Page 4 of In Love After Office Hours

SNAP.

One second was all it would take, I had thought feverishly.

Over and over, since I was small, Daniel had drummed into me the things I must never do to protect my limbs from permanent injury.

And as I spun and spun under the limelight, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking that it would take just one second.

One second to pretend I had lost my balance.

One second to deliberately break my bones.

One second and I would never have to dance again.

SNAP.

I was free.

SNAP.

I started to smile at the memory.

But then the door opened, and my father walked in.

The memory vanished, together with the freedom that came with it.

Coming to stand next to my bed, Daniel said in a strange, slurred voice, “You’re awake.”

I wasn’t able to answer right away. Guilt burned me from within, and I could feel it sucking the blood out of my face and causing cold sweat to bathe me from head to toe. “Y-yes, Father.” I couldn’t make myself look at him. I was terrified that if I did, he would know the truth.

I heard something scrape against the floor, and in the corner of my eye I saw my father dragging a chair close. He sat down without his usual grace, and that was when I realized he smelled...weird.

I mustered the courage to look at him, and confusion seeped into me when I saw he hadn’t changed. Daniel was still wearing the same suit he had on during last night’s performance.

“A-are you alright, Father?” I had to ask.

“Of course.”

It was the same pleasant voice I had heard all my life, but there was also something different about it.

Something bad.

And my terror increased when my father asked very gently, “Why wouldn’t I be alright, Serenity? You tell me.”

I found myself gripping the edge of my covers.

“Come on, child, tell your father. Why should you ask if I’m okay when you’re the one in the hospital?”

My heart tried to tear a hole out of my chest while my brain suddenly started revolving around my worst fears.

Please, please, it couldn’t be, please—-

I swallowed. “F-Father—-”

But Daniel cut me off. “After all, there’s nothing for me to be angry about. Nothing to be disappointed about.”

I remembered Dr. Fergus’ words.

You can’t disappoint someone who loves you.

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