DADDY'S GIRL

When I was growing up,I always craved to express my words as I felt that moment. One day, a girl came to one of my tea parties and she spilled hot cocoa all over my pretty pink dress. To stay the least I was enraged. When my father asked me what happened

Well....

Ten year old me told him that the passion burned me inside out. Stunned was an understatement going by my father and the girl's parent's looks.

It was an habit I couldn't stop. English had always been my rebound at any moment in life. But as I grew older I realized that our words destroyed us. Therapists say when you voice out what you are feeling you tend to feel better. It wasn't just the same in my world.

Words hurt people.

At least they hurt the girl at my tea party and made me feel horrible. So I learnt to bottle things up till they began to choke me at the neck. Then I would burst.

Unfortunately, the same thing applied for mother dearest and this was the one thing our alter egos agreed on.

Word is power.

And we loved power.

Thank goodness she put on waterproof mascara, her face would have turned to an epic fail. I was too stunned to react to the dress incident. To whoever did this a big thank you. I looked from face to face in the dressing room trying to decipher who I would extend my heart of gratitude to but everyone was either shocked or sad. I think they were more sad that such an expensive dress was shredded than the shame of calling of the wedding. As for me, I honestly didn't care and I made that crystal clear by walking out of the dressing room to go and ear the Scottish biscuits that had been been lying on a side stool for quite a while now. "Sorry mother" I called out from the hallway. "We would find another dress later maybe its just a sign this wedding isn't meant to be." Not long after, I heard the annoying clicking of heels and my mother decided to grace me with her presence. "Louise Esmeraldine Fernel, you know better than to have an hand in this catastrophe, don't you?" I giggled out a yes. It was really difficult taking her serious. The tears sure did a number on her face. I took a long hard stare at her face or what remained of it. What kind of mother just threw her daughter to the wolves like that? Was there something wrong with me? Was I not good enough?

"So I heard what happened? Is everyone alright?" Dad quietly strolled across the room to my end to feast on the Scottish biscuits. "Robert ,just take a good look at our daughter's dress. What are going to do? So much preparations have been put to place we can't just call off such a huge event."

"Everyone out!" All the maids and helpers scurried along till it remained grandma, mum, dad and of course me. "Honey you are not saying anything." My mother broke the silence had the tension began to build in the room. "It would be better to call of the wedding. At least give the couple a chance to get to know each other better. We must all other understand that this is not just about the wedding. It's a life long commitment. For God sake ,they have only known each other for 8 months. Stop pressuring your daughter Marie. Grandma made a thumbs up to him "I trained you well." Mother began to wail uncontrollably and in a fit of rage she lashed out "No one appreciates the effort I make around here."

"Sweetie, of course we appreciate your efforts. We are just telling you to take a break for a while and do something for yourself." Dad brushed us aside and went to cuddle his wife.

Eeewwwwwww

Why am I even staying for this?

Eeeeeew

Grosssss!!!!

"Maybe you're right I should call of the wedding. You know I was thinking of gifting them a getaway to Malta but since we are going to put this wedding on a hold I should probably just use the getaway to celebrate our anniversary." Mother snorted on dad's shirt and the old man was still smiling like a kid who just got candy. How the hell did they even meet? "Yeah we can do that. Now you go upstairs and have a nice bath while I and Louise go and call of the wedding."

"What?!? Seriously?!? What am I going to say?"

"Christ! Louise!! Just say anything and leave me be. That's the least you could do after ruining your dress." Mom said as she climbed the stairs . Dad gave me a look that I couldn't just pick out." You don't think I did it do you? Like I mean you should trust me I would never just sabotage my wedding like that. Although I have dreams and ambitions but I would.. "

"I know you didn't." Dad cut in. All the tension left my shoulders as if I visibly relaxed then my brain picks up his words again. "You know I didn't??? Is there something I need to know?"

Dad shrugged.

"Dad?? What did you do?"

