His choice

Chapter 12

Amara didn't know what to say to Alex as he started to pace the room, swearing here and there.

"Alex, will you calm down?" She tried to calm him down as she dragged him by hand and made him sit beside her on the bed.

"I don't know why that guy is here! He comes and leaves as he wishes...I just..don't know...Why?" Alex exclaimed exasperated and ran a hand through his hair.

"We can't understand everyone's intention sometimes, but what we can do is try, yes?" She said to him. "I don't know what the matter is, but if you want to hear what I want say..I would say he loves you, Alex. Not only you but your mom and Mitsy too. I can see it."

Alex turned his hard eyes on her, "You don't know a fucking thing about him, Amara. That guy can't love anyone beside himself." He sighed.

"Yes, I don't know anything about him. But as an outsider, there might be some truth in my words..believe me Alex." Amara tried to convince him that his dad loves him.She saw it herself in his eyes. But Alex was having none of it. "I am so angry right now on him..Why the hell is he here?.." Alex started to vent, Amara quipped , "You already said that!" Alex stopped and glared at her but continued, "He makes my blood boil, I don't like him. No, I hate him. He always tries to talk to me, but doesn't he understand I don't want him here, that I don't need him?" He finished his rant and huffed. He ran a hand through his hair making it messy. Amara was quiet, letting him rant and get out his frustration.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Amara asked quietly to him.

Alex faced her and nodded, "My dad, whom I know from my memory..he used to be great person. He was kindhearted, happy,hardworking...he was my strength..our strength. He used to be there for us whenever we need him, always there supporting and encouraging us. I wanted to be like him when I grew older. We all used be happy together. I don't know what happened to that family, but everything changed when I turned nine years old. He used to work in his office late hours, snap at anyone and get angry on smallest things. He turned cold and distant towards us. We missed our father those days. He never was the same after.." He trailed off and looked at her face. She was listening to him intently, slight frown on her face.

"What happened?" She whispered.

"His business..He wanted success, fame and money. But with that growing, he lost us. He loved his work more than his family. I already told you he would get easily angry at small issues..So mom and dad started to fight. I thought it happens with everyone, you know...parents fight. I thought they would patch up afterwards. But dad lost himself more and more into work. Mom wanted him to be with us, to live as family.I didn't interfere in their fights anytime. I and Mitsy always got into my room and blocked their shouting. But one particular day, he was drunk because he lost big deal with a client and in the fighting he hit my mom..." Amara gasped, Alex's eyes were getting misty remembering that day.

"I saw it with my eyes, I tried to stop him but he didn't. In the next morning, he left us. That was last strike. I started to hate him for hitting mom and then abandoning us. We came here in this house afterwords, mom didn't want to live there. Her pride didn't let her. When I turned sixteen, he came back to make things right." He let out a deep sarcastic chuckle. "As if we would accept him. Over the years, he tried to get back with us. I don't know what lies he fed mom and Mitsy, they accepted him....But I..I would never accept him..I hate him..!" he exclaimed.

Amara now knew where his hatred was coming from. At some point it was reasonable. But he should try to listen to his dad and his dad's side. May be he had his reasons. But what would she knew about their family matters. Still, she tried. "Alex, I totally understand your point. What he did was wrong. Family always comes first. But..don't you think you should give him a chance, he might be changed person.." Her speech cut off by Alex's angry voice, "Don't Amara. Don't say a word. It's not your business to decide for me. You don't know what he put us through. He deserves my hatred." He snapped at her and quickly regretted when he noticed slight hurt in her eyes. He didn't know what to say to take it back.