𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝐾𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔

𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒘𝒚𝒆𝒓

Charlie Hendersons pov

13 years later....

Being a lawyer was sometimes so exhausting and time consuming I had always been the type to lose track of what's really important, like my daughter. I had set Rory as the nanny years ago but he had a special place in the family, the father cara should have had to begin with.

I had taken a few days off, hoping to catch up with cara. Time seemed to move so quickly she was already almost graduating and I had missed so much of it I knew an apology wouldn't even suffice.

Stepping inside my house the aroma of ribs hit my nose, sending a warmth all of my body. I hear music blasting and see Rory in the kitchen, taking ribs out the oven, covered in a thick glaze that smelled heavenly.

"Hey Charlie" he looks up and smiles, wearing an apron and a chef hat, he looked like he belonged there it was kind of hard not to laugh.

I nod and set my briefcase by the door along with my shoes, prepared to chow down on those ribs.

"Did you take the weekend off?" He yelled as the music got louder and I nod, running fingers through my gel slicked hair. I needed a shower asap.

Rory continues to hum, stirring something in the pot. Even over the years he's still the same man I met that night in the bar, his hair growing back slowly, growing slightly taller just a bit, no wrinkles and yet that same genuine smile.

"Cara?" I questioned and he pointed up the stairs and I nod, making my way up. I head to her room and knock on the door.

"Come in" she speaks from the other side of the door.

I come inside and spot her on the bed, deep within her thoughts. Looking around her room I take in everything, I haven't been up here much so seeing it covered with books and stuffed animals was a bit shocking, nothing pink in sight.

"Hey" I sit on her bed and she quickly shuts the notebook she's writing in, her eyes on mine.

"Hey..." She sets it behind her and I tilt my head in confusion.

"What are you writing?"

She sighs and brings it back out, opening it back up to me. I see questions scrawled all over and I read them carefully.

1. Who is my father?

2. where is my mother?

3.who is Travis Crashaw?

4. How does sex work?

5. Why was I raised so differently?

I take a deep breath, dissolving her questions in.

Looking up she's got a curious look in those beautiful brown eyes and watched my every move, I know she wants answers..and I'm ready to answer them. She crosses her legs and leans forward.

"First off....it's me, I'm your father. I..I've been such a shit one it's hard to believe it but it's true. Being a lawyer sucks up all my time and I..hire nannies to cover up my absence and it sucks but it's true. I hired Rory and..he's been the father I know you've always wanted and needed and im sorry it wasn't me."

The words hit her harder than expected, tears dwelling in her beautiful eyes. I had missed out on so much shes practically grown, nineteen years I've missed. Her hair was long, black and shaggy down her back. She was so beautiful I haven't taken much of a look at my own daughter and I take a deep breath, stopping myself from tearing up.

"Second question...your mom left you when you were born. She had you and..the next day she was gone from the hospital and I tried searching..and couldn't find her."

I didn't tell her the rest of that story..it was the truth but it's more horrible and..so fucked up I didn't even wanna say the rest. She wasn't ready for that.

"Thank you..for not leaving me completely" she spoke softly and I grab her hands, kissing them.

"I will never leave okay?."

She nods.

"Third question...Travis Crashaw was a criminal I put away years ago. He murdered his girlfriend and was put away in prison, his brother has been out but..they will never come near us you hear me?" I needed her to understand no matter what happens in my past nothing could hurt her or damage her future.

She nods once again.

"Fourth question.."

She flushes and shakes her head.

"I'm sorry i-"

"It's okay your just curious. So...when a man and a woman love each other -"

"I understand it happens when people love each other...but how.." she was so embarrassed and I was as well, I was literally talking to my daughter about how sex works.

"The man has a...okay you don't need to know this you just need to know...to protect yourself okay? Keep your flower for someone whose worth losing it too okay?".

She nods and sighs heavily. .

"You were raised differently... because I couldn't give you the life you deserve."

It was the sad truth and..yet she needed to hear it. Being different doesn't mean you can't grow up to have a better life. I just hope she knew it.