictions if you couldn't already tell.

As if my dad could read my deepest of conscience, he said;

"But if you really really want that dress, I will buy it for you. But I want you to think about it, okay?"

My heart soared with happiness and I wanted to do a little happy dance. Right when I was going to say yes, my dad's phone lit up.

My uncle's face appeared on the screen.

My dad became quickly alert and pressed the accept button.

"Hello? How is she?" was the first thing he asked. My ears perked up instinctively. 

I just wanted to know how my mom was doing.

I couldn't hear anything from the other line but I saw my dad's face change. He looked confused.

"Steve, I can't hear you. I think you need to be a little louder man."

My dad strained his ears and tried to listen but I guess he couldn't so he got up and went outside the balcony and tried calling my uncle again and again. I quietly followed him and stood behind the curtain. So that he wouldn't think I was eavesdropping.

A few moments passed and I started to yawn, my eyes burned from constant crying. But I still stood rooted to my spot.

Just when I thought nothing would happen, I began to turn but my dad's voice boomed making me stop in my tracks.

"What?" he shouted making me gasp lightly.

"What the fuck are you saying, Steve?" He asked.

My dad looked around and I hid quietly behind the curtain. He then started speaking in a hushed voice.

"She's not here, I think she went to bed. Steve, please tell me this is not true. She can't die." He said in a broken voice but I still couldn't process what was going on, but I was not prepared for what happened next.

My dad dropped his phone on the carpet and fell to his knees. His back was facing me and I had no clue what was going on. I saw him bend down and let his head fall to his hands and his whole body started shaking. That's when it all clicked.

He was crying.

My heart broke to see a strong man like him cry. At this point, I didn't care about the consequences of eavesdropping. I ran and stood before him. I tried prying his hands open but he was too strong.

He didn't let me see him.

This hurt me more and tears threatened to fall from my eyes. I couldn't handle it.

But, I knew I had to do something.

So I ran to the kitchen and filled up a glass of water and quickly came running out. I saw my dad still sitting as he did before, and his body might have been shaking even more.

I quickly placed the glass of water beside him and hugged him tightly. I put my everything in that hug. He didn't hug me back at first but his breathing came back to normal.

I kept hugging him until he finally hugged me back. We hugged for a long time and I let him cry. I knew I couldn't. I didn't want to cry.

I wanted to be strong, just this once, just for him.

We hugged like there was no tomorrow and none of us spoke.

After what seemed like an eternity my dad composed himself but kept sniffling. I tried to loosen myself but he still held on to me tight. The silence scared me and I wanted him to say something, anything. So, I began;