8 Second Ride COMPLETED

Chapter 22

June 19, 2015 

Austin, Texas

"Dad?"

All the color has drained from my face. I'm more shocked than anything at first. That is, until I remember the last thing that happened between us.

"Alaina." He smiled almost excitedly.

He looked so different. His hair was lighter. More gray had begun to take place of the brown. He looked somewhat healthier than the last time I had seen him. His skin was no longer pale and sickly. It actually had some color to it now. The cold eye's I used to stare into, were now full of life and had a sparkle to them. But I didn't know what caused the sparkle. 

And I wasn't sure if I even wanted to.

"What the fuck are you doing here!?" I snarled.

I could hear Ryan's boots against the steps as he came up behind me. Just by the way they had stopped, I knew he was just as stunned as I was.

"I just wanted to see you." My father mumbled, looking at his feet.

"Well, you have. Now you can go." I hissed pointing down the driveway. He could go as far away from here as he possibly wanted and I wouldn't give a crap just as long as this would be the last time I saw him.

"Alaina, please. I just want to talk to you." He begged. "Where's your mom? I didn't see her in the house anywhere?" 

He was in my fucking house!? 

"She's dead." I said glaring at him. His face fell and his eye's went wide.

"What? When?" He asked.

"Five months after you left. Cancer. She had lung cancer. It progressed too far and there was nothing they could do. She died not long after Paisley had been born." My voice held no emotion. I would not cry in front of him. He didn't deserve my tears.

"Paisley? My grandchild?" I nod stiffly.

"It's funny you ask about her. Since the last time I ever laid eye's on you, you were trying to kill us both." I chuckle harshly. "She died not long after she was born. But I guess that should make you happy, huh? That's what you wanted all those year's ago." 

"Alaina. I'm so sorry." I could see the tears swelling in my father's eye's. So the evil bastard does have a heart.

Too bad I wasn't falling for anything.

"Yeah. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that you're my father." I hissed. "Do you know how bad you've hurt me? Mom? Of course you don't! You never even had the courage to write to her, call her! You just left! You could have at least checked up on her!" I yelled.

"I know. I just couldn't. I knew I had really messed up with you both. I couldn't face either of you." He sighed. "I loved... love the both of you. So much." 

Yeah right.

"LOVE!? You loved us! That makes hitting us so much fucking better! A funny fucking way to show your so called 'love'!" I wanted to cry so bad but I blinked back the tears. No more weakness.

"I know. I went to rehab after I left for over a year. After that I got myself a decent job. I just wanted to give you both your space. I couldn't come back until I was for sure I was better." His eye's were pleading with mine.

"I think you should go, Charles." Ryan finally says from behind me.

"I agree, Charles. You should go." I state. He had no right to even be called my father anymore.