Fighting for her (Novak series #1) {Completed}

7. Hello daddy

Hope’s POV

I throw the dirty clothes in the washing machine and start it before folding the clean laundry. It’s always me who gets to take care of the household, even though it shouldn’t be that way. My dad is an alcoholic who can’t take care of himself.

I had to skip college while everyone else my age was happily talking about going because we couldn’t afford it. Many things that my old friends experienced, I had to distance myself from because of my family.

Farris isn’t a person you want to associate yourself with. Yes, I call my dad by his first name because he’s never really been a real dad to me. From the beginning, I’ve needed to take care of him, the home, and myself without help.

As if that wasn’t enough, I’m also taking care of my little brother, Jessie. He’s now fourteen years old and begins to become a grown man, but despite his help, it’s always me who pulls the heaviest load here at home.

My brother works hard at school, and I’ve been working unyielding since I was very young to be able to send him to college. It’s time that at least one person in the family received a diploma, and given my situation, it won’t be me.

Jessie is my guiding star in life, and if it hadn’t been for him, I would’ve left here a long time ago. But he needs me, and unlike our so-called “dad,” I want to be there for my brother. I do anything for Farris, and he doesn’t give anything back.

He takes what he wants without contributing the slightest, not even money. Every penny he gets when he pleases his temporary jobs goes to alcohol and himself. I started working at the age of nine to make sure my brother had food on the table.

Farris isn’t worth what I do for him; I’m aware of that. But in the end, he’s still my dad; he and Jessie are the only ones I have left after mom left for a richer man. Everything is constantly hanging on me, and this time is no different.

I’ve got two jobs, nights as a cleaner in an office building and bartender on weekends. However, that isn’t enough, which is why I had to get another job. But given my limited situation without education and experience, it isn’t easy.

That’s why I was so surprised when my old employer, Mrs. Novak, called me to ask if I’d be interested in taking care of her grandchild during the day because one of her sons needs to work. Given the request, I take it for granted that the mother isn’t in the picture.

Today is my first day, and I do everything I can to finish what I’m doing before it’s time to go. Farris comes stumbling in through the front door and lands on the floor. I ignore him because I’m still mad at him from last night when he smashed the kitchen table to pieces.

“Hope, please come and help daddy,” Farris says in a broken voice, and I turn around with a loud sigh.

I help him get off the floor and put him on the couch. He looks so pitiful and small that I put a blanket over him. There’s not enough time to finish what I was thinking; I have to go. I put on my shoes and grab my jacket.

“I have to go now, Farris. See you tonight,” I say even though I know he can’t hear me.

❖❣❖❣❖

The house looks how I remember it when I used to water Mrs. Novak’s flowers in the garden when they were on vacation. I open the gate and close it behind me before knocking on the front door. Footsteps move in my direction, and nervousness spreads throughout the body.

Mrs. Novak’s husband opens the door and looks at me confusedly. I open my mouth to talk, but because of my nervousness, no words come out. In the end, Mr. Novak is starting to talk because I’m apparently unable to do so.

“Yes? Can I help you, miss?” he asks, but I don’t have time to answer before his wife shows up in the doorway.

“Hope! Oh, gosh, you’ve grown! Who could think that the cute little girl would grow up and become such an irresistible woman?” Mrs. Novak exclaims and hugs me. “Come in, come in!”

Mr. Novak no longer looks as confused when he hears my name, considering he was one of those who taught me self-defense when I was a kid. He went crazy when he heard that I walked the long way to their house every day alone that summer I worked here.

“Hope?” he asks. “Are you the little girl who used to water our flowers?”

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Novak,” I answer, nodding with a smile on my lips.

Mrs. Novak comes back in with an infant in her arms, and I melt right away when I see the little bundle. She puts the baby in my arms, and I gasp as she looks at me with her little eyes. Her smile is something sent from the gods.

“Mr. and Mrs. Novak, congratulations to the granddaughter. You have really got a beautiful little princess to the family,” I say without letting her go with my eyes.

“Oh, Hope. You’re too cute,” Ms. Novak replies, caressing my cheek. “There’s no need for formalities here. We’re just Eleonora and Damien. Let me introduce Camilla to you; it’s her my son needs help with on the days when he works.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, little Camilla,” I whisper and caress her tiny cheek.

I don’t know why I feel such a bond with the child. However, neither Mr. nor Mrs. Novak seems to have anything against it, at least not by their smiles to judge. Mrs. Novak stands beside me and caresses Camilla’s cheek the same way I just did.

“I see that you’re already starting to form a bond; I’m delighted,” she says. “You have all the phone numbers on the kitchen table if you need help or something happens. We’ll be home by four at the latest.”

I nod and follow them to the door, where I wave goodbye. Now it’s just me and Camilla in the house, which is a bit scary because they live in a massive place. On the other hand, given how many children they have, it was probably necessary with a large building to live in.

