Page 46 of Chase

I watch as she gets out of the car and crosses the street, straightening her shoulders before walking through her front door.

Chapter Sixteen

Yasmin

My head hurts, I feel like shit, and I am about to “talk” to Dad for what feels like the first time in two weeks. He was pissed off on the phone. He wanted to know where we were and why we weren’t home. I’d rather still be on Arden’s couch with Chase.

I brace myself before walking through the door, heading straight for the kitchen. Dad is sitting at the table with a glass of amber liquid sitting in front of him and the bottle beside the glass. Dad doesn’t often drink given he is always at work and Mum was an alcoholic.

I stand in the doorway a little unsure of how to approach him.

“Yasmin, sit please.”

I take a seat at the end of the table, closest to the door while I wait for him to speak.

“Where’s Millie?”

“She’s at a friend’s house.” I reply keeping my voice calm. He hasn’t been around; he has no right to be questioning me like I’ve done something wrong.

“I don’t appreciate coming home to find no one here and no evidence that either of you were here last night.”

I can’t help it. I scoff in his direction. “Really? We’ve seen you three times in two weeks. You promised to make more of an effort. That isn’t making an effort, Dad.”

“Watch your mouth.” His tone tells me he’s pissed. But so am I.

“You have no right to decide to be a parent now. You haven’t been a parent in years.”

“I’ve tried, do you know how hard it is?”

“Yes Dad, I do. Because I’m the only parent Millie knows. Mum was never home, and you were always at work. Who do you think cooked dinner? Helped her with her homework? Made sure she had clean clothes for school?” I start to lose my calm. I try to think of Chase to ground myself and it works a little.

“Newsflash it was me! You told me it would be different when we moved here. You lied. It isn’t any different. If you can’t be here, I’m taking Millie with me next year when I leave. She can finish school in New Hope.”

“You can’t do that. I won’t let you.” I’d like to see him try and stop me. I’d call his bluff.

“I can promise you she isn’t going to want to be here home alone all the time. She may be fifteen and can look after herself, but it doesn’t mean she should have to. I missed out on being a teenager. She deserves to be one.” I gave up everything for Millie, I don’t regret it, but after being able to have fun with friends last night, I finally see what I missed out on.

“You had no issue being a teenager last night when you went to a party. Did you take Millie with you? That’s not being very responsible, Yasmin.”

How dare he?

“No Dad, I didn’t take Millie. For the first time ever, I went to a birthday party for a friend, I had a great time, and I know what I’ve been missing out on now. Millie was safe. I could have fun.”

“I find that hard to believe. Where was she?”

It makes me angry that he chooses now to question me. “She stayed with Nat.” I watch his face twist with confusion while he catches up with what I’ve said.

“Nat?”

“Yeah. You know the same Nat that you would leave us with when we lived here? The only mother I really had. If you hadn’t been so selfish, maybe I wouldn’t have had to raise Millie on my own.” I wait, letting my words sink in.

“You don’t know what happened.” He looks pained, as if just the thought of Nat physically hurts him.

“Actually, I do. Nat explained everything to me. She told me all about Mum being the reason her husband is dead and how you left without any explanation. You broke her heart. You know that, right? She loved us. How could you move us away?” I’m shaking at this point. Unable to hide my anger any longer. I’ve had time to process what Nat had told me.

She’s answered all our questions and has filled in the gaps as much as she could.

“You don’t understand. It wasn’t that easy.”

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