GONE

CHAPTER 13

Mr. Walker stopped working when he moved to Countyville with his son. Instead, he became Serena's 'mother'.

If she has a problem, he is there, if she is happy, he is there and if she disappears, he bakes.

When people get anxious they do anything to remove their anxiety and Mr. Walker remove his anxiety by baking.

Once Serena opened the door, the smell met her and her stomach started growling, she is so hungry.

She stepped into the house to find her Grandpa decorating a cake while surrounded by all the pastries from cakes and muffins to croissants and pizzas.

"Maybe I should disappear more"

He looked up to find Serena's smiling face. He left everything, ran to her, and hugged her very tight. She was almost out of breath.

He cupped her face "Where were you? Do you know how anxious we were?"

"Sorry, grandpops"

He returned to his cake and she sat on a chair in front of the counter and took a cupcake to eat.

"Your bakeries are getting better," she said with a smile.

"Thanks" he replied "But I will still ask you where you were"

She told him the whole story from the second she left the house until she opened the door again, he didn't make a comment.

"I am hearing you," she said, "How were I wrong this time?"

"You pushed him too hard"

"HE SLAPPED ME AND THEN WANTED TO DO IT AGAIN"

"He was wrong, I am not defending him, but you shouldn't push him that hard"

She sighed, "Maybe I pushed him too hard but I was just furious. How could he slap me in front of the whole station?"

He didn't answer he was trying to defend his son but it was impossible.

"And if that wasn't bad enough" she continued, "I also have Martin to worry about"

"What did the boy do?"

"He believed that I could kill, what else do you want?"

"All the evidence led to you"

"Is that an excuse to believe that I, his childhood friend, am a murderer?"

He was silent again, why were they all wrong?

"And if those two weren't enough" she continued, "There is the new detective"

"You mean the new guy who will ask you out"

"Don't," she said raising a finger "today is not the day to play this game"

The old man just laughed.

"I am still thinking about what Martin told me," she said "about the killing part"

"Don't judge him," he said "everyone believed that you were a murderer while you were innocent, don't do that to someone"

She bit her bottom lip "you are right"

"Is he in love with you yet?"

She narrowed her eyes "Grandpops"

He raised his hands in surrender "OK, OK, sorry" and then laughed she couldn't help it and laughed with him.

They always had those moments, when they tease each other and then laugh. She would forget all of her misery and sadness when she is with him and he will forget the world when he is with her.

"So will you leave the forest now?" he said after a while.

"I think I will go to my room now," she said going to stairs.

"Is that a yes?"

"See ya, Grandpops"

He shook his head and smiled  "She will never learn" he thought

_______________________________

It's 8 o'clock already and Serena is still not ready. She wanted to relax at home tonight but she didn't want to make Christy angry. She went down the stairs and found her father sitting on the couch reading a book. He usually doesn't come home now, "why the change?" She thought and went to wear her shoes.

Commissioner Walker raised an eyebrow, "Where are you going?"

"To Bingo with my friends"

"Can't you stay home tonight?"

She stared at him, "why?"

"I wanted to talk with you"

She frowned, "why?"

"Is it a crime for a father to talk with his daughter?"

"No, but we don't talk we only fight, it's our specialty"

Mr. Walker went out of his room then.

"Have you heard the new joke, Grandpops?"

"No, bedazzle me" he answered with a smile.

"Commissioner Walker wants to talk to me and not fight, actual talk"

Mr. Walker raised his eyebrows "wow, that's a good change"

"Am I really that bad?" Commissioner Walker said with hurt in his voice.

"Bad is a strong word but you have to admit that since mother's death you have shown me no sympathy, so I have to be surprised when you show it now"

Silence and awkwardness filled the room for a while until Serena decided to finish it.

"I have to go now," she said "but if you still want to talk and I hardly think so I would be more than willing to continue our conversation tomorrow or at any other day"

Then she was gone leaving the men speechless and confused.

"What else should I do?" Commissioner Walker said after a while "I am being friendly, she doesn't like it, I am being tough, she doesn't like it"

"You expect her to accept the change easily"

He glared at his father who was sitting next to him on the couch "What do you want from me, dad?"

"I want you to think in her mind, put yourself in her shoes, she spent twenty years of her life without her father and then one night he comes to her and tell her 'honey, let's have a friendly talk, you and me' what will you do if I did that to you?"

Silence, no answer, no comment and Mr. Walker knew better than to push him any further, so he just left him and went to his room.