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Once everything is packed on Thursday night, I know that burning question is lingering in the air. I take the stairs quickly down to Dad’s office and knock on his door. On hearing him grunt his reply, I enter, leaving the door ajar behind me just in case I need to make a quick getaway.
“Emily, what’s wrong?” he glances up but doesn’t give me his full attention.
“Well, I leave for university tomorrow and I was wondering if I could get a lift there. I have a lot of stuff to take and I’m never going to survive on the train with it all.”
“Emily, you are dramatic, what do you want me to do?” He lifts his head this time and looks at me, his brows pinch, and his face reddens. He looks tired. It’s the first time I’ve seen him properly in a couple of days. I envy girls that have a good relationship with their fathers. I’d love that.
“I’d like a lift.” I repeat. “I was thinking maybe you could take me?” my voice timid as I ask. I already know what the answer will be though. “Me? Emily, I’m way too busy to take a road trip to Oxford.”Knew it.His head shakes in disbelief like I’ve asked him to buy me the world. But the irony of it is, I never ask for anything.
My teeth grit. “How do you expect me to get there then?”
“Your problem. You wanted to be the big adult, go off to university and become someone else. I’m sure you can figure this out.” A huff escapes his lips as his head dips again.
“That is so not fair.” Tears prick at my eyes.“I wanted to go to university to be my own person, but you make out like I’m betraying you. Just because I don’t want to be like you. Why is that so hard to understand?” My body tenses, my temper rising. “How about you’re betraying me for not letting me be my own person. I don't want to take over the business. I know nothing about stocks and crap. I don’t know about shitty mergers either and, I have no bloody idea about the companies you buy. That’s your thing and Troy’s, not mine. I want to paint. I want a gallery someday.”I try to keep my voice even, but it rises a pitch higher.
He lifts his eyes to mine again, a scowl screwing up his already stern looking face, “I’ve told you more than once Emily, it’s a pipe dream, this,” his hand whirls around him as his voice rises, “this is what matters. Your legacy. If you don’t accept it, you’ll get nothing from me.”
“Dad! You can’t do that. You haven’t even seen what I can do. I’m good.” I’m so sick of this same argument. “Argh!” A frustrated growl comes from me. “Just take a look at least, I can fetch them for you now.” He turns his gaze back to the paperwork in front of him, now he’s ignoring me. Just great. I look around me, my eyes taking in this whole set up. A stuffy office, eyes sunken into his head, stress plain and clear on his face… why would I want that? And as my gaze catches the gap in the door, I see Troy. My head snaps back to Dad. “Troy has seen my paintings.”
I move toward the door opening it fully. “Please will you tell my father that you’ve seen them, and you agree that I should follow my heart.”
“Well?” Dad asks Troy. His gaze flickers nervously between me and my dad.
looking like he’s been put on a hotspot. “I have no idea what Emily's talking about, Mr Lancaster.”
With my stare fixed and glaring right through the man that I thought loved me, I feel a knife slice slowly through my heart. How can he do that to me? He shoves his hands into the pockets of his suit trousers and rocks on his heels. I push back my tears; I will not cry. There is no way I’ll give either of them the satisfaction.
“That’ll be all, Troy.” Dad says eerily quiet. Troy looks my way, but I don’t meet his eyes. I’m done.
The next morning I’m up bright and early, showered and down to eat breakfast before anyone else is about. Other than Rose of course. She always leaves for her daughters about lunchtime, so she’s up at around five to have everything to hand for Dad. I smell the goodness as pass the kitchen, knowing that I’ll find her cooking up a feast.
“Hang on there, lady. Come in here.” My eyebrows pull together and I stop, she’s the only one that I have any time for anymore. I actually cried myself to sleep last night after the altercation with my dad, and Troy betraying me. But hey, I can look after myself from now on. “Sit yourself down.”Rose commands softly.
“Why?” I whine, “I need to get everything ready.” I try to get her to let me leave but it’s no good.
“That’ll wait a little longer. Sit.” She commands and as I take a seat at the table, she places a cup of coffee down in front of me and then a full English follows as she sets down the plate. The smell of bacon wafts up my nose, making my tummy rumble with hunger.
“You didn’t have to do this.” I say picking up my cutlery ready to tuck in.
“No and I knew if I’d asked, you’d have said no. So, get stuck in. I won’t let you leave here without a full belly. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
She almost looks smug, but I let her have that and I smile back gratefully, popping the first piece of bacon in my mouth and moaning through my thanks. She rubs my shoulder as she passes me and leaves me to it. I soon make my way through the rest of it. By the time she comes back I’m halfway down my coffee and have an empty plate.
Once I’m done, I put the plate on the counter and hug Rose. She’s been like a mother to me for the last two years and I can’t thank or love her more. I say my goodbyes to her with tears running from my eyes like a stream, then run upstairs to grab my things once I’ve ordered a cab.
As I drag my case from my room I make my way to the stairs, knowing that I’ll need to make two or three trips with all the stuff I have here. I’m taking my pillow and duvet from my bed. I’d like to say home comforts but it’s more my comforts. I leave everything at the stop of the stairs and start taking everything down, as much as I can hold at one time anyway. I make my way back up the stairs, but as I lift my head, I see Troy. “Let me help you with your things.”
“No thanks.” I pick up my rucksack that holds my laptop, iPad, and my chargers, plus some of my other valuables and go back down placing it by the front door.
He follows me down with both of my cases, obviously not listening to me. And I huff out an angry breath. “I said no thanks.”
“Don't be so stubborn. I’m not going to let you struggle with your luggage.” He sounds like he almost cares, but I know better.
“Why not? Don’t make out like you care.”I huff.
He grabs my arm softly, “You know I do.” He grunts, then looks around him.
“No, you don’t.” I bite back louder, shrugging out of his grip and run back up the stairs, grabbing my last bag. “Just leave me alone, Troy. In fact, I never, EVER, want to see you again.” I know I’m loud, but I’m past caring now. “I mean how could you do that?” I ask myself as much as I ask him, but there’s no answer from either one of us. As I step from the last step and my feet hit firm ground, I grab my cases, one in each hand and start for the door. Stopping suddenly, I know I can’t go without saying my piece. I whirl around, poking my finger in his chest, “First you treat me like nothing after you have sex with me twice, and told me that you loved me…”
