Amidst Enemies

CHAPTER FIVE

Sunday starts with an online Church service, more than anything I believe in God and his grace upon my life even through my sinful ways as a drunk.

Then there's breakfast and now, it's time to talk to my dad as it's our common routine to communicate on every Sunday afternoon, just right we get our Daddy and daughter time even from miles away.
Growing up, my family and I moved a lot, because of the nature of my dad's job, a very workaholic CEO who opened so many branches of his Graham Architectural Enterprise across the world. He's one motivated and career-driven person which my mum never appreciated, so she left when I was just five years.
Twice sometimes thrice in a year, we moved to different places which resulted me into never making friends in the places we stay because I already know, it's only temporary, I rarely attended school like the rest of the kids, but I got homeschooled and did pretty well academically.
I really hated my mum for so many reasons, top ones are leaving our family and mostly not putting up a fight for me. There was no custody battle during their divorce and I never understood why until when I was Eight, I overheard Ryan and dad talking, he informed him of my mother marrying someone whom she'd been dating before leaving, dad never had the guts to tell me what she did.

Later on, things for us became harder because he was struggling with depression, while she's somewhere off blissfully married and totally abandoning her first family. Right after he got the news, for a couple of weeks, he became sad and avoided people and work altogether, I could literally almost see him falling apart.

So, here's another reason why I hated Lorraine, my mother.

Barely Eight years old, I took up her responsibility in taking care of who used to be her husband, my dad, by helping him through his devastation with both me and Ryan by his side.
After months of healing went by, he thankfully woke up from his state of despondency and embraced the remaining good things left in his life.
On the contrary, one good thing came out of all of this, which is, our strong bond, more and more I grew closer to him until we became inseparable.
The day I decided to quit the life of meeting his business partners, attending dinner parties and constantly being in a jet at the ripe age of twenty, finally venturing into life on my own and not as the potential Graham heiress, it broke him once again.

During that time, unlike my mother, we talked things out and made promises of always keeping in touch. He bought the largest and most expensive apartment in the safest and exquisite building in all of Keight, Tarleton for me to live in, assigned Ryan as my personal bodyguard and wanted to give me a head position at his Architectural branch here in Tarleton here, I refused all, except, the apartment, of course.

Three years later, he still reminds me of my promise to him.

"Hello pops" I squeal through the phone
"Marie!!!" he replies with the same enthusiasm, like we haven't been talking every Sunday.
I giggle all the way through as I pictured us do our embarrassing happy dance.
If only he could see the big smile on my face right now, he'll be proud of how I'm getting the hang of putting my foot in a place for three solid years.

"So where are you now?" I ask
"Arrived Pearlbot weeks ago" his voice indifferent.
Did I hear that right?
"I can't believe it!!, dad you're near me, Pearlbot is a neighboring state to Tarleton" I inform.
"For real?" He asks, complete ignorance evident in his voice,
"Yes!!!" I scream.
"Bummer!, I'll be leaving in two days and these two days are completely booked, Marie".
"Ugh!" I sigh.
There is a moment of silence before he speaks again, "I'm sorry Marie, I truly am. You just wait, I'll make it up to you somehow, alright?"
I nod, "yeah", my excited mood suddenly decelerating.
"So, what are you up to?" He asks enthusiastically.
"Nothing fun, but yesterday I encountered..."

I zone out trying to remember the particular name that girl in the washroom mentioned just the previous day, maybe dad will know them, considering he's someone influential in the Entrepreneurship world and well, he's my dad, so I can trust him with this.
"Marie, are you there?" He sounds worried,
"Yeah, yeah. Dad, I want to ask, do you know any Rolando? Like a family name?"
A moment of silence.
"Uhm! The name sounds familiar" he avows
"Try remembering dad" I pressure
"Wait. Why are you all of a sudden interested in a family, should I be worried?"
A worrying dad is a loving dad.
"Not at all, it just popped up at the magazine, I'll get bonuses if I dig up this information" I lie with ease.
"Okay, so it's for work. Alright, I'll text you any detail I get. For now, I'm busy with something else, but unfailingly I'll help you at your work assigned".
"Thanks, pops, I'll leave you to it now. Goodbye".
"Alright Marie, please take care of yourself" he beseeched
"Sure, will do dad. Bye".
I hang up and drop the phone to my side.

It's a miracle he had forgotten to implore me into working for him and how my life will be better for it. I guess he is starting to accept the reality of me wanting to make a name for myself.
Three years down in Tarleton and nobody knows I'm related to The Robin Graham of Graham Architectural Enterprise, except Glenda since, we both met at one of our parent's business meeting dinner, we instantly formed a clique at the event and kept in touch until we both met again and became good friends here in Keight.
With Esse and Carolyn, I could sense their skepticism of how an Editor at a Media firm purchased such an expensive apartment and live not so extravagantly like they implore I do, well, they never ask and if they did, they'll receive a lie as an answer.
There's another person with wide suspicion, David Svensson, a coworker I interact with at work who actually wanted to know my pay, the moment I waved him off, he never asked again.
I only wish I can become half successful and career driven as my dad is, it's crazy, I can't imagine life without that man being my inspiration and daily motivation. 
My phone vibrate from where I have placed it, so I pick it up immediately, expecting to see a text from my Dad, but it's from Esse.
Since my anger from yesterday towards her has disappeared, I proceed to the message app to reply.

Esse Kandert

Hi El, I hope you had a good night of rest. I must have really annoyed you with my questions for you to leave the car suddenly in the middle of nowhere.
I'm sorry.
Xoxo

For Esse to apologize this quick, means she felt bad about yesterday, now I'm the one feeling bad for making her feel so bad to apologize this quick.

Me

Esse, it's all good, girl. I should apologize too, I know you were just being caring as my friend and I acted so uncalled-for. I'm sorry, sending gigantic kisses your way, El.

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Thank you for reading this far.
~Darasimiwrites.