Haven ( Book one )

Fifteen

The table was prepared, and we were all getting ready to sit down for Christmas dinner. Just then, I heard a knock on the door. I went to answer it, and I was very surprised by who I saw. it was my father, he was here with Myles, and two other girls who looked quite young. I was absolutely speechless, I had no clue what to say. At the same time, I wasn't too surprised. I always wondered why my mum made so much food for this year's Christmas dinner, when it was literally just me, her, and June. It makes sense now, she really decided to invite the whole family over. And of course, she didn't tell me. She probably had a feeling that I wouldn't be happy about it. can you blame me though? After everything she's lied to me about, including this, did she really think I would just be okay with them coming over for Christmas dinner? I'm not okay with this, but at this point, there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. I had to act nice, because if I didn't, I would just look selfish and ungrateful. So many people said that I am not a fair person. If people put themselves in my shoes, they act as if they would not do the exact same thing, maybe even worse. I personally think I'm being all to calm about it. This situation is fucked up, everyone knows that. But everyone is out here being calm, as if it's absolutely nothing, as if I was not lied to my entire life. I know I sound extremely repetitive, but I don't care. It doesn't amount to how long I've been lied to. I don't care how many times I have to say that, but it's true. I just want honesty from people, that's literally what I want most in this world. Honesty. And that's what I've getting the least. So I think you can understand why I'm a bit pissed off. I think I have a right to be.
I still decided to put a smile on my face, so I said "guys, I'm so happy you could make it. Please come in." and then they came in.

They sat down at the table, along with everybody else. My mum started the conversation by saying "Jake, I'm so happy you could join us today. Obviously, I know that it's been very weird over the past few months, and I know the circumstances haven't been great for multiple reasons. But I want us to use this Christmas dinner to clear the air, to get everything we need to say, out in the open, and be thankful for what we currently have. Haven, I assume that you have met Myles. You guys are both in the same year at school, I'm not sure if you have met Lisa and Elizabeth. They are your sisters, and I know that this must be hard for you to process, but I want you to think about this. Be open minded, I know that you're very quick to shut people out, and I don't want you to be this way about them. They have not done anything wrong, it's me and your father who you are angry at. So please, don't take it out on them." I was absolutely speechless, I had more siblings that I didn't know about. Nobody mentioned them to me, people need to realise that they can't just start springing secrets like that, onto me. I've had enough of those over the past few months, I just need someone to sit down and be honest with me. I looked at my mum and then I said "Lisa, Elizabeth. It's a pleasure to meet you two. I can imagine that you must've been shocked to find out that you had a sibling, that you didn't know about." Lisa looked at me and then she responded with "the surprise definitely didn't come easy. At the same time though, we weren't mad about it. Haven, you seem like a very nice person to be around. We're excited to get to know you more." Myles looked at me, and then he asked "Haven, can I talk to you privately?" I nodded, and then I got up and we went to the living room.

He sat down on the sofa and then he asked "you have my number, Haven. Didn't you think it would be a bit wise to let me know that we were joining families for Christmas dinner?" I looked at him annoyed and then I responded with "what makes you think that I knew about this? This was just as much a surprise for me, as it was for you. I hundred percent had no clue about this." He nodded, and then he said "I believe you. It's just really awkward. I also wanted to apologise, I should've mentioned the fact that I had twin sisters. It kinda slipped my mind." I looked at him annoyed, and then I asked "how do you forget to tell me that I have two other siblings? That's not something you just forget. You know that this has been enough of a surprise for me." He nodded, and then he said "I know, I'm sorry. But on the other hand, Harrison told me that you're quitting Luna Coast. You can't do that, you've become a well valued member of the school. You're head of the dance organising committee, you're the principal's daughter, and you're only new girl that's actually made an impact on the school. This problem is not worth quitting over. We all love you at Luna Coast. It may not seem that way, but we do. No one wants you to leave. You're my sister, and I only just found you, I can't lose you again." I looked at him, and then I replied with "dad has not even made an effort. At least you've had both of your parents. Our dad has sixteen years of making up to do, for lost time with me. The only reason he has to make up with you is because, you got lied to. I didn't even have him, I didn't even know if he was alive, I didn't even know if I would ever see him. You saw him 24/7. I can't relate. He has a lot more making up to do to me, than he does with you." He nodded, and then he said "I understand. Trust me, I get it. We'll talk more about this later. We should head back to dinner." I nodded and then we both headed back to the dinner table.

