I set the cup of coffee on the dining table infront of Dad. He smiles gratefully and I sit in the seat opposite him.
"The house looks clean," he acknowledges, looking around at the dining room and at every object, all of which are sitting perfectly in their own spots.
I giggle. "Yeah, I may have done a bit of cleaning this morning," I answer sheepishly.
Dad instantly looks guilty and paniced. "You didn't clean because of me, did you?"
I shake my head and he relaxes. "I just woke up and got bored and a bit carried away. I didn't even check my phone until near 10am."
"Well you've done a good job, Bub."
I send him a grateful smile. I expected the conversation to flow easier than what it is, like how it flows with Mum. But I think that Dad is more concerned of stuffing up and saying the wrong thing. I think he's afraid he'll lose me if he doesn't tread lightly.
"How's work going?" I ask, wanting to know what he's been up to with his time over the past few months.
Dad gives me a grim smile before replying. "It's been busy. The house gets pretty quiet so I've taken up a few more shifts. Some of the machinery needs regular maintenance, though, so it's better if I'm there more often."
My heart clenches.
The house gets pretty quiet.
It gets quiet because I'm not there anymore. It gets quiet because he's lonely. He's working himself to the bone because I left him.
"Dad, you don't need to work like that all the time. I know that the machines break and whatever, but there are other people who can do that. You don't need to be there 24/7. You need a break too," I answer gently.
"I know. I just want to give you as much as I can. I want to help you and put in towards your future. I want you to go to Uni and travel the world! I don't want you to be stuck in one place without a way out. I just want you to be happy!"
I reach over and grab his hand, I give it a squeeze.
"I know you want to help me. I know both you and Mum do. But Dad, there's over $18 000 in my bank! What on Earth am I supposed to use it for? I don't even know if I am going to Uni. All I know is that there's a lot of money in that account and you deserve a break," I say seriously, looking him straight in the eye.
He lets out a sigh and his wall drops. I notice that he looks defeated. He looks lonely.
"It just makes me feel better knowing that you have the money. If there's an emergency you can use it, I know you're not going to struggle. It just makes me feel like I'm still there for you, even when I'm not."
Tears make their way into my eyes but I blink them back. I realise I have no response to what Dad just told me. I can't think of a way explain how I'm feeling.
Instead, I get up from the table, walk around to Dad's seat and give him a hug.
____
"So, what exactly are you doing?" Dad asks me, looking over my shoulder to see the computer screen.
"Just a little something for Chloe's new boyfriend," I reply with a sly smirk.
"Okay. How does this relate to him?" He asks.
He looks utterly confused as to why I'm using photoshop and getting a picture of Kayne off his Facebook.
"All in good time, Father."
He laughs and shakes his head.
After 15 more minutes, I think I'm done. I save the image and print out 20 copies to the printer.
YOU ARE READING
Nothing Goes As Planned
Teen FictionCassidy Simmons has spent the last two years running from her past. Running from her demons. But time has a way of catching up with people. When it does, it ruins everything that Cass has repaired. It exposes all of her secrets and puts strain on ev...
