Free Worth The Risk by Natalie Dieudonné

stubborn, sweetpea.” Well she was definitely right about that. Memories of my earlier argument with my father invaded mind. I didn’t want to rehash all that pain.
    Damien released my hand to wrap it around my hip, having me face him. He stroked my cheek and looked into my eyes searching them. “I think its a good idea to talk to him. The anger he had earlier may be gone now. Now he’s just worried about his daughter.” The wisdom in his words reminded me of his age, as his personality often made me forget. “Don’t worry I’m here baby.” He kissed me gently and encouragingly pushed me to go find my father.
      As I walked to my father’s office my hands began to sweat. The courage I mysteriously inquired earlier had seemed to magically disappear in that moment. I was still filled with anger and fear. My father’s hurtful words still burned me to the core. He had never blatantly hurt me like that before. And the fear of losing Damien, was like a chain wrapped around my neck slowly tightening. I had finally found the missing piece to make me complete in Damien, giving that up was out of the question.
    I paused at the door of my father’s office with my hand on the knob. I took a deep breath trying to call back that courage I had before, and exhaled to release the tension and fear. I knocked twice then opened the door to find my father distantly staring out the window. I gently closed the door behind me and took a seat in the chair in front of the desk.
    “Father can we talk?” He turned to look at me and the sadness and guilt in his eyes was evident.
    “I didn’t think you were coming back. I thought I had lost you too. I don’t want to lose you Catalina,” he said softly.
    “Oh Dad, I don’t want to lose you either. But you need to accept that Damien is in my life, that’s not going to change. But I do want our relationship to change. I want you to be happy.” He moved to my side, knelt beside me, and took hold of my hand. I could feel the regret pouring out of him. I knew he was really trying to make amends.
    “I want you to be happy as well Catalina. I’m sorry for pushing you away all these years and I’m sorry for all the hurtful things I said to you earlier. I’ve been taking my pain of the lost of your mother out on you. You look and act so much like her. I miss her so much.” I could see the pain in his face and hear the sadness in his voice, which caused me to start shedding tears
    “I know. I miss her too. I tried my best to not look like her,” I sobbed.
    “Yeah I remember the red hair fiasco,” he chuckled.
    “I thought it would help at least a little,” I giggled.
    He wiped the tears from my cheek, “Your mother will always be a part of you and that’s the way it ought to be.” He pulled me into his arms abruptly and hugged me so tightly it almost hurt. “I love you Catalina” My heart skipped a beat hearing those words. It had been so long since I’d heard him express any type of affection or emotion towards me.
    “I love you too dad.” He gently pulled away from me, looking at me with so much love in his eyes. The man that stood before me was the man that was my hero as a child; the man my father was slowly returning to.
    “Its nice to hear you call me Dad again. Father is so formal. You’re going to make this old man cry,” he laughed.
    “Well you’re going to have to pull yourself together because Damien is here for dinner.” His face grew dark for a second. “Dad please be nice.”
    “I will be, but I’m still going to grill him and find out his intentions. Now, give this old man fifteen minutes to freshen up and pull himself together. I might have to go get my shotgun too.”
    “Dad!”
    “I’m just kidding.” He laughed.
    “You better be.” I smiled and headed for the door. I left the room feeling so successful and relieved. The future was looking bright for my father and I.
    I walked back into the sitting room to find Damien staring out the window.