Call Him Daddy

Chapter 2

It was one hell of a week. Since Dannie refused to file any charges against Nelson, he was allowed to remain on campus. I don’t believe the school had any intention of kicking him out anyways. When your daddy is the chairman and you’re the star quarterback, you can get away with murder. However, being tied in the situation made things difficult.

Being the baby and the only daughter of the deceased Conner Charlemagne Carter made me and anyone I claimed somewhat untouchable. Even in his death, dad was the biggest donor for the school, that is as long as I am enrolled there. Them refusing to do more than just send Nelson to a few anger management classes made the decision to not return to finish my master’s degree with them that much easier.

Dannie was the victim in all of this, yet they forced her under house arrest till the end of finals. Thank heavens that were only for four days. Because I had stuck up for her they couldn’t kick her out, so they were trying to get her to leave on her own. I can only imagine how they are going to treat her if she decides to stay when I leave. Even if I stay close by, I can’t protect her once she’s on campus.

I feel bad because somehow, I feel like this is all my fault. If I hadn’t been entertaining Nelson and using him in an attempt to fill some impossible gap for the men I had no chance or future with, she wouldn’t have been in harm's way or being treated like a criminal for sticking up for herself. I am glad that she’s back to a cheerful, no-filter self. Even happier that she will be going home for the summer break and take time to figure out if she wants to return or not. I’m praying for the latter.

“Sol, who was that guy from this morning?”

“Which one?”

“The one who came with your lawyer to settle everything?”

“Don’t know. Why?”

“It’s just that he resembles you in a way. Thought you might have been related.”

I know who she was talking about, and I thought the same thing, but I couldn’t tell her that. Only a select few know who my father was. I might carry his last name but there’s a s**t ton of people with the same last name. Being a Carter didn’t automatically mean you were that Carter. People just assumed Gunnar was the one behind the money and the way I was treated.

Sometimes I wish that was the case, maybe things wouldn’t have been so complicated. I have no known family from mama’s side, but I have two brothers and a ton of relatives from dad. Yet I never met them and knew nothing about them. The conflict between my parents’ marriage and my birth put a strain on things.

That strain only lengthens when it was announced that dad left half of everything in his name to me. The other half was to be shared among his two sons. Mama had once told me that he left his ex-wife and brothers a hefty sum, but they weren’t content and wanted more. I guess they weren’t much different than her in that aspect.

I know dad had a reason for doing what he did, and that’s why I follow the instructions he left behind to a T. Unlike my mama, I never had to question if my dad loved me. He was a mountain of joy and love. I miss him every day. I would gladly give up everything just to have him back, hell at this point I’ll throw in mama for free.

“Sol, did you hear me?” Dannie called out breaking me from my thoughts.

“Sorry, what was that?”

“Why didn’t your stepdaddy special come too?” It’s hard not to laugh at these off the walls nickname she gives him.

“Girl, get it together. The man has other things to do. Plus, we are leaving tomorrow?”

“Ugh, but you’re not even going home. So how am I going see him?” Dannie whined, making it impossible to ignore her.

“You know where he lives, pretend you’re just trying to look for me?”

I laughed while she violently shook her head knowing she didn’t have it in her to do so. That was a blessing because I don’t know how I’d feel if my best friend went after him. There’s a reason why I haven’t gone back home for the past two years, why I only text and not talk to him on the phone, just simply answer the few times he bothers to call and rush to get off; why when the Dannie and Nelson situation went left I called dad’s trustee lawyer than him even though I knew the school already called him.

First, I loved the man and I shouldn't. Second I Knew that he either force me to return either on my own or send my "uncles" to get me which would put me in an impossible situation. Plus, the fear that there was the chance that he wouldn't care at all. I'd be the one looking stupid and feeling hurt for calling and not get an ounce of care from the only person after my father to give a damn about me until two years ago. Until I went and messed everything up.

I couldn’t tell Dannie any of that. In all honesty, I’m still processing what happened two years ago. It’s better to pretend it didn’t than ponder on it. Yet, that's all I've been doing. Knowing that the school called him and just finding out that I got the job I wanted but not the location, it won't be long before I have to face him. I'd rather not do so any sooner than the heavens have aligned.

Finals and Friday couldn’t have come fast enough. Especially after receiving a response for the job I wanted the most. I dropped Dannie at her parents, and after spending an hour with them, I needed to make the decision to either go home or go to the condo I had just leased. If I took the back road, I would be passing in front of the home before I made it to the condo. After spending a moment contemplating, I chose to take the highway and head to the condo.

I thought it would be easier after two years, but it wasn’t. If it wasn’t easy being three states away, there’s no way it’ll be easy being a meager forty-five minutes away. If it wasn’t because I desperately want this job, I wouldn’t have come back. Now I’m stuck here for a year before I can get a transfer. As I said, it won't be long before I have to face him.

Walking into the empty three-bedroom condo was disheartening. This was my first time living alone. I thought I’d enjoy it but it’s bleak and lonely. The only sign of life here is mine and that could barely be heard. For the first time in my life, I was truly alone, and I had no idea what to do with myself.

So, I spent the remainder of the weekend going over my new job manual, doing freelance software work, and starting a new online course for my master's. Can’t say it was my most joyful weekend. I kept myself busy but was bored out of my mind. The urge to go home now that I’m near it was gigantic. It didn’t help that he kept calling every hour.

Who knew they’ll be someone who looks forward to Mondays, just to escape the quiet loneliness of the weekend?