AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Here goes…
Nausea waves in my stomach, but I have to ignore it to get this out.
“Has Aria said anything to you about me?” I ask quietly.
“Hmm, no, not really, why? Should she have?”
“Well, um, she doesn’t like me.” My heart is palpitating from having to say this. I hate that I have to bring up a negative thing about his daughter. It’s not a nice feeling, and it’s probably why I’m feeling so sick.
“No. No way. She does,” he says, brushing it off.
“Has she said that?” I ask.
He grows silent for a beat. The silence is not helping my racing heart that’s skyrocketing with nerves. Then finally, he sighs. “Well, not in those words, but she hasn’t said she dislikes you.”
I take a deep breath. “Well, anytime you’re not around, she makes comments.”
“What do you mean, she makes comments? Like what?”
“Rude ones. I don’t want to bring this up to you, but it’s not getting any better, and I don’t think I can go on…” My voice cracks on the last word, and my eyes blink rapidly, stopping the tears that want to leak.
The memory of Aria’s hurt-filled eyes flash in my mind, and it plays push and pull with my emotions, reminding me why I am doing this.
“You can’t go on with?” he questions.
“Us,” I whisper. As if whispering will help it hurt less. But the tears I’ve been holding back run down my cheeks.
The line is now dead silent, and I can only hear my heartbeat in my ears.
“Because of how she treats you,” he says after what feels like forever.
A part of me wants to retract and take it back, but the other side of me knows I need to stand my ground. I brush my cheeks and clear my throat, not wanting to sound how I feel—heartbroken.
“Yes. She obviously isn’t as accepting of me as you think,” I say quietly.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” He sounds utterly defeated. “What did she say?”
“No, don’t be sorry. But I don’t want to go into specifics because that’s not nice either. I think she needs some more time or a deep conversation with you. I don’t know, but something isn’t working, and I need to take a step back while you work on it.”
He takes a big breath. “I wish you didn’t have to, but you’re right; something isn’t right if she’s lashing out at you. None of this is your fault.” The sadness in his tone makes my chin tremble, my face growing wet with fresh tears.
A half smile hits my mouth at his kind words. Always so caring and thoughtful when he doesn’t have to be. “I know, and this sucks. But you’re such a wonderful father. She is so lucky to have you. I didn’t have one growing up; he definitely didn’t care about how I felt and how much pain I was in. So be the dad you are, and I’ll be here when she’s ready.”
“You’re so beautiful to put my daughter before yourself. You don’t know what that means to me. But it’s not forever. I can’t lose you now. We’ve only just started.”
I hope not.
“It can’t be the end. We have a to-do list to check off together,” I say, trying to ease the pain we are both feeling. I wish I could hug him right now and hear those words in person.
“Yes, the list. We have our list.”
I have to go before I sob and make things worse for him.
“I better go,” I croak.
“Okay,Bella.”
I hang up and stare at the phone for a beat.