“What are we gonna do, little girl?” I ask Camilla, who giggles at me.

I sit down on the floor and pick up a book about Winnie The Pooh to read. It’s no secret that children who are being read for are also being helped by it, no matter how small they are. Camilla beats in the book and gets overjoyed when she sees a picture of Winnie The Pooh while I can’t do anything but smile.

❖❣❖❣❖

We spend the day together with much playing, books, and other fun things. Time passes faster than I expect and suddenly it's three o'clock. Camilla has just eaten, and I rock her in my arms while singing softly to her.

She rubs her eyes and slowly begins to get tired. I put my forehead against hers and keep singing. Camilla smiles big, and I don't notice the man who just entered the room until he talks to me.

"Oh, Lord, have mercy on my soul. You're an angel."

I look at the handsome man in front of me and immediately recognize the similarities between father and daughter. Camilla giggles in my arms when she hears her dad's voice, and I walk up to him to hand her over. The man's eyes shine up as soon as he holds her.

"Hello, my little queen," he says, kissing her forehead. "Have you been nice today?"

He looks up at me, and I feel how my cheeks get warm. This is the most beautiful man I've seen in my life, and I can't even behave like people. Thankfully, I don't have to say anything before the front door opens and a whole platoon of people enters the room.

"Hope! How has it gone today?" Mrs. Novak asks and hugs me.

"She's been a little angel," I calmly respond.

"Of course she has," she says in a baby voice to her granddaughter.

The man who's the father of Camilla is about to say something when my phone rings. I open the bag, pick it up and look at the screen; "Chapman junior high school." Why are they calling me? What happened now!? The panic spreads in my body, and I respond immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hope Hathaway?" asks the voice on the other side.

"Yes, this is she."

"My name is Nathaniel Burton, and I'm the principal at Chapman junior high school. I'm calling with the reason your little brother Jessie has been in a fight and attacked another student. We can't get a hold of your dad, and you're listed as the next of kin."

"Who has he attacked!?" I exclaim, and the others in the room are looking at me with concern. "I'm on my way; warn him that I'll kick the s**t out of him when I get there."

I hang up and quickly pick up my things. The others look questioningly at me, and I put my hair behind my ear in nervousness. I've never liked being the one in the middle who gets all the attention and whom everyone looks at. However, I realize that I have to explain myself to my employers.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Novak," I begin. "But I have to leave at once."

"What happened?" Mr. Novak asks anxiously.

"My little brother has been in a fight... Again!" I explain and put on my shoes.

"Where are you going?" Camilla's dad asks and looks at me.

"Chapman," I answer, and he nods before putting Camilla in Mrs. Novak's arms.

"I'll drive you. That's the least I can do after you took care of my daughter," he explains, and I nod with a slight smile on my lips.

I say goodbye to the others quickly and follow the man to a black car. He opens the door on the passenger side, and I give him a little embarrassed "thank you" before sitting down. When I fasten my belt, he's already in the car and starts it.

We're silent, and I'm glad that this man is kind enough to drive me, given that raindrops fall from the dark clouds. He looks at me from time to time but doesn't say anything, and neither do I. What should I say? "Thank you for letting me take care of your baby during the day,"?

"Your little brother," the man suddenly says. "Does he often get into fights?"

"All the time," I answer after a few seconds. "Jessie has always been quick to protect others, and I know there must be a reason he attacked someone, but..."

"You wish he could do it without resorting to violence?" he concludes, and I nod slowly. "I was the same as a teenager. I've done some stupid s**t over the years, but before I became an adult and realized that violence doesn't help in all situations, I did the same."

"I just don't want him to hurt himself or end up in prison," I sadly reply. "He's the only one I have."

It doesn't feel like there's any reason to mention Farris, given that I have him in my life but still don't. He's there when it suits him, and never when he should. Jessie is, in my eyes, the only one I have, and I do everything for him.

He parks the car and turns to me. I don't look at him because I feel that my tears aren't far from falling. He lifts my chin to meet my eyes, and it seems like he has the brightest sky in his light blue eyes.

"It's okay to feel anxious; it shows you care," he says, and I nod with a slight smile before opening the door to get out of the car. "Darby."

"What?" I ask and turn around to look at him.

"My name," he replies, smiling. "My name is Darby."

"Nice to meet you, Darby," I answer and close the car door before walking into the school building to address the problems my brother ended up in yet again.

A / N:

Hey, everybody!

I know I've disappeared a little. It wasn't meant to happen, and it wasn't planned either. I just got a contract with another platform with other books that I needed to edit before uploading them. It has taken up a lot of my time, and given that I graduated recently, I am a full-time job seeker. Hopefully, you will forgive this.

~ Are Hope's and Darby's reactions weird?

~ Should Hope give up contact with her dad?

~ Why do you think Jessie got into a fight?

Please, give me your thoughts. All the comments I get helps me develop, and I plan to go a long way. Hence I need your help with your opinions. I love you<3