The Soles Of Damini Manor

CHAPTER 19: TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH

Kola

Deb claimed she had to visit a friend, so I'm stuck walking home alone with a heavy heart and a heavier mind. Mom is on the run to protect everyone, and I can't do anything to help her. It's so frustrating that I slam the doors of the manor the second I walk in.

"Hey, little man. What has gotten you so worked up?" Dad asks from the door's entrance, a cracker hanging from his lips.

Once again, he has returned like a ghost only to disappear the moment we need him the most.

"Hey, Dad," I say without any energy walking into the kitchen to grab some water. Since Maria told us that story, I've been dehydrated at every second, as if my throat can't believe the surreal things that left Maria's lips this morning.

"That doesn't look like your school uniform," Dad points out, joining me in the kitchen to grab a can of Monster from the fridge.

I should have been more discreet about missing school, but I didn't expect him to return since we've been trying to reach him all week.

I place my bottle on the counter, conjuring up the most believable lie until he changes the topic.

"Your sister filled me in on the Jide Williams guy," he starts. "I reached out to him and...he's right." Dad finishes.

"What?" I exclaim. "He can't be right, Grandma would have never sold the manor," I explain.

"I said the same thing kiddo but he had her signature and everything." He pauses. "Something feels up but we can't know for sure until we find your Mom. And...we're going to have to move back to Manhattan," he says gravelly.

"No!" I cry out. We are so close especially with the revelation, leaving now wouldn't do us or Mom any good.

My cry startles Dad. "I thought you and your sister wanted us out of this place," he states, confused.

I wipe a hand over my eyes in agitation. "That was then Dad. I'm going to figure out a way for us to stay," I say in a determined tone about to walk past him but his next words have me halting.

"I tried to find us a new place...the people here are very territorial with their space," he explains.

Tell me about it, I've met Yvonne.

When I don't respond Dad speaks again. "I've been thinking about having some family bonding time. You know, like the games we used to play when you were kids," he proposes perching himself on the stool next to where I'm standing. This is what he does after every no phone week. He knows he has done something wrong and tries get a clean slate by doing right by us.

Normally I make him work for it, but I'm letting him off the hook this time. He has always been an optimist, even in the face of the worst things, so I can understand why Mom's disappearance broke him. I can remember the day after she went missing, he locked himself in their room and cried for three hours. But the moment he stepped out, he was bubbly again like the walls didn't have ears.

"What game would you like us to play?" I ask, feeding into his desires to erase the guilt he's feeling.

He places his hand under his chin in deep thought before saying. "Hide and seek."

Repeating to myself that I can't afford to have Dad feel guilty, I agree to his games no matter how childlike they might seem.

"Sounds great. I think you should seek. I'll be upstairs informing Kanyin about the game," I tell him, leaving the kitchen and climbing up the staircase.