When we sat down, I saw my mum and dad talking. I looked at how my life could've been, if they had just co-parented. My mum was willing to do it, but my dad chose his reputation over me. I'm sure by now, you Cana probably see why I'm so annoyed. He looked at me and then he said "I've got gifts for you and Myles. I've already given your sisters their presents, now it's you guys turn. But before that, I have denied your letter of notice. I'm allowed to that, since I am the principal. Also, at the bottom of the letter has a signing place, where I have to sign, in order for you to get permission to permanently leave the school. If I don't sign that, your letter is invalid. And I'm not signing it." I looked at him annoyed and then I asked "was that necessary? Just let me leave." He nodded, and then he responded with "you're not even going to want to leave after you see your gift. Myles, Haven, come with me."
He took us outside to the garage, and lifted the door. Inside, was two beautiful brand new Range Rovers. One was silver, and the other one was black. He looked at us, and then he said "Merry Christmas, you two. You can choose among yourselves, which colour you want." I looked at him in absolute, and utter shock. Myles also couldn't believe what he was seeing. He looked at me, and then he asked "can I have the silver one?" I nodded, and then I responded with "I prefer the black one, anyways. So yeah, you can have the silver." Myles looked at dad, and then he said "dad, thank you. That's insane. These cars are absolutely amazing." I also looked at him, and then I said "yeah. Myles is right, thank you. This is absolutely amazing. It's definitely a step in the right direction." He smiled at us and then he handed us our keys, and then he said "once dinner is over, you two can take them for a test drive." We nodded, and then we went back inside.

We all sat back down at the dinner table. Principal Colstone got up, and he said "I'd like make an announcement. First things first, I would to apologise to my oldest daughter, Haven. In a time where she needed her father, I wasn't there. I chose my reputation, over my blood. I didn't even realise the error in my ways, until it was pointed out to me. I thought that I was doing what was best for me. I wasn't thinking about how my daughter would actually feel. Because of my selfish acts, she's grown up to not having a father figure. A status I could've taken, but chose not to. I still regret it to this day. From here on, I promise that I will be a father to you. I will make up for the sixteen years that I missed. Because, Haven Luna Ashford Colstone, you are, and always will be my daughter. I'm very sorry, I'm sorry that I couldn't be a father to you. All that is going to change. The second thing I'd like to say is, I'm thankful for everyone else. Lisa, Elizabeth, Myles. My three other beautiful children. I also want to apologise to you guys. I'm sorry that I hid your sister from you. It wasn't fair, you deserve to know all of your siblings. Once again, I put my reputation before anyone else. I know that was wrong, nothing like that will ever happen again. I want this whole family to come together as one. No more drama, no more secrets, no more lies. Everyone here is a Colstone. So it's time that we start acting like Colstones." Everyone got up, and cheered to that. And you know what, I was willing to cheer to that too.

My dad never made an effort. Ever since he found out that I was his daughter, he just acted like nothing happened. Even before I told him, when I first came to the school, he should've said something. He should've acknowledged me, but he didn't. And that wasn't fair on me, or anyone else. The fact that he left me without a father figure for so long, wasn't right. He apologised for it, and I accept his apology, but it doesn't change what he did. He still has a hell of a lot of making up to do, because I'm not just going to forget that. He's starting to make an effort though, and I respect him for that, but I was also annoyed that he hid the fact that I have two other sisters from me. He took a really big step though, he found out about the accident that I was in, and decided to get me a car for Christmas. Not just any car, a Range Rover. A range Rover has literally been my dream car for years, and now I have that, thanks to him. So I am eternally grateful for the fact that he did that, he knew exactly what I needed and he gave that to me. So yes, he definitely is starting to make an effort. And I'm not going to fault him for it. I will give him a chance, I'll give him a chance to prove that he could actually be a father to me, because I think everyone deserves a second chance. And maybe I've been a bit too hard on him, I never gave him the chance to try, before saying that he wasn't trying, and that wasn't fair on him. So from today onwards, we will only look towards the future, and hopefully I can actually end up forming a really good relationship with my dad. Because I can't lie, there's nothing I would want more.