Soft Silence | ✓ | unedited

Chapter Eleven ⌔ Being Normal

Chapter Eleven ⌔ Being Normal

The silence in the room was deafening, and one could almost see the thick smoke of tension in the air. If tension had colour, it would have been grey or black. And if tension was grey or black, the room would have been fogged up like thick charcoal smoke.

In the living room, where five individuals occupied, silence was the only thing that reached the ears.

Well, that and Eric's continuous pacing.

My eyes followed his movements as he walked up and down the length of the living room, eyebrows furrowed together in concentration as he absently rubbed against the week-old stubble growing around his jaw. I preferred keeping my eyes on Eric as it would be better than looking at the man who wanted to have me leave the household to live with him in God-only-knows-where.

What I found unbelievable was how direct Peter was. He didn't ask how I was, didn't ask how I was coping, how everything was going -no. He told me to live with him. He didn't even ask -he ordered. It was strange and somehow disgusting for me, seeing as how I'd never heard from him in over nearly nine years. To me, he was a man who claimed to be my father and wanted me to live with him.

Yes, the answer was going to be no.

Briefly, my eyes flicked over to where my godmother sat. Lisa was seated on the sofa, her hands clasped firmly in her lap while she nibbled a little on her bottom lip. She looked torn between anger and worry as her eyes constantly flickered between me and my father.

I could tell that her little lip-nibbling was distracting Eric as he paced up and down the living room, his eyes constantly flickering to his anxious wife. I looked over at David who was leaning casually against the doorframe, hands in his jeans pockets and eyes on me.

He gave me a small reassuring smile as our gazes locked. I couldn't even smile back.

I was sure I didn't look the least bit positive as I looked back at him with an expression close to depression.

"I have every right over her," Peter said as he broke the silence, sounding frustrated. I glared at him, feeling my chest burn and my head spin.

"You lost that right when you left her nine years ago," Eric stated, never once losing a beat as he continued his pacing. Peter sneered at him.

"And what? You suddenly have all claims to her because you magically show up few years after I was gone?"

Eric didn't answer as he continued his pacing, speeding up a little as though that would help him concentrate better.

"Felicity warned us about you and you drinking problems," Lisa said, her voice coming out strangely steady. She looked like she was going to burst in anxiety.

Drinking problems?

My eyes went to my father in curiosity. I didn't know he had drinking problems. Peter clenched his jaw and his eyes flashed.

"I've stopped! I went to therapy and got it all -"

"Why do you want her now? You could have gotten her a month ago, after the funeral." Eric's voice was hard as he spoke, finally slowing his pacing to turn and peg Peter with a cold stare.

My heart thumped dully in my chest as I let my eyes flicker over to Peter who winced under Eric's icy stare.

"I was busy! I had paperwork to fill out!" Peter looked half crazed as he spoke, running his hand through his hair. "You know how much I loved her!"