Chapter 6
I returned home late that night, hoping to God that my parents were in bed but once again, I met with my father who was sitting up, purposefully waiting for me.
“Where have you been all day, young lady?”
“Dad? What’s wrong? Why are you up waiting for me?”
“Why don’t you answer my question first?”
“I went out with Sarah. She’s home from school so we decided to go out to dinner, then we hung out in our old stomping grounds, catching up.”
“Is that right?”
I nodded, both impressed and ashamed at how fluidly I had lied.
“Okay, well, then I guess I stayed up for nothing,” he answered as he stood up from his old chair.
“Well, I appreciate you staying up to make sure I made it home all right,” I answered, unable to stop the thought that at least now, he made an effort to keep me in mind. It was nice, for once.
“I didn’t,” he admitted, making me wish he had kept his damn mouth shut, “I wanted to make sure you weren’t out with that northerner. He’s gonna screw me out of my money one day, I know it.”
“Oh…Well, thanks for your honesty, pops,” I replied sarcastically but all I received as a response was a grumble as he headed off to bed.
After he left, I stood there, watching after him for a long time, fighting back tears and wondering what my next move should be.
Early the next morning, there was an unexpected knock at the front door.
We were all awake, but I had yet to come downstairs.
I didn’t pay any mind to the knock until I heard a familiar voice once the door was open that caused my heart to flutter.
Despite the anger, I had displayed towards him yesterday, the fact that he was here proved to me that there was something that was possibly worth fighting for.
I hadn’t slept well last night and had ultimately decided that I was wrong to have gotten so upset at Anthony. It wasn’t that I thought he was wrong, it was more that I had no interest in hearing it. My reaction towards him was bred more out of my own shame and inability to find my own way.
Therefore, hearing his voice and realizing that I hadn’t pushed him away for good gave me a renewed sense of hope.
“Good morning,” Anthony greeted cheerfully.
“You don’t have a meeting with Raymond this morning, Mr. Shields, do you?” My mother asked, sounding slightly rude and obviously displeased at his early arrival.
“No, Mrs. Daniels I don’t. I’m actually here to see Sahara,” he replied confidently, “Is she here?”
“At this hour, I should think so,” my mother insisted as I heard her shuffle toward the staircase. “Sahara, you have a visitor.”
“Thanks, Momma,” I called back to her, trying to hide my excitement at getting to see Anthony again so soon, “I’ll be right down.”
“Good morning,” I insisted as I slid out the front door, past my mother’s glare of disapproval, shutting the door behind me. “Sorry about my momma. She can be grumpy before she’s completed her morning routine,” I chuckled.
“I am so sorry if I’m here too early,” Anthony insisted, for once sounding as though consideration had actually caused him to rethink his decision. “I wanted to ask if you wanted to go to breakfast with me. I forget that people might not get up as early as I do.”
“No, it’s okay. Really, we were all awake. I’m not sure what my mom’s deal is. I thinks she’s mad I got in late last night.”
Although he didn’t say anything, I could tell there was a sense of concern in his gaze.
I shrugged, “I just didn’t feel like going home yesterday. I needed to think and being with my parents isn’t easy with a clear mind.”
“I definitely understand that.”
“Hey, look, I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“Sahara, I get it,” he replied, catching my gaze, and staring into my eyes intently, “I know that there is a lot going on for you lately and I guess you’re a little lost but it’s okay,” he grinned with confidence, “You’ll figure it all out.”
“Thanks.”
“I just can’t believe your mom was that upset over you getting home late…” He answered, seeming to be genuinely perplexed.
“I’ve been getting home late a lot,” I replied, heavy with insinuation, trying to change the mood of the conversation to something more enjoyable, “Last night was just one of many…”
“Well, I can’t apologize for that,” Anthony admitted as an evil grin slid across his face while a flicker of insinuation rose up in his eye.
“I don’t want you too,” I answered immediately, responding to his alluding facial expression with an encouraging gaze of my own.
“Well, I definitely can’t promise you that it won’t happen again,” he replied, encouraged by my response.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” I teased as we started down the stairs, toward his sports car, idling in the driveway. “So, where do you want to go for breakfast?”
“Honestly, I was hoping you could be my tour guide, since I’ve only ventured to the complimentary breakfast at the hotel.”
“Well, the town isn’t big…”
“So, the tour won’t take all day,” he beamed as a destination immediately came to mind.
“Although, I think I know just the place,” I replied as Anthony opened the door for me.