How To Love | Daniel Seavey AU

28 | forgive

MY LEG WAS SHAKING as I looked around the crowded restaurant. I had removed my coat since I had begun to sweat a lot. I was nervous, scared, and slightly annoyed. It was past two in the afternoon, ten minutes after the time my dad was supposed to meet me and I was more aggravated than I originally thought.

I had told him to meet me at the restaurant at two, so we could talk and probably eat as well, but I'm slowly regretting it. My dad used to be on time for his meetings, why is it when I decide to make amends with him, he's late?

On cue, he appeared, flustered and out of breath as he brushed off whatever snow had landed on him. Standing on his toes, he searched over everyone's head for me until he waved, approaching me, and uttered, "Merry Christmas Eve, Logan."

"You too," I replied stiffly.

"Did you order anything?" I shook my head, but spoke up when he was about to lift his hand to call a waiter.

"No, dad, we need to talk first," I told him, and he nodded, turning to face me. The small smile that was there when he came in had faltered. "Why were you late?"

He sighed, "I'm sorry, I tried hailing a cab but there wasn't anyone available, and when the snow piled up, I knew no one would drive me and I live in a hotel on the other side of town, so it was a twenty minute drive, if I was lucky and there wasn't any traffic." I stayed quiet as he continued. "But there was traffic, and I didn't want to be late, so I just ran through town, bumping into a lot of people, and even making a few angry." He chuckled at that. "But I'm sorry for being late, I really wanted to be here."

I nodded. A silence passed by before he spoke up again. I mentally thanked him, not sure what to say.

"I'm sorry for what I did seven years ago, Logan," he apologized, "I know how much that hurt you, especially when I said it on your birthday, that's been the biggest regret of my life."

"Second must be me," I stated, not able to hold my tongue.

"Don't say that, please." I looked up and he was genuinely upset, guilt noticeable in the way his brows furrowed. "I would never regret having you as a daughter, you've done nothing but make my life better than it was before—I guess, because a part of me knew that your mother didn't truly love, I blamed myself and got very careless with the money we got."

"I still don't understand why you said that."

"Me neither, I don't know what feeling made me say that, and I wish it never happened, because then we'd still be the Loser Duo," he reminded, chuckling but I shook my head, the corner of my mouth tiltng up. The name he came up for the two of us was as embarrassing as how we acted whenever we bumped fist. The 'Lo' from my name, and the 'ser' from his name but only included the 's' and 'r' from Oscar.

"I do miss you, dad, and I'm giving you this one last chance to not mess it up," I pleaded.

"Don't worry, you won't regret it." Don't jinx it, I wanted to say, but tightly smiled with a nod. "Do you want to order now?" I nodded again, and we ordered whatever was available. We both ordered the same dish of slow-cooked chicken chili with sweet-corn soup and cups of tea.

"How's your mother now?" He asked.

"I'm not sure," I admitted, "I'm guessing she's still heartbroken over the wedding being cancelled, but it's hard—you know how mom's good at hiding her emotions."