Home Sweet Girl

Chapter | Five

Elaine sucks her teeth as she continues to examine the swollen foot. It presents a slightly darker color due to poor circulation—indentations around his ankle.

"Is the other one like is?" she asks, looking up at him.

"No," Benjamin denies it, knowing in fact that the other foot is in similar condition.

"You need to get this checked out Benjamin, there could be something seriously wrong," it is a challenge to narrow down the possible causes of his foot swelling up.

I need more evidence.

"Elaine, It's nothing! I just need some ice and new shoes," he says. She gives him a narrow look.

"Don't, tell me it's nothing," she points out.

"Let me look at your hands," she stands up, taking his hands and examining them as well. They look puffy.

It could be anything.

However, it is definitely not the time for interrogations. They need to go after Mary.

Benjamin snatched his hands away, "I don't have time for this. I need to find my daughter".

"Benjamin, you have to be more lenient on her. She loves you and cares about your well-being. I'd expect you to feel the same way," Elaine says.

"I do! I have sacrificed everything for that little girl. I've done everything to protect her; keeping her out of arms way! she's just sensitive—too soft".

"Then don't push her away! stop restraining her because one day she will resent you for it," she scold.

"But, it is not her job to look after me. I don't restrain her. All her life, I let her be a child," he quotes.

"She still is! she's feeling pressured to always prove herself worthy. You made her that way. Besides, she doesn't know why she has to constantly keep tabs on you, but I do," it was like a revelation, that Benjamin couldn't escape.

"What do you mean?" he question. Sweat has found its way down his armpit.

"You can be quite careless sometimes. Mary see you leave and thinks that you're out looking for 'work'," Elaine's notion sends disturbing signals to his mind.

"And it's interesting that you talk about trying to keep her safe, while you're out there risking your life everyday".

"It's none of your business. You don't know what it's like," he simply says.

"I don't know what it's like?" she waves her point in the air. "You are such a child. In case you have forgotten, I was a young rebel who took risks and I suffered the consequences".

"If you tell Mary I swear-" he grits his teeth.

"I swear if she gets hurt, she will be a fatherless little girl," in the most seriousness of conversations, Elaine manages to get Benjamin to sniffle a laugh.

"It's no laughing matter, Benjamin. Even if I do tell her, she won't understand because she believes her father could do no wrong".

Thanks to her codependency.

"I love Mary, I would never hurt her," Benjamin speaks softly.