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He never looked back, never called, not until she died.
I wanted to forgive him, I was ready to forgive him and take him back, but then he walked out of my life once again.
After that, I swore I would never let anybody else have so much power over me to hurt me over and over again.
Then why are you here, huh?
“You know why I left. I couldn’t deal with…”
“You couldn’t deal?” I interrupt him, my voice hitching to the point heads start to turn our way. “Youcouldn’t deal? Is this a joke now?”
“You know how much I loved your mother. I couldn’t watch her die.”
“You left before she got her terminal diagnosis!” I hiss. Leaning against the table, I point my finger at him. “Don’t you dare talk to me about love. You didn’t leave because of anything else but your own selfishness, so don’t you dare put this on her.”
He extends his hand, placing it over mine. “Jade…”
I flinch back, pulling it out of his reach. “No. You don’t get to Jade-me. I’m not a vulnerable little girl who just wants her family back. Not any longer,Dad. It was your choice to stay back…”
“Because I wasn’t doing well, Jadie. I was in a really bad headspace…”
“Oh, and I wasn’t? Do you think my life was all roses and giggles two years ago? I was there with her day in and day out. I watched herdiebefore my very eyes, so don’t you dare tell me you’re the only one who had it bad. Don’t you dare tell me you’re the only one who loved her. I needed her more than you did.”
I still do, but she’s gone and not coming back. And there is nobody I can ask for help that’ll understand. Not like she did.
Tears prickle my eyes, and my throat tightens as I struggle to breathe. I try to suck in a breath, but I can’t.
“Jade…”
“No.” I shake my head, pushing the thoughts of Mom out of my head and shoving them back in the little box at the back of my mind. “What do you want? Why are you here?”
After all, that’s why we’re here. He wants something, and I have to listen so he can go back to wherever the fuck he came from and leave my life in peace.
“Well,” Dad lowers his gaze, his fingers gripping the glass so hard his knuckles have turned white. “The last year has been really hard and…”
I snort, “You think you’re the only one?”
He looks at me, his lips pressed in a tight line. “The company is bankrupt, Jade. I’ve lost everything.”
I watch him for a moment, the puzzle pieces finally falling into place. “You want money.”
“I need help to get to my feet. Just a…”
I shake my head, letting out a humorless chuckle. “You’re actually asking for money. You’re despicable.” Abruptly, I push to my feet. “I’m done here. Don’t bother calling or texting again. Because the next time, I will let you call Nixon, and we both know how that’ll go once he finds out what you want.”
Without another look at my father, I turn my back to him and walk away without an ounce of remorse.
My heart is beating a mile a minute, my chest rising and falling rapidly. The door closes shut behind me with a loudbangas I start walking back toward campus. Since I didn’t have my car, I took an Uber here, but I was too angry and agitated to wait for a car to get here and risk my father going after me.
Who does he think he is? Coming back out of nowhere and throwing demands at me left and right? Threatening me with Nixon? Asking for money?Money,of all things! Not to reconcile, not to ask how we’re doing. He wants money.
Screw him.
I’m so done with allowing men to come into my life and disrupt everything I’ve worked so hard to rebuild. I’m done.
With the back of my hand, I wipe away the tears from my cheeks.
Just… done.
