Vibrations were tickling my stomach and made my eyes slowly pry open to darkness. Again I felt the buzzing and finally realized that it was my phone.
I dug it out from under me and saw a few texts from Nova.
Kiana just made me some brownies and I ate them. You know I hate brownies.
Why am I seeing you on the news?
How did you become famous in less than a day?
As I was texting back I felt Vincent's arm slip around my hip and his nose skim my shoulder.
At least he was sleeping.
After sending a short and wishful text back to Nova, I put my hand over Vincent's and dozed off again.
The next time I woke up it was to an empty bed and the smell of coffee. Since our appointment was early, I rolled out of bed to tie my hair into a low puff with my scarf and throw some clothes on.
We were soon sitting in a room with beige walls and three green love seats waiting for my father to arrive.
"Nervous?"
Vincent put his hand on top of my bouncing knee. He was well rested and alert to everything happening around him.
"Just anxious. I haven't seen him in a while."
When Dad first went to jail, I saw him every week for the first few months; and then every week turned into every other month. Then visits were once a year, until I couldn't bring myself to see his face behind bulletproof glass and under fluorescent light.
My eyes were glued to the door frame when I saw him slug through in mint scrubs with a guard following close behind him.
His beard was coated in gray and and black while his head was shaved.
His handcuffs and feet cuffs jingled as he made his way over to the empty love seat, but he wasn't looking at me.
His sights were for Vincent.
"Oh great," Dad huffed as he sat down. "Of course you found her."
"It's not what you think." Vincent quickly defended himself as he sat up to stand his ground.
"What am I supposed to think? Like father like son-"
"No!" Vincent cried in a hush tone and I saw the guard shift on his feet. "I'm nothing like him, and you know that. I would never do what he did to you to Amari."
Dad's eyes scanned my face and he scrunched his mouth in vexation.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that you haven't continued the experiment and passed it on to my daughter."
Vincent huffed out a strangled breath and put his head in his hands.
"Excuse me if I'm a bit lost but what's going on?"
They most definitely knew each other, and they was more personal than I thought they were.
"Can you leave us?" Vincent asked the guard who was tuning into the conversation.
"Sorry sir, but I can't do that."
Vincent got up to give the guard a big bill and he found his way out and closed the door behind him.
"Passaretti money can pay for anything," Dad mumbled while shaking his head. "How did you two meet?"
"I was an assistant on a set that he worked on," I said.
Vincent and I shared a look so we both knew that we were going to hide the real reason I took the job.
"Wait. You're not living in Italy anymore?" Dad's eyes squinted in confusion.
"Violet and I ran away shortly after you were sentenced. We knew our father was a monster and I wanted to make things right. It's taken years of work, but I think I can get you out of here."
My head turned quickly to Vincent who was serious and sincere. I like how no one had yet to explain anything.
"Yeah right," Dad bluffed.
"Can someone explain? Please," I begged with irritation lacing my words.
"Your father was framed by my father. Ronnie found out about another secret experiment he was conducting and he threatened to go to the police. My dad made it there first."
"What experiment?"
"Leonardo Passaretti was burying people alive after giving them a serum that was supposed to bring them back to life once they lost oxygen." Dad scratched his neck while shaking his head.
So he was the monster.
My chest felt lighter. Everything started to click.
The nights Dad would come home stumbling in the darkness. The many occasions where Mom had to kick him out. The night I found out Mom was pregnant.
"When I traded in my saxophone for a construction uniform, I did it so I wouldn't be touring but instead spending time with my family. I made the decisions I did for the baby, your mother, and you." Dad scooted his chair closer to mine. "Vincent's father said that stress was a side effect to the experiments he was conducting; which includes drinking and doing drugs. I'm not even sure if I believe that but I want to because whenever I thought of hurting you or your mother I- I hated that feeling."
"Do you know that I hated you all these years? I blamed you for mom's death. I saw the bags in the back of her car, she was running. I assumed it was from you," I said.
"Oh honey." Dad scooted closer and grabbed my hand. "Your mother knew about the Passaretti's and arranged for us to move across the border when Leonardo threatened us. We were all running. That was until...she passed."
I had so many questions but I knew we didn't have enough time for all of them.
"You said you can get him out?" I asked Vincent.
"Yes, but it isn't going to be easy. The judge knows that you've had previous DUI's and the fact that you had to be transferred to a rehab won't benefit your case. However, there is a way I can pin this all on my father."
"I'm glad you and Violet got out boy." Dad patted Vincent's shoulder twice. "Maybe you can bring her up here one day? I'd love to catch up."
"Of course." Vincent smiled quick and gave him a pat also.
My mouth was glued shut because I didn't know what to say next or do. The man in front of me had been mentally distant for years and now he feeds me all this information that I had no idea how to digest.
I once said that this man hadn't asked me how my day was since he went to jail.
"How's school? Jaden told me that you're majoring in theater," he mentioned and I nodded in response. "Your mother would be so proud. I know I am."
For the first time in a long time I saw the man who raised me. The man who would sit me in the best seats in the house at his shows because I was his lucky charm.
This man raised me, but was he-
"Are you my birth father?"
He folded his lips and closed his eyes. Tears melted down his face like wax on a candle and he ran his hand over his cheeks.
"Yes, Amari, I am your dad. That day I called you I was lucid. Leonardo had been sending me antidotes for the serum that he originally had given me which was why I would ask you or Jaden for money to pay for it. It was supposed to slow down my intake of alcohol and drugs, but he tricked me and the antidote was basically the same serum he'd been giving me all along.
I was off the rails and I said things that I didn't mean in that phone call."
"Then what did you mean?" I questioned with my hand in a fist to my side.
"He was trying to break up our family. Once Leonardo found out that your mother knew about his experiments, his plan was to turn me against her. He knew if I was stressed that I would turn to him again. That bastard!" Dad had his head in his hands and I turned to Vincent who was looking anywhere but at me.
"What did he do?"
"He sent one of his capos to rape your mother. The baby she was having wasn't mine."
My nostrils flared in anger and my lips trembled.
"He wanted to make it look like Mom was cheating?" I asked through gritted teeth and Dad ran his hands over his head even harsher. "I'm gonna kill-"
Vincent put his hand on my knee since it began to shake again, and this time it wasn't out of nervousness.
"We're going to make this right. For you and your family, Ronnie. Even if it kills me." Vincent reassured us both while standing up. "We will be meeting again soon. I'll give you two some time alone."
Vincent shook my dad's hand and squeezed my shoulder before leaving the room.
For a few moments there was silence but I couldn't contain myself anymore. I got up and threw my arms around Dad.
When I felt the familiar squeeze from him and his hand cradling my head I knew I was home. Mom always reminded us that home was never a city, town, or country. Home was where her heart was.
And my dad was my heart.
"So are you and Vincent a thing?"
I laughed into his shoulder and held him tighter. I never wanted to let him go ever again.