Alex glanced
up from his laptop to look at his daughter. He'd been trying to
figure out why she was on edge without asking, but nothing plausible
came to his mind. He shrugged, deciding to let it go. Becky knew she
could talk to him about everything, and he was sure that pushing her
to open up wouldn't be useful at all. Becky had always been a
reserved person, and in the last year their relationship weakened
because the teenager didn't want him to date 'that woman', as she
called her. That woman was very important to Alex, though. He would
have loved to spend the rest of his life with her. If Becky couldn't
accept her though... Alex had to let her go. Which he had done, a
couple of weeks earlier. Addison hadn't yelled, surprisingly. She
said she understood. Fact that didn't help Alex at all, because he
missed her like crazy.
The man
sighed, distracted by the sound that informed him he had an unread
email.
- Alex,
a few months
ago while I was cleaning up Becky's room I found her laptop open and
couldn't help but read the page... it was her blog, and although I
know I shouldn't have I wrote down its title and from that moment I
read it every day... some things were good and others bad, and she
doesn't know I know, but check this, it's from last night...
Addison -
Again, Alex
glanced at Becky. She was at her laptop, too, but at the moment she
was looking out of the window, clearly lost in her thoughts.
Alex lowered
his gaze to the computer and clicked on the link Addison sent him.
July
10th,
2012 – 8:22
pm
My stepmom's
been away for a few weeks now, and I don't think she and my dad
talked at all lately. I think they barely see each other at work,
even. This means that I finally get my dad all for myself, now,
without her wanting to go out to dinner or the theater or other
things...
July
10th,
2012 – 9:02
pm
I've just
realized I said a lot of crap in my last post. Addison didn't claim
my dad for her, but I'm still jealous. Who does she think she is?
Just because my mom died, it doesn't mean that she gets to replace
her. She's not my mom and she never will be...
July
10th,
2012 – 9:05
pm
I guess I'm
a little upset tonight, here. It's just that I miss her. Addison, I
mean. She's been in my life for a year now, and I've always tried to
make her feel miserable, wishing she'd disappear. Now I've kicked her
out for good and I can't seem to get used to it. My dad looks
horrible without her. He can't cook, so I no longer come home from
school welcomed by a cake or cookies or home-made ice-cream. There's
no one to annoy the hell out of me demanding that I make my bed and
fold my clothes and don't stay too much at my laptop otherwise I
won't see it for a week...
July
10th,
2012 – 10:00
pm
I miss
Addison.
Alex was
speechless. Never had his daughter talked about Addison liked that.
She never made a secret that she didn't like Addison and didn't want
her in their life, but now those words... It meant Becky liked her,
after all. That she wanted her and needed her just like he did.
Everyone needs a mom, and Addison was a more than perfect candidate.
Alex closed
his laptop and looked at the almost fifteen-year-old girl.
“Stop
looking at
me, Dad.”
“Just
for your
information, Bec,
I can
cook. I'm
just not
good at
baking.
So that
means no
cakes and
no cookies
and no
home-made
ice-cream, I'm
sorry. We
can fix
it, though,
if you
want. I
know this
person who's
very good
at it.”
Becky
blushed and gasped for air. “What? How did you... You're not
supposed to read my stuff! It's private!”
Alex smiled.
“Aren't you glad that I read it?”
“No!
No! I
don't even
know, I
don't know
if I
really mean
what I
wrote!”
“I
think that
you do.
Is that
why you've
been so
grumpy lately?
Because you
miss Addison?”
“I
don't – I
just – she
wasn't that
bad after
all.” she
admitted,
lowering her
eyes and
her voice.
“It's
okay to
think that,
honey. It
doesn't make
you love
your mom
any less.
And Addison
doesn't make
me love
her any
less either.
You can
love two
people
differently but
with the
same amount
of love,
Becky.”
The teenager
nodded hesitantly. “It's just that you're so sad without her. And
after the first two amazing days without her I started to realize
that the things I found so annoying were actually the things I liked
about her the most.... like how she cared for me.”
Alex stood
up and took his car keys from the coffee table. “Hop in the car,
kid.”
x
Becky had
been to Addison's small apartment only once, when her dad forced her
to help pack Addison's things – mostly designer clothes, bags and
shoes.
The walls
were so thin that when Alex knocked on the door, they could hear
Addison move inside. Her muffled steps got closer and then she opened
the door – as soon as she realized who were the two people in front
of her she pulled Becky into her arms.
The girl was
tempted to complain that she was hugging her too tight, and that
there was really no need for it, but she actually enjoyed the
feeling. It had been a long time since the last time a woman held her
like that.
Addison and
Alex locked eyes over Becky's head. They shared a small smile, that
said a lot of things. It said you're forgiven, it said you're back,
it said I love you.
Alex thought
that Addison was the most beautiful woman on earth as he watched her
face wet by happy tears.
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