Page 37 of My Damaged Protector

I nod.

“Yeah, my business here is done.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I feel like a total idiot but there's no taking it back.

“Business, huh? I could have sworn you said you were here for a job.”

I open my mouth to defend myself but decide against it. I don't want to lie to her.

She smiles when I don't speak, a resigned look on her face.

“Anyway, I should get going. Thank you for listening to me.”

“Always,” I whisper and as the words leave me, I realize I mean it. I will always be available for her if she so much as asks.

She nods and starts to leave.

I remain seated on the floor, watching her leave and unable to do anything.

“Ian?” She calls my name when she's at the door.

“Yeah?”

“You don't always have to run.” The meaningful look she gives me before she closes the door is enough to know what she means.

Hours later, after she has gone, I'm still seated on the floor, her words repeating in my ear and mind.

“You don't always have to run.”

12

SARAH

Sleep won't find me.Or maybe I'm the one who can't find sleep. Regardless, my eyes are bright and clear, void of any sort of drowsiness as my head continuously repeats the event in my aunt's house this evening.

A part of me still finds it hard to believe my father is alive.

I mean, I got an email from him, but there's a part of me that thought it could be a prank. Or maybe I refused to believe it because, for so many years, I've deluded myself into believing the only reason he never came back for me was because he was dead.

What father leaves their child behind and not once bothers to check on her?

He had to be dead. That's what I've always believed.

That's what has helped me sleep at night when thoughts of him came to me. I convinced myself he didn't stay away because I wasn't important to him, but because he couldn't be here.

To now find out he's been alive all this while and never once thought to come for me until he's dying and needs my help to stay alive?

Yeah, bye sleep.

After my aunt had told me he was dying, all the fight left me, and I went to sit down. He came by my side, explaining to me how he has leukemia and he needs my bone marrow to remain alive.

My first thought?

Rot in hell.

But the pleading look on my aunt's face just wouldn't let me say no to him immediately. The woman, bless her heart, is way too soft. She can't hold a grudge for long. Sometimes I can be like that, too.

So, I said I'd think about it and asked to leave, but trust my aunt to insist I stay and eat.

I've never had a more awkward dinner in my life.

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