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No, it doesn’t.
Now I know he hadn’t overheard Niko’s entire comment. He had no clue that he wasn’t employed any longer. Maybe it would’ve been easier if Niko would’ve done it. Just I thought the words wouldn’t sound so...harsh coming from me. Either way, I knew telling him was going to be the hard part.
“He...he figured out that I was the one sending the reports, doing your job, for the past month. He was very upset that you hadn’t reached out to him and told him what was going on. He...you...you’re...”
“Fired,” he sighed. I nodded and a tear rolled down my cheek as he came to sit beside me. “It’s okay, Ovi. Don’t cry,” he said, taking my hand in his and giving it a squeeze. “Niko is right. I should’ve reached out to him. I was just in such a bad state that I couldn’t talk to anyone, not even to you. I cannot be angry with him for terminating me.”
“I can be,” I said firmly. “You’ve been so loyal and hardworking all these years. He shouldn’t take this one instance and let you go,” I sniffed. Granted it was a huge issue. I’ve seen the Hendersons terminate people for a lot less.
“You’re thinking like my daughter instead of a business owner. If I were Niko, I would do the same thing. I was his right hand while he was gone building the business. I knew what was expected of me, and I let him down. Let the entire companydown. Leaving, the way I did showed him that he couldn’t count on me. Once that trust was gone, I had no business holding that position anymore.”
His tone and expression weren’t what I expected from him. I wasn’t willing to go as far as to say he looked relieved, but definitely not troubled by this news. Heck, I was more bothered than him. My stomach is doing flips, and my head is pounding.
“Father, you talk as though you’re not surprised by any of this news,” I said. Had he spoken to Almi? Almi promised not to say a word, but they had been friendly for a long time.
“I’ve been gone a month. I can’t believe you were able to pull it off for so long.”
“I would do anything for you.”
He smiled. “I know that, Ovi.”
He still didn’t look as though he was ready to fight to get his job back. I never thought I’d need to convince him to do that. I thought Niko would’ve been the one I would struggle with. I needed to see that it wasn’t just me who believed in him. “So would Almi. Webothknow that you are the one who should be managing the factory,” I said. Niko might have me doing some things at the factory, but I was far from managing it.
“Thanks. I’m glad you both have such confidence in me. But things have changed. Honestly, I never expected that I would return, and everything would go back to normal. How can they? The love of my life is no longer here. I have been in this house for just two days, and I...I am overwhelmed with the memories of the good times we had here, and also...the moment we had to say goodbye, forever.”
How had I missed that? Maybe my happiness in seeing him again had blinded me and I couldn’t see his pain.Maybe I was trying to pretend that everything was okay because I didn't want to deal with my own pain.
I wrapped my arms around him. I needed that hug probably more than he did. “I know. I miss her too.”
We stood hugging for a few more seconds before he pulled back slightly. “So, you understand why I can’t go back to the factory?”
I shook my head. “I think you just need a little more time. I know once Niko sees that he was wrong and gives you your job back, things will get better.” I couldn’t give up hope, even if he had.
He pulled my arms from around him and shook his head. “Ovi, I love you. And I came back to tell you that. To see you before I left again.”
My stomach twisted into a knot. “What do you mean, leave again? You just got back.”
“I know. There were a few things I needed to do.”
Like crush dreams for a happy life?
I know thoughts like that seemed insensitive, but I wasn’t sure my father understood how hard this had all been for me too. Four years were spent caring for my mother. Then she was gone, and I not only missed her but felt as though I had no purpose left. With him back, I would have someone to cook for and care whether I made it home or not. My life wouldn’t feel so...empty.
It wasn’t his leaving that crushed my dreams, I now needed to face the fact that my life was changing once again, and I still hadn’t given thought to what my future was going to look like. Not without my mother, and not without my father.
I hated this. His mind was already made up. I could tell by the look in his eyes. He was stubborn. I knew because I got that trait from him. I hate giving up, but I knew that nothing I said or did was going to change his mind. That didn’t mean I had to like it or agree with his decision.
“Where are you going?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t going to be as far as he did the last time. I still didn’t know exactly where he had been, but I knew it wasn’t Tabiq.
“I’m going to help my friend on his fishing boat. He needs me and honestly, I need him. More than that, I need to be out in the open sea. I cannot stay here in Tabiq any longer.”
Not what I wanted to hear. He wanted to leave the country again. I felt as though I was going to hurl. I needed to be strong so we could discuss this.
“I’m confused. Last night you cooked dinner and we laughed and talked about the old days. I thought you were happy,” I said, choking back tears.Don’t cry. Don’t do it.
He tipped my head up to make me look at him, and said, “My dear daughter, I was happy. Happy to see you. I'm just not happy to be here. This is not my home anymore.”
“Of course, it is. It isourhome. It’s where we’ve lived ever since I was born,” I reminded him. My parents had worked together to build this house when they were first married. My mother told me stories about staying up late at night to get it all done, because in the process of building, they learned they were building more than a house, they were building a family… with me.
