I wake up to my face being mashed into the pillows, and my alarm clock reading five after ten in the morning. My hair was a frizzled mess and my eyes were still tired. I was sure that it was Tuesday, and I celebrated on the inside of how no one was shouting at me to get ready.
After using the bathroom, I walked to the family room, but I saw that Dad was in the kitchen, snacking on Cheerios.
"Hey," I greeted, rubbing my eyes.
"Hey," he replied. There was a pause before he started talking once again. "So, I've been thinking about what you said," I raise an eyebrow to this — was he about to say what I think he's about to say?
"About. . .?"
"About, you trying to control, the Other Guy," Dad says, placing the Cheerios on the counter. "Are you sure, that if we spend time together, or . . . That if I hang around you, the Other Guy, would see how much I care about you?"
Now this felt awkward to me because it sounded like he was being forced to spend time with me.
"Well, I don't know. Maybe the Other Guy needs to feel how you feel about me too. I mean — he can't be nice to everyone he sees. Am I right?" I say.
Dad shrugged. "You've got a point there." I then raise an eyebrow.
"Like. . . The Other Guy has seen the same people before?"
As if he was practicing, Dad ignored my question. "Hey — um. . . There's something else I need to say," he says, looking like he couldn't even talk. "The real reason, you were sick. . . Was because of this pull, that you and I have."
"A pull?" I ask.
"It's what happens when two people, meaning you and I, are separated for a long period of time. The Gamma Ray has to meet its other half that's been separated — or passed down," Dad gestures to me. "So you and I couldn't be separated for a long time," Dad explains.
"And this didn't happen before I found out about everything because. . .?" I ask, confusion all over my face.
"I don't know." Dad says. "It stopped when you were seven the last time it happened — the only time it happened." As he said that, Dad realized that it probably was the only time we've had this genetic pull occur.
That explains why he'd always pick me up so early from first grade. I was always the first to go at twelve, and I remembered always feeling a bit sick, but then it'd fade away just as I saw Dad when he came to get me.
"I feel bad that you told me. . . Everything." I say to him.
"It's okay," Dad replied, "I couldn't keep the truth from you forever. I just wanted it to go down in a different way." There was a silence as I thought about what he said. Maybe it was going to be a few more years until he told me — maybe even more. If I was more mature than I am now, maybe some things wouldn't have happened.
"Mom did know about this, right? I thought I heard you say that." I say. Dad nodded in reply. At least I wasn't the only person who knew. Unfortunately Mom wasn't here, so I felt pressure onto taking the task at hand. "She must've really loved you." I say, a small smile.
"Why?" Dad snaps. "Because I'm a monster?" My mouth opens in shock as my face flushes white.
"Dad, I swear I didn't mean it like that! I-I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I exclaim as I follow Dad around the little island counter in the middle of the kitchen.
Dad brushed his hair back and sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You're fine." He gripped the side of the table. I watched as his eyes narrowed into sadness and despair that only comes with someone who's been hurt more than once. If anyone deserved to vent, it was Dad. Though I could see a very light shade of green tint at his skin. "Only she could love a monster."
"I love you," I say, "And you're not a monster. You're two different people. And I mean that in fact, not to start anything we can't settle."
Dad nodded in understanding. "I love you too." He didn't look at me when he said it.
As I held back a few emotions, a new, bright and cheerful thought came to mind. "You don't have to hang around me all the time," I say, "What about Dalia? You like her!" The smile on my face turned to a frown faster than the speed of light. Dalia doesn't know about Dad's ego. She doesn't know about the big green monster with big anger issues. If that won't scare away your crush I don't know what will.
Looking over at Dad, I noticed he was smiling.
"What?" I ask.
Dad chuckled, "Nothing."
"C'mon! What is it?" I push. Dad still had a goofy-looking smile on his face.
"I asked Dalia out." he said.
Dad was then trying to calm me down as I ran around the apartment, of course, he failed because he was laughing. I ran out from the hall in full excitement the third time, but this time, I tripped over a ledge we have that has the kitchen and living room on a small platform. I got back up and laughed with Dad who was laughing so hard his face wen red. I went back to the kitchen, where I was probably giving Dad a headache from all the questions I was asking.
"What did she say? Where are you taking her? Oh! Oh! If you stay here you guys could have a movie marathon! — but seriously! — What are you going to do? Ooh! Take her on a walk at night!" I exclaimed.
Dad was chuckling. "She said yes; I don't know; and a walk?"
