Saved by the sea

Chapter 4

I sat in a hot bath...

Regretting getting up today...

Regretting agreeing to meet Oliver's mother...

Regretting the dress that she told me to wear...

Regretting the whole day altogether...

I tried calling Oliver... I wanted to talk to him about today... about the whole wedding thing...

Fuck...

Maybe I even wanted to ask him to postpone it...

Fuck....

This wedding...him... it should be my dream... hell it was my dream...

But why my gut feeling was telling me something was wrong...

I released a frustrated sight and sank deeper into the tub...

When I heard my doorbell ring...

Okay... this means bathtime is over...

I  got out of the tub, pulled on a robe and rushed to the door...

"I'm coming..."

When I opened the door, behind it stood my father...

"Daddy?"

"Hi, sweetcheeks."

He steps inside and pulled me into a big bear hug... 

There is nothing like being pulled into a big hug after a shitstorm of a day...

"I thought I would visit today because Oliver is working... and we will have some time chat..."

He released me and walked further into the apartment straight to the kitchen...

"So dad.... how was work?"

"Nothing special... why don't you tell me about your day? I heard Oliver's mother took you to the dress shop?"

"It was..." I wasn't sure what to tell him... we never really had any secrets... but seeing him so happy about the wedding... I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth.. and my doubts... the stress could cause him serious damage... 

"It was nice... the shop was very fancy and the owner told me I could take it home... they said that it would be delivered today... but it still isn't here... but it is all okay... I think they will deliver it tomorrow...."

"That's great honey... I'm so happy for you... You and Oliver will be a great couple... and I hope his mother..."

From the way his body stiffened, I could tell that he was thinking about my mother... he always blamed himself that I had to grow up without a mother.

He struggled a lot at the beginning... I know that my mother leaving broke something in him... something that couldn't be prepared so easily... 

I tried encouraging h I'm to date... but would always refuse to talk about any of it... maybe seeing me happily married would inspire him to find love again...

I want him to be happy again...

"Don't worry daddy, Ms Carson is a great woman... we get on really well..."

His face has lightened again...

God...

There is no going back... I will make this work... for daddy...

"So what are we making for dinner?"

"Mhm... well..." He looked around in the fridge..." How about some spaghetti and meatballs?"

 Well, that wasn't hard to guess... my father was a great man... but cooking... and well any other housework... wasn't his speciality... 

He has a few recipes he perfected over the years: Spaghetti and meatballs, cereal, eggs, mack and cheese and well take out... 

When I was growing up we rotated these dishes until I was old enough to take over... but nothing beats my father spaghetti and meatball... 

"Great daddy. Do you want help?"

"No, why don't you rest for a bit and make yourself some tea and some coffee for me?"

"Good try big guy, no coffee for you at this time of the day. And I can bet that you already had more than the doctor promoted you to drink..."

His cheeks went pink as he lowered his gaze...

"Well, you know your old man baby girl..."

"Two cups of tea coming up."

We chatted while he made dinner... while we ate it brought out a nostalgic feeling inside of me... this time together reminded me of my childhood... how every Sunday evening daddy would spend time with me.

He usually worked every day from early morning to late nights, but he always made time every Sunday to spend time with me...

We would do anything I wanted... I loved Sundays...

After dinner, he needed to home, because tomorrow he had an early meeting...

"I'm so happy for you baby girl... Oliver is a good man and I'm happy that he will take over in a few years..."

Sadness again clenched my stomach... 

There is no stopping this wedding anymore... I can't... 

"I'm also happy daddy... see you tomorrow..."

 O hugged him one last time and closed the door behind him.

I rested my forehead against the door trying to get control of myself and I returned to the kitchen...

While washing the dishes I tried to sort my thoughts in order... that they would make sense... but it wasn't happening... my mind was buzzing from thoughts... ideas... insecurities...

Not bothering to braid my hair I stumbled onto the bed and the emotional weight of the last few days washed over me as a deep dream-filled sleep took over me...

When I opened my eyes I felt a few things a once...

First, I couldn't breathe through my nose... 

Second, my throat felt as if it was a desert...

And third... I had one of the worst headaches ever...

Great... just great...

exactly what I need this week...

A freaking cold...

As I thought this week couldn't get worse...

I stumbled out of the bed into the bathroom...

I felt a bit woozy... but it was nothing a hot shower and some medicine couldn't fix... or least I hoped it would...

Because I really wanted to talk to Oliver and work seemed the only place I could reach him after and without his secretary...

As I hoped the shower, hot tea and some medicine helped all of the aches, leaving me with a runny nose and feeling as if I was run over by a car... but it was still better than I felt in the morning... 

I rushed to the to wor on time... I hated to be late... and I made it just in time...

As I was walking through the office I spotted that Oliver secretary was here... so I hope he would be here also...