"You seriously think I would allow you marry some rich hobo. I even heard he's got some incurable STD. Don't want my daughter catching some of that." As shocking as this revelation was. I couldn't help but realize how my dad had been against this union. Although, he never really showed it but I noticed his strain to socialize during the engagement. "Don't think too much about it. Let's just get into that car and get on with this bullshit." We rushed outside and entered the car. Let's just say everything was a disaster. I don't think we are even going to get married again. Not that I am not happy about it. At least STD boy doesn't have a hold on me anymore. We got into the car and drove back when the sun had already gone down. Dad was still upset about how it all went down. For a hold man he sure threw a fatal punch. Robin will never forget us.

"Dad are you alright?"

"What do you want to do with your life? " He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. Was I honestly supposed to answer that? "I just want to be independent I guess...I don't really have much going for me. I was thinking opening a huge diner." I chuckled. "Your grandpa was a remarkable chef you know. My mom wasn't really good in the kitchen. When he felt happy he always threw a barbeque brunch. He loved cooking. Never thought one of my children will inherit the dream."

"I miss him."

"I miss him too cupcake. You know what? He bought a building five towns away near the waterfalls. Really beautiful place you know. Maybe just maybe I could give it to you." My ears perked up as I took in the information. This has always been my dream. Who knew it would take a ruined wedding to make my dreams come true.

"But."

"You just had to keep a but there didn't you?" He struggled to dissolve the smirk forming on his face. Who was I kidding of course there would be a condition but honestly I was done being anyone's puppet. It was time to make a life for myself. "You better make me proud or else I would collect my property back."

"That's the condition?"

"No" He looked at me." Your mother must not find out." I threw my head back in laughter. Okayyyyyy he was not laughing. What is going on? "You know that's impossible. How am I going to leave without her knowing. Why are we even keeping this from her in the first place."

"That's not really your cup of tea but if you must know I'm really tired of your mother cleaning up your mess."

"What mess?"

"Do you remember the time you stole Mrs Rogers' birthday cake? Your mum had to sponsor the whole event."

"I was twelve years old."

"Do you remember that time you got drunk and bashed the mayor's car? Or that time you threw eggs at your principal's car? Or that time..."

"Okay okay I get it." I threw my hands up in defeat. I wasn't always the bad child but whenever I was mum loved dusting everything under the carpet.

"You leave at 3 O'clock in the morning. I will give you the papers and probably get you an apartment before you arrive there."

"You know the chopper wouldn't take too long five towns over."

He laughed and rubbed my arm " You seriously think you would get there by flight kiddo? Owen doesn't know how to drive an aircraft."

"What???"

*****************

I reached the car park at exactly thirty minutes past three. The mist covered my legs as I held on to my sweater . I scurried along looking for a black car with some kind of artsy spray painting. Owen is my dad's car repair man or whatever they call it. He had some kind of weird fantasy about being a biker or something. He always tried to look the part .

Keyword 'tried'

Never really looked the part except for the jackets he loved wearing. Who am I to judge? They looked pretty cool. I spotted him in the dark and he was .....ummm jumping.

"Hey Lou" He waved at me . I quickly walked over . We need to leave this place fast . Everywhere just had this old beer stench. "Hey Owen, how are you?"

"I'm good . Look I just want to really use the restroom. You could keep your luggage inside and probably take the back seat. My front seat is actually messed up with loads of crap and stuff like that." I shrugged "Thanks. I will probably just get my luggage. " I hurried to get my luggage and came back to the car. Woah! Looks like someone upgraded his interior. I touched the seat feeling the shiny black leather under my palm. A quick nap wouldn't hurt right?

*******

The vehicle hit a very large bump. I woke up and adjusted my eyes to the early morning sun.

"Good morning Owen"

"Who the fuck are you?"

I looked up taking the view of the vibrant green eyes staring at me in anger.

"Uummmmhh who are you?"