Bound By A Bump (COMPLETED)

Chapter 17 (Trying to make amends)

Before Kaylyn could form a reply, a thousand thoughts floated through her head, but there was one that was grating on her brain. Why was he calling her? He hadn't called in years!

Clearing her throat, she also wondered by what she would address him; Dad or Patrick?

       "Yes... hi," she said instead, not wanting to make the conversation more awkward than it was...what it was going to be.

There was a tiny pause and in that moment Kaylyn found herself biting her nails. She hadn't realized, but she was nervous. She was really nervous and it came as a bit of a surprise to her.

      "How are you?" came Patrick's aristocratic tone and Kaylyn inwardly cringed. The tone had been so familiar, so frustrating, that hearing it now brought back a load of memories she would rather leave in the past.

      "I'm fine." She straightened her shoulders, swallowing hard.

       "Kaylyn I know that we don't always..." he trailed off and chuckled.     "In fact, we never see eye to eye, but you're still my daughter."

      "You never acted like a father," she blurted, a thought she wanted to be silent but her heart wanted it to be heard. Kaylyn however, did not regret the outburst. It was the truth.

Patrick cleared his throat. "I know. I know what I did was wrong. I should've been more of a father to you, but I'm trying to change that now-"

     "It's too late!" she snapped.

       "Kaylyn, I'm not well, and I'm trying to make amends. In this short time, I'm trying to take back what I lost," he reasoned.

Kaylyn's throat constricted. His words took her by surprise. "You're trying to make things right now that you're supposedly dying? And what if you weren't?" she asked, her voice heavy with emotions.

       "Kay-"

       "No!" she hissed. "No. Where were you when I needed a father by my side? I didn't have the support of the two people I expected it from the most at the time. I to-" her voice broke, but she swallowed and continued. "I told you what was happening to me and you told me I was a liar. You believed him over your own daughter!' she exclaimed brokenly, tears now spilling from her eyes. She blocked out that part of her life, but now her father's call crumpled all the walls she had worked so hard in building over the years.

      "I don't give a damn if you're dying. And I don't see the need for your call. I hope you enjoy the time you have left," she exclaimed shakily, but firm enough to get her words across. With shaky, fingers she disconnected the call and broke down in sobs.

She curled herself up in a ball on the bed and cried. She had to admit, a little kindle of hope, spurred in her body when she had heard it was he who was calling. Although the spark was small, deep down she felt a bit happy, but after finding that his only reason was because he was a dying man, that spark died and coldness formed in her heart.

She had gone through a lot, with and without the abomination she called parents and though she may have sounded harsh, she held no regrets. Her words were subtle in comparison to theirs over the past years.

She cried until she hiccupped, her tears making a sea of sadness on the bed sheets, unbeknownst to her that Matthew, as always, was lurking out of sight.

#

Matthew had only ventured upstairs and to Kaylyns room, with the intention of an apology. He had earlier pondered on his words and he had realized that he was wrong for his patriarchal interrogation.

He paused at the door when he heard her on the phone, and a part of him wanted to leave, to give her, her privacy, but another part - the very inquisitive and nosy side, wanted so much more to just stay and listen. He decided on the latter. He stayed.