I Want You

Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen
Not The Father She Deserves

Thea's POV
My nails dig deeper into my palms as I stare at the man who single-handedly destroyed my life. But despite my hatred and lack of trust, which is none at all, that I have for him, seeing him safe after all these years takes a small weight off my shoulders. But... my mom.

"Why would she go to you and not me?" I finally ask.

"Legally, we're still married. We never really filed a divorce." He pauses and a raw, pure emotion flashes in his eyes but it's gone before I could decipher it. "They doctors called me."

"Why didn't she divorce you?" I ask through gritted teeth, mad at him and my mom.

This man, he's hurt us so much and she STILL stays married to him.

"I didn't let her. I told her if she did I'd hurt you. But I would never, ever, hurt you, Dolly." Again, the sincere voice.

"I said don't call me that," I growl.

"But Dolly-"

His protest is cut short when 3 boys the size of bears march up behind me. Shawn. Nate. And... Matt?

"She said, don't call her that." A voice that I know for sure belongs to Shawn.

"Who the hell are you guys?"

"My friends." My answer's quick as I turn around to face them. Nate's eyes when I said that, just like my father's, showed a raw emotion but it disappeared quick. Weird.

"Well, Dolly'-"

"Don't call me that."

"'s friends, I'm talking to my daughter. Please leave." He says gently, calmly. Except he doesn't know they know who he really is and what he's done. Well, except Matt. He's just confused.

The boys don't move.

"Dol- Thea, tell them to leave. We need to talk, alone." My father almost begs.

"No. Whatever you have to say to me, they hear too." I turn to the boys with grateful eyes. Shawn returns with a small, understanding smile. Nate's face remains stoic, and Matt seems uninterested and bored.

"Your mom is sick. You know that. But she's very, very, sick. She has at most 2 months, and less if she doesn't get treatment." He explains.

"Well get her some, you guys are married for god's sake." Behind me, I hear Shawn shift uncomfortably at the information.

"I don't have the money, Thea. That's why... That's why I'm here." He looks down at the floor and my anger grows.

"You came back, after all these years, for money?" I try my best to sound strong, but a part of me is so, incredibly, hurt.

"Thea-"

"I think we're all tired. Thea'll find a way. Without you," Nate's deep voice announces.

"I'm her fath-"

"You are NOT the father she deserves. You hear me? You fucked up EVERYTHING. Thea is amazing, she's kind, she's caring, compassionate, incredible. Everyone who knows her would be stupid not to realize that, they all do though." Nate looks at me, as if to ask whether or not I want him to stop. A small smile is all the reassurance he needs.

"But you... her blood. The man who raised her. You laid hands on her. And on your own wife, the mother of your child." He takes a breath, and my father looks stunned.

"Leave." Nate's voice says it's final.

My dad doesn't protest, he grabs his stuff and makes his way out. Shawn whispers something to Matt, and Matt leaves too.

"Matt's making sure your dad leaves." Shawn tells me the moment the door shuts, and the same time Nate goes. "What the hell?"

Gosh, how do I even put this into words for them?