Free Determination by Angela B. Macala-Guajardo Page A

things, and they felt unnaturally heavy. She had to use her superhuman strength to lift them high enough off his calves so she could wrap his hands in hers.
    Dad jerked his head and raised his despairing gaze. Their eyes met for a heartbeat before he bowed his head again.
    “Look at me, Dad,” Roxie said as gently and soothingly as she could manage while her heart broke anew. She’d been hoping to be the child, a daughter for once, but here she was playing the parental role for her own father. She felt disappointed. Still, if she could get just a smile out of him, this meeting would be worth the pain. Her father met her gaze again. “I love you. I always have and always will. I don’t hate you for dying in that car accident. You were just trying to get to the hospital so you could be there for me and mom.”
    “But what about me not being there for you all your life?”
    “It can’t be undone. Yes, I missed you. Yes, I would have loved for you to be there. It does leave a hole in my heart, but they aren’t valid reasons to hate you. I know you would’ve been a wonderful dad if you’d had the chance.” As cheesy as it may have sounded, she believed what she said. The way Grandma had talked about Dad, and the way he was acting now, it was plain that him being a father would’ve brought them both immeasurable happiness. “Please listen to me. I truly love you and want you to be able to move on.”
    Dad took one of Roxie’s hands in both of his and began gently rubbing, whether to soothe her or himself she wasn’t sure, but at least it felt more like a father-daughter interaction. “I believe you but I don’t understand why you don’t hate me.”
    “Because you’re my dad. Every daughter needs her father.” Tears pushed their way to the forefront and blurred her vision. She took steadying breaths and forced herself to be strong for them both. “And besides, you’re only human. You made a mistake. That’s all. I forgive you for it, and I’m sure mom does, too.”
    Dad broke into tears and pulled Roxie into a tight hug. She had to rise to a kneel so the awkward angle wouldn’t strain her back and Dad sputtered a mix of apologies and thanks between sobs. Roxie rubbed his back as she gently parried his apologies, yet accepted his gratitude as tears tried to push through again. His crying tempted her to cry as well. She ignored having superhuman strength and hugged him as hard as she could. To her relief, he was indifferent to her strength.
    It felt like days had passed by the time Dad’s sobs finally ebbed and he let go. She sat on her heels as her father wiped away his tears. Her arms ached, and so did her heart. He got to his feet. Roxie stood with him, hoping her father’s internal turmoil had been eased. To her surprise, he rewarded her with a tired smile.
    “I apologize for all my tears and unhappiness, Roxie.”
    Roxie tried to interject, but he held up a hand.
    “You’ve given me a chance to be there for you, but all I did was fall apart. That was wrong of me. I won’t do it again. I’m not sure what to do now, though. I want to be there for you but at the same time I feel my personal journey tugging at me.” He looked at his Numina. “Asiyah, what should I do?”
    Asiyah turned to Sekiro. “Where are you taking her?”
    Sekiro grimaced. “I have to take her to Thanatos once she’s ready. He already knows she’s here. Hopefully he’ll help her get back to the living.”
    “That’s quite the gamble.”
    She nodded. “We have no choice, and probably no other way to get her out.”
    “Mm. I wish you luck.”
    “Who’s Thanatos?” Roxie asked.
    “God of the dead,” Sekiro said. “That big black shadow thing was a manifestation of his being.”
    Asiyah turned back to Dad. “Charles, it would be wiser for you to return to your path, but if you wish to spend some time with your daughter, I can’t see the harm in it. You have, after all, never spent time together until now.”
    Dad