Once upon a time,
a writer easily wove stories of love, passion, and heartache. But then, she faced writer's block, unable to write anymore.
He came into her life like a storm. With his strong presence, her emptiness lessened. Yet, like storms, thin...
As the morning sun peeked through my curtains, breaking the peaceful silence, my phone began to ring. I groggily picked it up to see my dad's name on the caller ID. He was supposed to be home for the weekend, but instead, he said, "I'm not coming. I have some last-minute business things I need to finish."
"That's okay, dad," I replied, trying to sound understanding. "We don't have anything planned, anyway." But that was a lie, a lie to cover up the disappointment that was beginning to feel all too familiar.
My mom had actually planned a nice dinner for us as a family, hoping to have one of these rare moments together after a very long time. Yet, it seemed like my dad's 'work' was always more important than being with us. It's been two months since we last saw him, but at this point, I didn't even care anymore. The hurt had numbed over time when he didn't show up for my birthday for three consecutive years. His absence had become a recurring theme in my life. I didn't know why he kept lying to me; after all, I was not the little girl he could fool anymore.
As I threw my phone onto the bed in frustration, I buried my face in the pillow and let out a scream of exasperation. The clattering of pans in the kitchen signaled my mom's preparation for tonight, a routine she followed whenever my dad announced that he would be coming home. I couldn't understand why she went above and beyond for the man who was unfaithful to her.
Why bother making him a warm dinner when he deserved nothing more than canned food? I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen. My mom was washing chicken under the sink when I walked in. "Dad is not coming," I said, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Some business stuff or whatever."
My mom remained silent, and I wished she would unleash her anger, screaming and throwing cutlery in frustration. But she didn't. Instead, she calmly placed the chicken back in the fridge and wiped her hands off with a towel. "There's leftover macaroni in the fridge."
"I have something for you," Caden said, sitting down next to me as we watched the sun go down. His backyard was the perfect spot for our sunset-watching tradition, complete with wine and chocolate-covered strawberries. This was our special way of connecting and spending quality time together.
"So, your dad is not coming this weekend?" he asked, taking a bite of a strawberry. I nodded, taking a sip of wine. "Yeah, he said he has some last- minute business things to take care of, but we all know what those business things are." Caden knows about my dad's infidelity, not because I kept it a secret, but because I confided in him. No one understands me better than he does. It was Caden who was there for me through all those difficult moments when my dad's absence left a void in my heart.
He knew the pain I felt when my dad missed important milestones in my life, like my graduation and other school events. He witnessed my disappointment every time my dad promised to be there and didn't show up. Caden furrowed his brows, concern evident in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Ella. I know it's tough." I shrugged, not wanting to dwell on it too much. "It's okay. I'm used to it by now." "Well, you shouldn't have to get used to it," he said, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You deserve better." "I don't want to think about it too much right now. Let's talk about something else instead." Caden wiggled his eyebrows at me and said, "So, how about we talk about you and Axel? You guys seemed to hit it off pretty well at Quinton's." I chuckled, grateful for the shift in conversation. "Yeah, we were," I replied, feeling a hint of excitement in my voice. "Axel is really interesting, and we have a lot in common." Caden raised an eyebrow. "Interesting, huh? Tell me more."
It had been three days since I last saw Axel. We had great conversations, and he'd call me every night while texting throughout the day. He was busy with work during the day and spent evenings working on his car.
"Well, he's into cars," I said. "We exchanged playlists, and our taste in music is surprisingly similar...oh and he's street-smart." Caden grinned. "Ah, bonding over music. Classic move." "Hey, it's a good way to connect with someone," I defended. He chuckled. "So, do you like him?" Caden knew how picky I was when it came to dating. And even though I was picky, I somehow always chose the wrong one. "I think so. It's only been three days, though. We get along well," I said, not wanting to jinx anything. These few days had been great, and I had a good feeling about whatever we had going on.
"Well, I have something you'll like," Caden said with a sly smile, making me curious. "Axel wants to see you again. He told Quinton he's interested in you."
A funny feeling bubbled up in my stomach, like butterflies. "He told Quinton that?" I couldn't help but smile. Caden nodded. "Yup." "Why didn't he tell me directly?" "He's a bit shy, you know?" Shy? I wasn't so sure. Or maybe he was shy, but not when he was talking to me.
"I would love to see him, too," I sighed dreamily, drawing a bittersweet comparison between Axel's interest in me and my dad's consistent absence in my life.
