911: Perfect Storm

Chapter 8

    Sophia looked down at the address she had scribbled on a piece of scrap paper, making sure it matched the house in front of her. She had only arrived in LA a few days prior to last night's bowling date with Albert. Those few days she debated with herself on whether or not she should find her dad. Her mom had recently passed away, so she didn't have anyone left. Once she got matched with a residency program in LA, she knew that this would be her chance. With a hesitant sigh, she exited her car and walked up the driveway. She took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

    "I'll get it." Athena stood up and walked to the front door. Bobby was in the kitchen getting dinner ready. The pair hadn't expected any visitors tonight, but it wasn't unusual for someone to stop by unannounced. Athena opened the door to see the young woman standing there, "Hello?"

    "Hi... Is this Bobby Nash's residence?" Sophia asked, obviously shaking.

    "This is... Who are you?" Athena was perplexed, it wasn't often they had a stranger coming and asking for one of them by name.

    "Athena, is everything alright? Who is it?" Bobby called from the kitchen.

    "Oh, yeah. My name is Sophia." Sophia shifted her weight back and forth between her feet, "I think he might be my father?"

    "Ow!" Bobby yelled as a crash sounded in the kitchen.

    "He's your what?" Athena's eyes grew wide as she stared at the girl.

    "Shit." Bobby mumbled to himself. He had burnt his hand on the cast iron pan he was using, dropping it on the floor. He quickly went to the sink and ran it under cold water.

    The noise distracted Sophia. She instinctively tried to see him around the corner, "My father. I'm pretty sure, at least... Uh, my mom never told me, but I found these papers and letters that were addressed to him and-"

    "Bobby..." Athena called in a concerned tone, "I need you at the door right now."

    "Just give me a second." Bobby said. His mind was racing a mile a minute, his hand bright red and already blistering.

    "How about you come on in and sit down..." Athena didn't let her eyes fall off the girl. She led her into the living room and over to the couch, "I'll be right back." She made her way into the kitchen to see Bobby fumbling with the first aid kit, "What happened?" Athena took the kit from him and started bandaging up his hand.

    "Uh... I burned it." Bobby shook his head before whispering, "Did she say what I think she said?"

    "She definitely did... You have some explaining to do." Athena raised an eyebrow as she fastened the bandage.

    "Athena. The two kids I had died. There's no way she's mine. It's impossible." he said in a hushed tone, following her to the living room. Sophia sat there, tense as could be, having contemplated multiple times just getting up and leaving.

    "Hi." Sophia said softly looking at Bobby. It was hard to deny that she was his, as she was his spitting image.

    "Uh... Hi." Bobby waved nervously with his bandaged hand before sitting down across from her.

    "So..." Sophia sighed, pulling some papers out of her backpack, "After my mother died a few weeks ago, I was going through some things, and I found these." She placed down a stack of papers, letters addressed to Bobby that had never been sent, and a birth certificate, "She got it changed a while after I was born I suppose... This must be the original. I never saw your name on the copy I had."

    Bobby hesitantly lifted the birth certificate off of the pile and stared at it. Sure enough, in the spot for the father's name, it read Robert Wade Nash. His eyes scanned the document, landing on the mother's name, "Amy..." he said in a breathy sigh.

    "Amy." Sophia nodded.

    "Who's Amy?" Athena looked confused.

    "She was a fling I had while I was in the fire academy before I met Marcy." Bobby wiped his hand over his mouth slowly, "It was over before it even began... I... I don't even know what to say."

    "Maybe this was a bad idea. I shouldn't have come." Sophia frantically started picking up the papers.

    "No. Stay... Please." Bobby looked up at her, "Would you maybe want to stay for dinner?"