Page 22 of Close Protection

11Daphne

‘So how’s it going with Milosh?’ Daddy asks, before stuffing a forkful of venison into his mouth. I always find it funny how the man who wanted to send me to finishing school has the manners of a graceless fish.

‘Fine,’ I answer bluntly. Even though it’s been two weeks since our disagreement, this is the first time we’ve been properly alone. I haven’t really seen much of my father, as for the past few days he’s been locked up in his study, even eating in there, and I’ve been going to bed earlier in preparation for my morning training sessions with Milosh.

When I bumped into him on my way downstairs yesterday he was quiet and evasive when I tried to make peace with him and start a conversation. I’ve always been raised to be polite and kind, and I do like those characteristics about myself, but I like mutual respectmore. I don’t take kindly to being shouted at and then ignored for a week. If it weren’t for Amelia practically forcing me in here tonight with the promise that she and Henry would join us, I would’ve eaten elsewhere.

‘Daphne, how long are you going to keep this up, huh?’ my father asks, dropping his cutlery and turning to fully look at me. ‘What do you want me to say? You want me to say sorry?’

‘Sorry would be a start,’ I quip before popping a slice of carrot into my mouth and turning to look at him. ‘I don’t want you to say sorry just for the sake of it, I want you to mean it.’ He rolls his eyes and scoffs in response just as Amelia and Henry walk through the door.

‘Good evening, Green family, how are we doing today?’ Henry enquires cheerily, pulling out a chair for Amelia then taking the seat next to her. I go back to eating my food, and I guess my father does too because Henry doesn’t get an answer to his question.

‘I asked Milosh to join us too tonight,’ Amelia says warmly, trying to break the tension. ‘I thought it might be nice for all of us to eat together.’

‘That was very thoughtful, Meelie, thank you.’ I offer a small smile and go back to focusing on my food. The quicker I eat, the quicker this meal can be over.

‘Great choice for dinner today, gorgeous,’ Henry says,focusing solely on Amelia.

‘Thank you, Hen,’ she replies, blushing profusely when his hand disappears under the table.

‘You want me to say I’m sorry and mean it?’ Daddy says, pretty randomly. Amelia, Henry and I all turn to look at him when he starts laughing. ‘You want me to apologize for your wrongdoing?’

‘Daddy, what are you talking about?’

‘The necklace, Daphne. The necklace.’ He takes a swig of scotch and looks at me blankly. ‘You took – no, stole – the necklace and then you went and lost it. It didn’t belong to you but you didn’t care, you took it anyway.’

‘I was eleven and missing my mother,’ I say, then take a deep breath. There’s no need to get worked up over this. My father’s clearly just stressed and is acting like a petulant child.

Does this happen often? No. But when it does you’ve just got to ride it out and wait till he comes to his senses. The alcohol definitely isn’t helping matters, though.

‘No, you were a stupid brat who couldn’t keep her hands to herself.’

‘Woah, George, that’s not necessary,’ Henry chimes in, his face serious. ‘It was an honest mistake Daph made when she was a kid. How about you apologize and we can all move on and enjoy dinner?’

‘Mr Harris, if I need your help, I’ll ask for it,’ Daddy responds. ‘And did I ask for your help? No. So don’t give it.’ He takes another swig of his drink and goes back to eating, just as Milosh walks in. He takes the empty seat next to me as Josh brings round his plate.

‘What’s wrong?’ Milosh asks quietly, looking at me.

‘Nothing,’ I whisper, offering him a tight smile. He nods and picks up his fork, stabbing a carrot and bringing it to his mouth.

‘Listen, Daph, I’ll apologize for getting in your face. That was uncalled for,’ my father says after a beat. ‘But I’m not going to apologize for shouting at you.’ At that, Milosh halts his fork mid-air before placing it down to hear what wonderful insult my father has for me next. ‘Frankly, you deserved it for stealing. Do you know how much more difficult you’ve made my life by losing that necklace?’

‘No, I don’t, because you never tell me anything,’ I say softly, once again trying to collect myself as I place my cutlery together, finished with my dinner and this conversation. ‘You hardly talk about Mother at all, and when you do it’s only if you need something. You never let me in and always push me away instead, as if that’s going to help matters. I’m sorry that I caused so much turmoil for you, Daddy, I really am, but none of that makes any of this okay.’

‘Oh, shut up with the sob story, Daph,’ he scoffs, rolling his eyes once again. ‘I’ll shout at you if I damn well want to, because this is my house.’ I feel Milosh shift next to me before pushing out his chair and walking over to my father.

‘Get up,’ he says curtly.

‘Mr Petrov, I advise you to sit back down,’ my father says, reaching for his scotch glass.

‘I’m only gonna say this once more, Mr Green.’ Milosh moves the scotch out of my father’s reach and stares down at him as if he’s a parent and my father his irritable child. ‘Get. Up.’

‘Or what?’ Daddy sneers.

‘George, maybe you should lie down for a bit and sleep off some of the alcohol,’ Amelia suggests, trying to diffuse the situation.

‘Oh, shut up, Amelia,’ snarls Daddy. ‘This really isn’t the time for your stupid peacekeeping antics.’

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