Page 14 of Four Simple Rules
Goosebumps spread across my flesh when my father meekly walks in from the kitchen with a half-smile lifting his lips.
"Blakey," he murmurs, tipping his head in my direction.
With slow, measured steps, he walks toward me. His dark green eyes never leave my frozen body, constantly roaming and taking me in.
"You've grown so much," he whispers, regret leaking into his tone. "It's been a while."
That's the understatement of the century. A while? It's been years since he's seen me. Ten, to be exact. The moment I fled town he turned his back on me. Or that's what it felt like. I said my goodbyes, explained I would live with Aunt Kim in Illinois to prepare for college, and he said nothing.
"Dad, I'm leaving." It's the first thing that comes out of my mouth when I waltz into his office at the police precinct.
He blinks a few times, looking up from a stack of papers.
"Leaving?" he asks gruffly, setting the pages down.
"I graduated early. Aunt Kim is expecting me." I swallow a large lump when his facial expression doesn't change.
There's no sadness. No ounce of emotion shows through on his face. He stares through me with his empty gaze. He doesn't see me. Not anymore. He hasn't since before Gavin died. Since before mom…
"You're leaving?" he says with his brows furrowing. "It's April. You don't graduate for another month." His face twists when he sits forward, placing his forearms on his desk.
"Call Mr. Campbell. I graduated early, Dad. I could have in December. I'm eighteen now. Aunt Kim offered me a position at the greenhouse, assisting the researchers. I want to go." Far away from here, preferably.
Not that I need his blessing. I plan on leaving anyway. This conversation was just a courtesy visit on my part. That way, Dad didn't go home to an empty home and wonder where I had gone. If he did, anyway, I’m not sure he’d miss my presence at all.
Like Jesse will. He'll eventually find out that I've left by trying to climb through my window. And I never want to face him after what he did earlier today. Call it running away all you want. I don't care anymore.
My dad purses his lips. "If that's what you want, Blake." He shrugs with indifference, peering down at his paper. Without looking up again, he says his goodbyes.
And that was it. After telling him goodbye, I hopped on a plane and made it from California to Illinois, where I stayed with my Aunt Kim until the new semester started that fall at ISU. I worked through the four years of my Horticulture degree and excelled in my passion.
"Well, your room is all set up, kiddo," he says with a grin. "I haven't touched it since you left." His eyes fall to the ground, and he heaves a breath.
"You haven't?" I ask, furrowing my brows.
That means all the boy band posters and my photographs still hang on the walls. Whatever I left when I booked it out of here is still there. But why?
"I couldn't," he says with glossy eyes. "I prayed that one day you'd come back. So, here we are."
Yes, here we are. Awkwardly standing in the middle of our living room.
I take a deep breath, staring into his remorseful eyes. I longed for the day my father looked at me. And I mean, really looked at me. Like now. He sees me. Really sees who I am, and it sends my nerves spinning out of control again.
"Our reception is tomorrow night," Grace says, watching the two of us with heart eyes. "We hope you'll enjoy the night with us. We're just so pleased you and Jesse are finally coming home."
"Jesse?" I sputter, nearly choking on my tongue.
Grace's brows furrow. "Yes. He's driving from Prembrook to join us." Prembrook? Oh, heck. That’s only an hour away. It’s so close!
Of course, he is. Of course, Jesse is coming to celebrate his mother's and my father's union. Shiitake Mushrooms! Why didn't I think about that? Why didn't I realize he'd be here too? Because I stupidly hoped it’d just be me and them.
"Oh, he's here!" Grace says with a big grin, stepping toward the open front door.
"I'm going to go…" My father's eyebrow raises when I point to my room, and he gives me a sharp nod. "I'm super tired! Give Jesse my hellos!" And goodbyes. Crap! Why?
"Dinner tonight, Blake. We're ordering some pizza. It'll be good for all of us to catch up."
"Sure thing. See you tonight!" I shout, practically sprinting to my childhood bedroom, slamming the door behind me and locking it.
