In Our Blood

Chapter Twenty

Charlie was surprised to see her father not waiting for outside the bathroom as she stepped out, she kept using the wall to keep her balance as she walked towards the dining room.

She saw her father patiently sitting in his seat, he placed down his fork as he looked up at Charlie as he swallowed the food in his mouth.

Charlie prepared herself to walk freely to her chair, she took slow and steady steps before sitting down in her chair.

She looked down at the plate of food. A roast meal. She looked up at him.

"It's all they had."

Charlie didn't question it as she began forcefully stabbed her fork into the food before scoffing the food.

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The two of them sat in silence after Charlie had taken her final bite of the food on her plate.

He placed his hands in his lap as Charlie placed her hands on top of the table, resting her hands next to her plate. Her cutlery sat on top of her now empty plate.

He studied his daughter's face, trying to work out what she was thinking or planning to do. He believed he knew her facial expressions.

Charlie remained poker face.

Her wounds no longer ached, she felt refreshed.

"Now Charlotte."

Charlie slowly blinked her eyes as she gave a simple smile "Charlotte was such a pretty name." She tilted her head slightly to the side as she looked at her father "Charlotte means free. Free from what? Just free."

He went to open his mouth to speak but Charlie raised her hand to stop him.

"I wasn't given a choice." She stated as she laid her hand flat down on the table.

He kept his head up as he glanced down at her hands, she hadn't moved them from the table or to even touch the cutlery. He kept his hands in his lap as he studied his daughter.

Charlie studied his face "You taught me to keep my hands in sight." She rose up from her seat.

He didn't move his hands.

Charlie side stepped around the table, she stood next to her father. He lifted his head to look at her.

"You look up to me like your scared." Charlie hushed her words.

His eyes stared into her's as he waited for her next move. He kept his body forward.

Charlie dropped to her knees; he held his confusion back as he watched. She placed her hands on the back of her head as she showed mercy.

He pushed his chair back slightly before rising to his feet, he shoved his hands in his pant pockets as he looked down at his daughter "About time."

She looked up at him like she was ready to follow his next order.

"Eleven people in five days, pathetic." He slide his left hand out of his pocket and reached his hand towards Charlie.

Charlie looked down at his empty hand, she didn't hesitate to move one of her hands from behind her and place it into his hand.

He helped her rise to her feet; she lowered her other hand from her head and down to her side.

He felt proud of his daughter for finally conforming to who she was.