Problems of an Invisible Girl

Chapter 50

To the dismay of the younger generation, who wasn't used to physical labor, the hard work started the very next day. To say that it wasn't what they expected would be an understatement.

They thought it would be difficult, they thought it would be very difficult, but it never occurred to them that it would be so difficult that they would crash immediately after work and fall asleep until the next day. Of course, the next day more hard work was done and it was a cycle that they never thought they would find themselves in.

All of their muscles ached more than they thought possible, and they learned that they had some muscles they were not aware of until the pain revealed them. It was the most difficult thing for their generally fragile bodies to get used to.

After all, they were city children, and they were more accustomed to intellectual work then they were to physical. It was the biggest challenge of their lives, but they didn't give up.

While the adults were making the necessary preparations for building the house, the youngsters were doing their best to keep up with the chores. It wasn't easy, but they were determined and after some time it became less difficult.

It was easier for Nat to adjust to the hard work since he had more strength and was physically more fit than the girls. However, he did have problems with getting up at the break of dawn to be able to finish up all the farm work.

Although it was hard work, Rina enjoyed spending time with the animals She was always the first one to do anything that involved the animals while Nat and Serena preferred to do other tasks such as taking care of the plants. Serena was fascinated by all the different plants and different ways of taking care of them, but she also found the physical work to be the perfect way to avoid facing her father.

At first, she wasn't sure why she was avoiding him, but soon enough, she realized that she was scared. She was scared that he might not like what he sees in her, that he would be disappointed in her if he got to know her.

Even though she knew it made no sense, that she was losing precious time she could have spent with him, she couldn't help it. Somehow, the fact that he seemed to have a strict personality made it more difficult for her to connect with him.

It was easy for Serena to connect with her mother since Caroline was so emotional, and she simply bathed one in love. However, Jack seemed more similar to Serena, he didn't often show his emotions, and Serena was unsure what he thought of her.

Was he happy that he had two daughters? Did he want a son? Did he think it was her duty to protect Rina and she failed? Those were just some of the questions that kept popping up in her mind at worst possible moments.

Still, she was aware that she couldn't avoid him forever, which she might have tried if it hadn't been for Rina. Her sister was opening up more and more, and since she was no longer invisible and was respected, it made her more prone to giving opinions and advice. Serena appreciated that more than she wanted to admit.

"Serena, you really should go and talk with dad. Get to know him better. Soon enough, we will be living in the same house, and it will get awkward very soon if you keep trying to avoid him." Rina said.

"I know, I know but I have no idea how to approach him. What should I say?" Serena asked.

"Start with something simple. Ask him how the preparations for the new house are going, anything that would keep the two of you talking. You don't have to talk about anything deep, he is not into that either, just talk." Rina said.

Listening to Rina's advice seemed like the best option, and surprisingly enough the next day an opportunity presented itself. It was as if she was receiving signs from many different places that she should talk with her father.

"Serena, dear, would you mind taking your dad his breakfast? There is a goat that is acting a bit odd, I think it will be giving birth any moment now, so I don't have the time." Zizi told her.

"Of course," Serena replied.

If she was being honest with herself, she wasn't planning on facing her father so soon, but she responded automatically and there was no going back. Besides, Rina had a point, she better do it now, if she waited any longer it would just get more awkward.

She knocked on the door weakly hoping he wouldn't hear her and she would have an excuse to walk away.

"Come in!" Jack said immediately.

She slowly opened the door with the tray in her hand and cautiously made her way towards her father. There were two reasons for her slow progression. Trying not to spill the glass of milk that was on the tray and trying to postpone talking with her father.

"Serena! What a surprise!" Jack said.

"I brought you breakfast." She said.

Her voice was barely audible and her hands were starting to shake so she quickly put the tray down on the small table next to her father.

"So..." Serena started.

She was planning on asking about the house or the weather, but her father interrupted.

"So are you done avoiding me?" Jack asked.

"I wasn't..." She started to say.

It was obvious to Jack that she was scared, and it broke his heart that his own daughter would be scared of him. Still, he understood that they didn't know each other, that what he said might have sounded like a judgment.

"It's okay. I understand. You don't know me, and talking with me feels awkward. That's perfectly normal, but avoiding me is not a solution. If anything, I am hoping that we can be friends, that we can talk things through. Would that be okay with you?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I guess that sounds fair," Serena replied.

"Now, if we are to be friends you need to tell me something about yourself, about your life, maybe your childhood. How about that?" Jack asked cautiously.

"Only if you tell me about you, about you and mom," Serena said.

"Yes, that sounds fair. We have ourselves a deal." Jack said.

As he said that he offered his hand, and they shook hands to seal the deal. It was the strangest interaction that Serena had had, but also the most precious.

That was all it took for Serena to start telling Jack her life story. There was something about him that made her feel relaxed, that she didn't notice before. It was as if she could tell him everything and it would be okay.

He listened to what she had to stay with such patience and devotion that Serena felt as if she mattered more than she thought possible. People rarely listened carefully to what she had to say, especially adults, but Jack was there, he was listening, and it was all she ever wanted from the foster parents that she had been with, but never got.

Jack on his part seemed entranced by the story, he was getting to know his daughter and it was what he had wanted for the longest time. Finally, he had his family back, and he planned on never separating with them.

Whether he needed to fight enemies, sickness, wounds, he knew he could do it, just to stay by their side. Just to see the small lights going off in Serena's eyes when she talked about some of the rare, happy moments she had. His family was worth the fight. He promised himself that he would do anything it took to keep them safe.

Well, safe from danger not from physical labor since all too soon Serena had to go and finish her chores, but he was happy that she finally stopped avoiding him. They were one step closer to being a father and daughter that he wanted them to be.