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“Before today?”
“I mean, she’s reached out a few times since I’ve been here with you.”
I close my eyes as my anger starts to rise. It is only the touch of her hand reaching across the space to take mine, she squeezes it lightly, and I feel my anger subside.
“She means no harm, Dad. You really should talk to her to hear her story.”
“You know where she is?” I ask.
“No.”
“Grace, don't lie to me.”
“Dad I am not lying. She reaches out to me every once in a while. I don’t know where she physically is. Can you eat your food before it gets cold and chill?” She digs into her pile of eggs before she puts a squirt of hot sauce on them.
Like father, like child.
She reaches out and hands me my fork and nudges the cup of fresh-squeezed O.J. in my direction. I glance at her one more time, wanting to get more information, but not wanting to push the issue, or she would close up on me. I begin to savor the taste that bursts in my mouth. My daughter may only be fourteen, but she is one hell of a cook. She is also smart as a whip. I don't know if she's lying to me or not and I don't want to call my daughter a liar. But I swear to God the way she's looking at me, I know she isn’t telling me the full truth. This is something I need to talk to Claire about because after today’s escapade, I wouldn’t be surprised if she isn’t in on this with them.
After stuffing my face with the feast she prepared, I opt to take a quick nap to renew my mind and body. When I wake a few hours later, I catch Grace on the phone again and I feel like Tamryn’s presence has been in this space.
“Grace, who are you talking to?”
“Dad, oh my God, you scared me.”
“My question still remains. Who are you on the phone with?”
“No one!”
Fire is burning from the inside out. I don't want to rage, but I know something is going on that I don't know about. I don't like it. I never thought my daughter would lie to me but she is.
“Grace, tell me the truth now!”
“Dad, you are such a buzzkill. Can you back off!” She turns on me, and I see a familiar fire burning in her eyes, one that I’ve only see burn in my eyes.
Jesus, please don’t let this curse have a hold of my sweet, saving Grace.
I can not have her resent me the same way I resented my father though at this age. I can’t lose her.
She can help you, Phoe don’t push her away.
I can hear the voice and know it’s my mother. I look around but no one else is in the room but my daughter and me.
I steady my voice before I speak again, ignoring the voice of my mother in my head. “Grace just tell me who you were talking to.”
“Why, Dad? Are you gonna get all angry again, make fire rain down and banish me from the room like you did earlier today?”
“Don't try me.”
“I can disappear too, try it Dad!”
I don't know where it came from, but her words cause a boil over in me, and the fire I feel overtakes me. I want to burn this house down. She has never talked to me like this before, and now that Tamryn is back in the picture, our daughter disrespects me?
“How dare you talk to me in this manner, when I have been here for you all this time! You take her side, Grace?” I hold out a hand at her, and I feel the fire in my fingertips. Before I can do anything further I see a flash in our home and I blink. When the light dissipates I look around the room and Grace is gone. I did not send her anywhere as I did before, so where did she go?
“Grace!” I call. God in heaven let her be safe. “Grace!” I scream again.
I run to her room and look in the living room. The house is empty, and the dog is looking at me like I am crazy, running around the house. I know she is talking to her mother. That is the last person I want her talking to, and I’m wondering if she is with her now. I pick up my cell phone to call Claire. Maybe she has some ideas of where Grace disappeared. As I pick it up the phone, it buzzes in my hand, and the name of the one person I never expected to see is flashing across my caller I.D.
A person I considered an enemy for most of my life is calling me.
“What the hell do you want?” I bark into the phone. “Now is not a good time.”
“Well, my-my. Hello to you too, brother,” Lev says.
Fuck. It’s my brother Pride.
To be continued…
