skinny || h.s. au [Rewrite Now Up!]

fiftyeight

"You have to get out of the car now, dear." Barbara says. They've been sitting in the parking lot for at least five minutes. And Marley still hasn't calmed her nerves.

"I don't want to go in yet." She says. Tugging and twisting on her fingers nervously. Wishes she had Harry here to reassure her.

But we all know how that's going right now.

"Do you remember anything about your father?" Barbara asks.

Marley shakes her head. "The only things I know are what my brother has told me. I wasn't old enough to remember him when he left." She looks at the lady beside her. Tries not to let tears well in her eyes. "Why does he want me now?"

"I don't know, dear." She says truthfully. "But you can ask him."

Marley just shakes her head again. And looks at the dashboard as it blurs in her vision.

If he's an asshole you can always run away.

But that's not really the part Marley is afraid of. She's terrified he won't be. Because if he's an asshole, it gives him a reason to leave her. He's selfish. If not, that must mean there was something wrong with her, right?

She takes a deep breath. Because she can't stay in this parking lot forever. "Okay, let's go."

Barbara smiles and pats her shoulder. "It will be alright, dear."

As soon as Marley opens the passenger car door, the frigid wind surrounds her. The sky is grey and fitting to the way she feels inside. The clouds loom as if promising the downfall of snow.

But Marley is so entirely tired of winter.

A salt-and-pepper-haired man sits in one of the chairs by the wall as soon as Marley enters. She stops. It can't be him, can it?

The room is small. Like a therapist's office you see on television. And he's the only other person there.

His blue eyes settle on her standing there by the door. And they're far too similar to her crystal blue shade to be a coincidence. He stands. Sets aside the magazine he was previously holding and most likely reading as he waited for her.

"Marley?" He asks.

"Umm... yeah." She readjusts the strap of her bag on her shoulder. Which she refused to leave in Barbara's car. And notices the crispness of his outfit; A pair of navy suit pants, loafers, and a crisp white shirt complete with a blue satin tie.

God, she hopes he's an asshole.

"It's nice to... finally meet you." He says. And he seems almost nervous. But it can't possibly compare to the way Marley feels. Her stomach is nearly in her throat. And Maria keeps telling her to run which isn't helping.

"Here." Barbara interrupts. "Sit down, dear. I'll take your bag."

If she calls you 'dear' one more time, please slap her.

Marley lets go of it hesitantly as Barbara gently takes her bag from her shoulder.

The man moves back to the chair he previously sat in. And motions to the one next to him for her to do the same.

She, instead, sits on the couch on the other side of the coffee table from him. And clasps her hands in her lap. Expecting the worst and staying silent.

"Marley, my name is Don." He says. "And I'm your father."

She knew this but didn't want to admit it to herself until he said it. And now she thinks she may vomit because this is all just a bit too real for her.