Where to go from here

Chapter 5 Down Under

Lachlan's POV

It's a bright and sunny day in the beautiful city. I'm not a fan of how busy it gets here. That's why I choose to live out of the bush. but I know that at the same time, this is how I can make money, so I will take the business as much as I can, just trying to relax and breath every chance I can get. I'm exhausted after a very long day so far from being in the sun with a big fake smile plastered across my face as if it's my mask, but you got to do what you can to make the day as good for everyone in your presence as possible. Especially when I have so many eyes on me at all times lately.

I finish up my show, leaving the exhibit and going straight into the back to help clean. "Good on ya! I saw ya had another good show, Lachlan.. The people really love ya, so maybe we should think about making this a permanent position." My administrator declared while entering the room after me. I work at a zoo and have always helped with clean up and feeding, but they just started pushing me up the little ladder we have within the company, just to help with training certain animals in the public eye for a little bit.. I don't do all the training at all or even decide what training the animals get to do. I just do as they tell me with their script and suggestions. It's easier than I had imagined since the animals are comfortable enough with me from seeing me around, that this ends up being easier for me to do than I had expected.

But the only reason I am in this position is because the normal sheila that is here just broke her leg. She slipped on a fish and fell.. So they asked if I could help out for a little bit until she is able to get back.. I honestly didn't think I could do it, but now, after a couple of tries and improving myself already, plus the kind words from the administrator just now.. I guess I couldn't feel better. "Thanks, Bruce.. I wouldn't mind that at all as long as I'm not taking Stacy's job.. I would hate to put her out of a job, especially when she is going through a rough patch." I declare as he states. "Ya.. I can understand that.. no worries, she has resigned to the bush.. she thinks that it would be best if she stayed home with the ankle biters and not pushing her limits anymore than she already has.. per requested from her husband." He explains as I get excited about that thought.

"Fair enough.. then, of course, I would take it.. I like doing this." I accepted his offer as my heart palpitated thinking about how this is going to get harder but hopefully better.. I have wanted more of a challenge and something new for a little bit because, after a couple of years, cleaning up after the animals starts to lose its flare. He pats my shoulder as I smile at him until I hear my phone ringing. I look from him to my phone as I hear him say. "G'day, Lachlan." I nod at him and pick up the call, seeing it's my father.

"G'day, Da.. I have been getting worried since ya haven't called me back or picked up my calls lately. I was worried that Bludger got ya for all ya worth." I explained about his gold-digging girlfriend that he knows I have a distaste for. But as those words leave my lips, the shrill voice I was just referring to erupts in my ear. "Hey Lach!" I groaned out loudly, showing my obvious displeasure. "What do you want Bludger?" I spat at Lydia as she snaps right back. "I didn't want to call you either.. but your father demanded I call for him."

"Now tell me why he would ever ask ya to ring me up when he could do it.. he knows I don't like you." I feel my anger building the longer this conversation goes on. "Your father had to do an emergency surgery.. but now he is recovering and is being supervised." She explains as I feel my heart throb. "Who's supervising him? there is no way I would trust a daft bludger like you to take care of him." I snap again, hating that my father is hurt, and I'm just now finding out about this, when I should have been informed before the surgery occurred or even right after since it was emergency.

"Ugh.. Lach.. I wish you could just trust me already.. we could be so close if you gave me a proper chance.. I have been good to your father.. but I told him he needed special care.. so.. No.. he is with.. professionals." I let out a deep breath as I felt my anxiety panicking at that thought. How bad was the surgery? What was it for? I can't believe this. "Professionals? at the hospital?" I ask, just wanting some information, but it's like pulling teeth with her. I don't know if she is too stupid to know the words or is refusing to tell me, but either way, I am losing patience. "Well, kinda.. It's just a little different than that." She declares making me mad. I hate that response as I snap back. "Just tell me where he is?!"

"Fine, he is at a nursing home." She says under her breath. I feel my anger boiling over the top. "You threw him into a home! Let me guess ya threw him in and continued to spend all his money on yourself?!" I ask as she scoffs. "I am his girlfriend, and he wants to marry me, you know.. and he told me that he wants to continue to take care of me no matter where he is at." I huff out in frustration. "Of course he would.. sure.. sure.. Ya such a manipulative b*tch. How long has he been there?!" I ask her, and she whines out the next answer. "Only a couple of days.. but he asked me to call you.. He just wanted you to know what was going on, that's it." she declares, making me outwardly scoff.

"You make this sound so casual, but it's not.. My father has never been one to go to the hospital, and just the fact that he went in there means this is something serious whether you think it or not. But it doesn't matter, just tell my dad I am coming there as soon as I can.. I need to go talk to my boss, then I will be on the next plane." She screeches out. "No, you don't have to.. he says he doesn't feel up for company at all, but he wanted to make sure you were updated. Don't come here bothering him."

