Mackenzie | √

Chapter 59

Tanner shot me a confused and weird look at the same time. I couldn't blame him, I also had no idea if I was saying the right thing. It was just that the voice sounded all too familiar. I could bet with my bottom dollar that he was the one.

"What?" He finally said, the confused expression on his face still there.

"I- I hear his voice, Tanner," I looked at him briefly.

"Can you just let me see her, at least? Or better still, see the doctor?" The voice said again, lower​ this time. He sounded tired, unhappy... frustrated.

"That voice?" Tanner looked at me.

"Yes, Tanner. That voice. I know how my dad speaks. He's here," I told him.

"Well, that's a good thing," he looked at me, uncertainty spread all over his face.

"You think?" I got up from the seat immediately and started making my way briskly to the reception.

"Hey, wait up!" Tanner said, just getting up from the seat and running behind me.

When I got right into the reception, my fast paced steps reduced not even to a slow one, but to a halt.

*

There he was.

Standing in front of the receptionist, a worried look on his face and just as I knew, he looked tired. So tired, but despite the feeling of relief, despite the feeling of​ a little happiness inside me that dad was here, I couldn't help but feel so mad, at the same time I felt so drained. Too drained to say or do anything. Behind me, I felt Tanner's hand on my shoulder.

"Why don't you see it? The woman in there is my wife-" Dad started to say.

"Was," I interrupted, my voice clipped with anger.

Dad immediately turned to look at me and his eyes softened. He threw a quick glance at the nurse who now picked up a file and walked away, her ponytail bouncing along with her as she walked.

Dad turned back to look at me, a downcast expression on his face as he spoke, "Baby-"

"She was your wife," I spat. "She was your wife until you took every single thing she did for you for granted. She was your wife until you stopped listening to her. She was your wife until the TV became more important to you. She was your wife until you started working a lot overtime. She was your wife until... until," my vision blurred. Tears filled my eyes and I couldn't even find the strength to go on, I sniffed and Tanner squeezed my shoulder, trying to hint me that I should probably stop talking, but I couldn't, because I wanted to let my anger out even if I felt too tired, "Until you started closing yourself off to her. Until you ignored the importance of the simple gestures she made​ to you, and the worst part of it all, she was your wife until you spat in her face that you no longer wanted her."

Dad stood, a surprised look on his face as his eyes silently pleaded with me.

"Why do you look so surprised?" I shot, my arms flailed as I tried to understand the reason for the look on his face. "You left her! You didn't take responsibility for anything! Not even me! You made me her responsibility and not once, not ever did it even occur to you that maybe you should check up on her. You two aren't even divorced. At least, not yet, because I know you're ready to file one.  And now you come here and say she's your wife?" I let out a laughter void of humor. "You're kidding."

Just then, Bambi and Ryan walked into the reception, Bambi looking like she was about to pass out while Ryan dragged his words, "What the hell...."

Dad looked at them, opening his mouth to say something, but finally closing it because he just seemed speechless.

By this time, my heart was simply broken because I wanted so bad to run into my father's arms and hug the look of misery off his face, but I couldn't and I wouldn't. Tears began to stream down my face because I couldn't help it. He took a step forward, his arms open and I shot him a glare.