Page 47 of Losing the Rhythm

“Show up here,” he said with a bitter smile, finally looking at me. “I didn’t think I’d be here either. Suddenly, I just found my way driving here.”

“You drove?” I gaped at him. Was that why he looked so exhausted, bags under his eyes. “Across country?”

“Nearly six days.”

“Why?” I blurted out. “That’s a long way to come because of a letter.”

“Would it have been better if I didn’t?”

I bit my lip, not sure what I was supposed to be feeling or thinking. I was beginning to feel a little numb. Before me stood the one man I wanted to see for so long, and now that he was here, I didn’t know what to do with him.

I remembered watching movies where long-lost loved ones would spot each other and go running into each other’s arms, crying and glad to be together again.

We didn’t do that. I hadn’t even touched him since he showed up. The thought of touching him at all made me shake.

“Where is your mom?”

I stilled by his question, and then I realized he had absolutely no idea. About any of it.

What was I supposed to tell him? That she beat the shit out of me too often and went too far this summer. That she was at a hospital being treated for an array of mental issues.

“Cadence?” he asked softly.

I bit at the inside of my lip, not sure what to say.

“She’s out right now.” I didn’t mean to say that. I was going to tell him the truth, but for some reason, the wrong words came out. There was something in his expression that made me gobble up the truth.

“I see. Maybe it’s for the best that we don’t meet. Did she really keep the letters from you?” Dad glanced around the kitchen and then at Seth. After a few long moments without blinking, he finally did as his gaze turned back to me.

“I just happened to get one when it was forwarded here.”

“This is a nice house. You both are doing well? Are you healthy?”

Seth’s grip changed from my lower back to my hand. Thankfully the counter barrier between me and my father made it so he couldn’t see me gripping Seth’s hand hard.

“As well as we can be.” My words were hard to say. I actually thought I was going to choke on them, but they got out as I blinked back the tears.

What was the point of telling him all the sordid details of my life at this point. It probably wasn’t the reason he was here anyway. He didn’t need to have all the sufferings I’d had to go through these last few years unloaded on him. About how Lindie was sick and getting help. How I almost nearly lost my life twice in less than half a year.

There just wasn’t a point in telling a stranger about all those personal things. And that was how I kept feeling every time I looked at him.

Yes, this was my dad, but for the last seven years, he had wanted nothing to do with my family. He had left. Maybe there were letters and he wanted to narrow the distance of our relationship, but he was still a man I barely knew. A man I adored as a child, and a stranger I didn’t know as a teenager.

What was I supposed to do with these feelings?

“I’m glad. And your friend? Who are you?” He changed his focus to Seth.

“Seth Keyes. I’m her neighbor and friend.”

Again, Dad’s gaze went all over, taking Seth in from head to toe. He wasn’t giving anything away as he obviously sized Seth up.

“Cadence, I know this was probably the last thing you were expecting. I can’t begin to understand how you’re feeling right now, with me standing before you. I know this isn’t ideal.”

“Ideal, huh,” I said. I kind of wished I had a drink myself to help distract myself.

“I’m sincere. I’m here because I’m sincere. But I understand if you don’t want to see me.”

“So if I say I don’t want to see your face, you’ll stay away.”

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