I scoff again. "I didn't ask for ya opinion.. I need to make sure he is ok for myself because I will never believe a word that comes out of ya daft hole.. Besides, family means everything to me.. so I'll be there soon.. no debating this." I hang up the phone, not wanting to waste another second on her.. Every time I talk with her, I feel my IQ going down, and I can't risk her dumbing me down as much as she had to my father.

I don't know what she did, put him under a spell with her voodoo ways, bribed him or what.. but she did something to him to make him want her.. I don't know what, but he had to have lost half his brain to want her every day for years now.. That's why I stopped talking to him as much because I hate her and I have so long. I just can't believe he would choose to leave our homeland and travel so far for that daft bimbo that he met online. I'm happy he wasn't catfished, but that doesn't change the fact that she is using him and probably lying to him all the same. But it doesn't matter what I think, because it's my Da's life.

I headed straight for my boss. I burst into the administrator's office, scaring him, I would assume, because my drastic actions scared myself. "So sorry, Bruce.. But.. I have to go.. to the States.. I have to see my Da.. He had a medical issue that led to a major surgery a couple of days ago and is trying to heal and believe me. He is not getting the help he deserves.. I need to go to him.. and if ya want to take back that promotion, I would understand.. I don't know how long I would be there, and I don't want ya to have to wait.. but if ya do, I would come back and even work extra to make it up to yous because I love this job." I explain everything at once as he nods, taking in my words and thinking about it.

"Family always comes first, so here's what I will do.. I will give ya 3 weeks to get your affairs in order, but if the month comes around and I haven't heard from you by then.. I will hand the position over to someone else.. sound fair?" he asks as I vigorously nod before leaning over the desk to shake his hand. "Thanks so much, sir.. ya don't know what this means to me." He nods at me and shakes my hand. Before I turn to get this trip underway.

I leave my work with a haste, trying to get home and grab everything I may need to cross over to the States.. passport and all. I pick up my cell phone, trying to call my lady of a few months. She seems sweet and down to earth but can be high maintenance when it comes to attention, so I don't know how she will feel about me leaving and not giving her any attention for who knows how long. "Hey Lach!" she belts out so loudly that I have to hold the phone away from my ear.

"Hey.. Um, I have something to discuss with you." I declare making sure she knows this will be a hard situation. "Ok.. wait, are you breaking up with me?" she belts out as I huff out from the frustration of this entire situation so far. "No.. My father is hurt and has been in the hospital after an emergency surgery.. So I need to go to him." I declare, but she instantly huffs out at that comment. "I'm not taking care of some gross old man just because I like his son.. that's not the kind of woman I am." She spats as I feel my eyebrows furrow at that comment. "Excuse me?" I ask to clarify what she just said before I explode.

I need to know what the hell is going on right now.. I called her to give her a warning that I wouldn't be around, and it has unleashed this whole side of her I never expected. "I'm just saying.. Ya called me because ya father needs help and I won't do that.. I like ya, but I'm not that kind of easy-bake girl.. I'm not the housewife type, ya know? Ya have fun seeing yous dad because I'm not coming.. I don't want to get stuck with the old man while ya do nothing." She declares as I huff out again.

"Ya got to be kidding me? I wasn't inviting yous.. and that disgusting old man ya described is my dad.. he is my everything, and I won't let anything stop me from seeing him.. he is in the States, so I'm going to see him." I spit this out at her, feeling a disgust in my heart for her now, that I never expected when I made this call. "You're going on a vacation to the States, and you're not inviting me?" she snaps at me as I scoff out. "I'm not vacationing! Did ya not hear me.. I'm going to shoot through for my father." I'm in disbelief about the conversation that was ensuing with her. She is not the understanding person I thought she was.

"So ya taking another sheila with ya to the States to visit yous family? Is that it? or are ya planning on meeting another single one there to really be a root rat?" She jealously accuses me of wanting to leave here just to sleep with other women as her voice starts to get to a way higher pitch, annoying me without hesitation. "How many times do I have to say this. I'm not on a vacation or trying to get a stiffly for anyone because contrary to popular belief, I'm not a root rat, just a bit of a mongrel when I need to be and obviously this is the time for that.. I'm shooting through to make sure my father is alright.. I want to even try and bring him back with me so he can be taken care of with me, where he belongs. I am just putting my family first, and as the chosen sheila in my life, I thought you would understand this.. but now I have figured out that we are on two separate wave lengths.. I think this conversation happened for a reason.. I think that this has helped me see the person ya are without even looking for it.. I think we should be done.. not because I am traveling to the states and want to be single, but because I want a sheila who cares about family and no matter the situation, would want to be there for them because eventually they would be her family as well.. But that is not yous outlook, and that's ok.. but that's mine.. so we need to end this before it gets serious.. thanks for your time.. and have a nice life. No drama, G'day." I spat just hanging up the call.. that made this easier than I thought.