"Yeah! Like you and I did on your week off, but go to the park. Not so sure an outlet food truck is romantic, but what do I know?" I say. Dad laughed as he shook his head. "Oh my goodness! Call her! Tell her to meet you this Friday!"
Dad chuckled with a big smile on his face. It was the happiest I've ever seen him besides seeing my uncle drunk on Christmas Eve. His smile made me smile because he was happy, and it was all from Dalia.
Then the worst thing possible happened next: his smile turned to a frown.
"What's wrong?" I ask. Dad's brown eyes look up at me. It was my turn to frown, but I felt disappointed rather than sad. I wasn't disappointed in Dad, but his clingy buddy that appeared when Dad became angry. The Other Guy. And Dalia has no idea that something like him exists. I look to Dad to see his hands covering his eyes.
"Have you ever hinted about him to Dalia?" I ask. Hands still covering his eyes, Dad shakes his head. "Maybe we should tell her — "
In seconds Dad looks and sounds frighten as he grabs my arm to get my attention. "NO! — No! Kerry, please you can't!"
"Let go of me!" I cried, tugging at my arm. Dad looked at me, utterly confused. Once he sees his hand on my arm, squeezing and pinching my skin, he lets go.
I get a flashback of when we were back at the lab, and that Dad grabbed my arms when he morphed in to the monster.
"I'm sorry..." he whispers, looking at his hands as if they were replaced with knives.
I didn't want to say it, which made me feel guilty, but I said, "It's fine."
"NO IT'S NOT!" He cried, hitting his fists on the kitchen counter. I jumped back against the sofa, listening in fright with the glasses and utensils on the counter clinking and jumping in the air. Dad clenched his fists and leaned over the table, his eyes shut tight. Slowly, I walked back over to him, and laid my hand on his shoulder. Dad's brown hair was almost covering his tired brown eyes. If Mom knew about this I was thinking if what she would do in a situation like this. Except she was not here, and I have no clue what she would do.
"Dad," I spoke quietly, "we need Dalia to help, she's your coworker, she knows what you're working in and for. She can be a great help." It took Dad almost a minute, but he nodded.
"Alright," I say as I moved away from the counter to the door. If we need Dalia, she should know right now. "You're ok here?" Dad didn't say anything, he just nodded. "Ok." I opened the door and walked out into the hall down a few doors from mine. I reached Dalia's and knocked. Here was my chance to discuss something else as well.
The beautiful brown haired, adorable Dalia opened the door and smiled with the prettiest set of white teeth.
"Hey, Kerry!" She greets.
"What did you do to my Dad?" I giggle nervously.
"What do you mean what did I do?" She asks, giggling.
"He's smiling and laughing! Tell me what happened, no gross details." I joke.
Dalia smiles and laughs, "I don't know what I did!"
"Well you did something!" I laugh.
Dalia finally gives in and says, "I guess I did, it's nice to know the kiss was good." I freeze and shake my head, hoping I heard that correctly.
"Wait. . . You kissed him?" I ask.
"Yeah." Dalia smiles and nervously laughs as she covers her mouth seeing my reaction.
"Oh my God! I think his last kiss was during the Jurassic Era!" I cried. Dalia's cheeks turn pink from all the laughing.
That was a good thing, I got her feeling easy so I could tell her why I was really here.
"Okay, now for my real question." I brush my hair to the side as Dalia looks up at me again, recovering from the laughing. "Can I ask you something kind of personal?"
"Sure," She said, face softening after seeing my face.
"Dad and I need your help," I tell her, "he didn't want to tell you and I told him that I could ask for him. I know what I'm asking for is pretty big and you may not think so right now, but it's important to Dad and I." I pause, wanting to say this right without Dalia thinking otherwise of the problem. "Dad has this problem. A very big problem and I'm helping him out on this too, but he's really in need of help — it's actually related to what he was working on right now! It'd mean a lot to the both of us if you'd help." I explain. I don't think Dalia even thought about it, because the next thing I know she said yes.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Kerry, I like your Dad, very, very much. I'll do anything to help." Dalia said.
"Ok, great, uh...does tomorrow night work?" I asked.
Dalia nodded.
"Ok," I said, "thank you Dalia so much, he'll really need your support."
"No problem." she said with a smile. I turned around to leave, but then quickly stopped.
"Dalia," I said, she turned around looking at me.
"What goes down tomorrow, promise me you'll still like my Dad."
Dalia looked at me. "What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"Just.....you'll see." I replied before making my way back to my apartment.
*********************************************************************************************************
( I gotta change this pic and edit this more but I'll do it later :))