Current or Past?

Chapter Three, Daddy I miss you!

By the way Andrew looked at me, I felt like I had done something wrong. But I blinked away the uneasiness coming. I focused on the tight arm protectively wrapped around my shoulder, caressing me.

I played carefully with the veins popping out of his arms, tracing them lightly with my fingertips. His arm hairs tickled me tenderly, and I lost myself in a world where I really don't have to think about, well, anything.

"Oof!" I tripped over an edge of a rug, falling to my knees. Blood rushed to my face, and I let an embarrassed sigh leave my lips. Hock stood next to me, looking down. I had let go of his arm when I tripped, so he was unharmed and still on his feet. Hock was bending over, with his hands around his abs, knees shaking with the intense laughter. "Hey! Stop! Cut it out!" I was frowning, heat rushing to my face.

'I-I'm sorr-rry. I-its ju-st so fun-ny!" He breathed between laughs. It was obvious that he wasn't going to stop anytime soon, so I stood, turned away, and walked to the east wing. I haven't been in this part of the mansion completely, so I wanted to check it out while Hock was distracted.

From a distance, I could still hear his hysterical laughter, slightly muting with each step.

"Dear God, who did I marry?" I whispered, tilting my head up. The ceiling was covered in old, wooden carvings of angels and flowers, clouds and heroes. The whole ceiling of the house was covered with this, but this part looked more preserved than the others. You can see the details in the carvings, like the lines if the rose petals, or the mouths of the graceful angels. But there was one thing that stood out the most to me.

One of the heroes in the middle of all the other carvings. He had a gallant stance, a sword in his right hand with a shield in the other. His face bares a one of a kind look, with both anger and determination. He reminded me of my dad, and sorrow filled my soul.

My father died a month ago, a tumor in his brain taking his dear life. It was a week before my wedding, and I didn't have the heart to leave his side, or to wed. It didn't seem right to have the happiest day of my life when his ended.

I remembered every detail of the day he left, the way the gust of wind shook the trees, and the clouds loomed heavily, foreseeing the events.

***** Flashback*****

"It's cold in here, don't you think, dad?" I had wrapped my hands over his, protecting him slightly from the cold. His body looked the size of a doll, small and fragile in the hospital bed.

"Mhm..." was his only response. I had tilted his face towards mine, so I could see his features, just in case. His eyes were open, big and brown, looking sad and defeated.

"Dad," I smiled brightly, hoping I could cheer him up. "You know what day it is?"

"No..." He barely opened his mouth, but talked as much as he could.

"It's December 16th! The day you first met mom..." His eyes brightened, and a small, thin smile spread on his face.

"Yes."

"Remember that day that you sneezed spaghetti from your nose?" He tried to laugh, but it sounded like a heavy breath.

I continued to tell him stories of the past years reminding him of his anniversaries with my mom, and the years after the day they met. He kept smiling as the memories fell in place in his mind, his small, bald head lightly twisting and turning with happiness.

Then he stopped. Just... froze.

"Dad...? Dad?" I felt my eyes widened, bangs falling to my eyes. His hand fell limb, his eyes sliding closed. "Dad..." I knew he left, and tears burned behind my eyes. "N-nurse! Doctor! Whatever there is! Come!"

Rivers of tears ran down my face as the doctors worked around my dad. I stood off to the side, letting the people check out the obvious.

"Ms. Smith?"

"Y-yes doctor?"

"I'm sorry." I exploded then, not being able to hold it in anymore. I covered my mouth with my clammy fingers, tears going under and over them.

*****Flashback over*****

I was crying now, too, the memory of the last month strong. My knees were beginning to buckle under me, turning to rubber.

"Daddy! I miss you so much!" I had my hand on my mouth, silencing faintly the sobs.

After about a minute or so, the violent shakes died away, and the sobs quieted. I stood up and a cold chill ran down my spine.

"It's terrible to lose a loved one, isn't it?" Andrew was next to me, nothing but a vague cloud.

"Yes, it is."

"Told you."

"Told me what?" I sniffed, and rubbed my puffy eyes.

"That you had insight."

"Towards...?"

"The night you looked up. The night I took you to."

"What...?" When I turned to face the cloud, he had left, once again leaving me with unanswered questions.