The Prince and The Wolf

XLVIII

Chapter 48: Father

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"Dad! Look! I can read these music notes by myself! A flat, B..."

"Hey!" A 10-year-old Angel was sitting on a stool, trying to paint as her father watched over her. He smiled at his two children.

"You two are both equally amazingly talented."

"But I'm better!" Angel chimed in, glaring at her younger brother.

"I can draw a 5-legged donkey too!" 7-year-old Kade screamed.

"It's a unicorn!"

"Yeah! And I am Cthulhu, continue stating lies, sister!"

Their dad winced. "Where did he..."

Kade loved his father. He had always followed him with blind devotion. His father had the most kindness in the world and he was a witness. He would brag about all the things that his father could do to even strangers walking by. And quite often, Kade would copy what his father did. Playing piano was something his father did well, and it wowed Kade away each time.

But then, one day...

"Why are we going to the hospital?" Kade whined, getting pulled along by Angel. He was 9, she was 12. "I got all the vaccines already, Angeeel."

"Shush your oral trap." Angel muttered. "Mom's here. Something happened."

Kade scowled. "What even is an 'oral trap'? Illiterate."

"Dad?" Angel called as she entered a room.

Their mom was sitting on a chair, her face contorted in stress quickly turned emotionless. "You two—"

Kade spotted his father on the bed, face pale. Kade ran over quickly, worry filtering onto his face. "Dad? Dad!"

"Dad?" Angel whispered, frozen at the door.

Before Kade could even reach for and grab his dad's hand, their mom ushered them out.

A month later, they were attending a funeral.

"Why are we wearing black, mother?" Kade asked meekly. "Mother, where are we going? Where is dad?"

"Angel, take care of him." His mom covered her face, shoulders shaking. "I need a moment."

She had only been there for 2 minutes. Angel took Kade by the hand. "Come on, Kady." Angel whispered. "We are going to see dad."

The funeral service was long, and everyone stood with their eyes downcast. Angel started crying. Kade looked on in confusion. People looked at them with pity, said condolences, gave gifts. But he did not understand.

The casket went in the ground, a grave with his father's name.

Flowers. So many flowers.

Piano played. Kade turned around, was his father playing the piano? He saw the figure of someone different. Wearing black. Everyone was wearing black. Angel had stopped crying, but her eyes were swollen.

"Angel?" Kade asked. "Angel, what is going on?"

He shook her hand, but Angel said nothing. Kade stopped, staring at the grave.

---

Min's eyes widened. Angel had stopped there. She took a sip, wetted her lips, and then looked at Min.

"I don't think he got that his dad was gone." Angel looked down. "But he felt something was wrong."

"He threw long tantrums. He cried. He screamed. He demanded to know where his father was. And then mom snapped. She slammed the door. Later on, Kade came out, cheek red. He looked at me. And you know what he told me?"

"What?" Min's voice was shaking.

Angel laughed humorlessly. "He said... 'mom told me if I didn't shut up, I would be dead like dad too. Angel? Dad is dead?'"

She paused.

"And I could not answer him." Angel whispered. "I could not help him as our mom beat him and twisted him into an obedient doll. Until that year in 8th grade."

"8th grade?" Min breathed.

"I can't tell you that story." Angel wetted her lips again. "Because I don't even know all the details and I don't even want to remember."

"I'm sorry." Min said quietly, looking at her half-eaten biscuit. "We shouldn't have talked—or even started talking..."

"You must know." Angel's voice was shaky but determined. "If you are to love him and he is to love you, then you must know."

"I—"

"I texted him. He will pick you up soon."

"No." Min stood up. "No, I will go home now."

"Min—"

"He does not love me." Min frowned. "And neither do I love him. I must leave."

She turned her heel and left.

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