10 years later
Dahlia
I stood in front of the restaurant examining the new sign and smiled it said " Lia's kitchen" in big bold letters.I was proud really proud,Jason walked out of the restaurant too and stood next to me,he nudged me playfully.
"Well?" He asked with a grin
"I adore it" I said with a bright smile and he chuckled.
"I still think it's too much though,like I don't deserve it" I said and he knitted his brows.
"That's silly,you've always taken care of it, it's only right that I officially make it yours,and it's not like you have any other thing to do" He said teasingly and I play punched him.
"Thank you...thank you very much"I said while hugging him,he shifted and patted my hair,then pulled me back into the restaurant.
Jason spent 3 years in prison,and I didn't visit him for the first year because I was mad at him,mad that he was part of the reason my mother's killer was still out there,but I learnt to forgive him,to understand him,I would have done the same too,and his dad also took Jane(Who's in her final year of highschool now) and I in,and took care of us,so I sort of owe them. Surviving was hard,Jason's dad was recovering and we sort of closed the restaurant down for a while,I had to drop out of school to work full-time and support jenny,we reopened the restaurant a year after Jason came back and I have been taking care of it ever since. Jason had always talked about making it mine,but him finally doing it meant so much to me.I didn't have a lot and I couldn't technically do a lot for myself since I dropped out,but knowing that I had at least one thing in my name made me midly happy,I just hope mum was proud of me as well.
Michael
I turned up the cold water and got under the shower,I had that dream again last night.I hadn't had it in a long time,not after I went to therapy for at least 3 years for it.The dream was always the same,I would be driving in the night alone,and then I would hear a loud noise and then I would look down at myself and be completely covered in blood,I would scream and run out of the car and someone's body...that woman's body would be right there staring at me.When I was younger I would get scared and most times I would cry as well,but then dad made me go to therapy and I hadn't had it since,that I suddenly had it again was sort of surprising but I wasn't scared this time,I just felt incredible guilt,I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist,then I used a towel to dry my hair then packed it in a man bun,I got dressed(A white shirt and black trousers) and stepped out,it was probably already time for breakfast.I hated that I still lived with my parents even though I was a 27 year old man fully fucking grown,but my dad didn't let me leave,I knew that it was silly and cowardly that I let him control me,but he owned the law firm and I knew not listening to him would reduce my chances of owning it as well,but a few weeks ago I finally bought my own place,and I was going to tell him today.When I got to the dining he was already seated,along with my mum,I muttered a "good morning" and sat down as well.The help came to place breakfast on the table,a lot of pancakes,omelettes,fruits and orange juice. I would kill for a burger right now,I dragged a plate of pancakes closer and started eating.
"I heard Anna came back yesterday" Mum said and I looked up.Anna was my friend from highschool, we went to prom together,she travelled out after graduation to go to college,She was a lawyer now.An IP lawyer,I was jealous of her,at least she was her own woman.
" Yeah,we plan to meet later" I replied with a smile and got back to eating.
"Do you know how much money she makes?" Dad says and I almost roll my eyes at him,he absolutely loves comparing me to people and I hated it,I was a lawyer too and I was pretty darn sure I was as good as Anna but dad would never think that.
"No but I'm certainly sure you'll tell me" I said in a sarcastic manner and mum shoots me a look.
"Just see if you can get her to join the firm" Dad said and I scoffed.
"Hmmn,hmmn" I got up from the table
"I'm done now,busy day at the office" I said and turned around.
"You should cut your hair, it's getting too long for lawyer." Dad said and I turned back to him.
"I can decide my own hairstyle dad,I'm not a kid,infact I'm extremely fucking far from it" I said matter-of-factly and he dropped his spoon to stare at me too.
"Well a senior lawyer at a law firm as big and successful as ours wouldn't wear something as silly and childish as a man bun,at least make one decision that is not extremely stupid" He finished and I scoffed.
"I got my own place"
"I know" He replied and got up. I really wanted to punch the guy.
"I'll move out properly next week" I added and He nodded and walked out,I closed my eyes in frustration and mum patted my hand.I returned to my room, packed my things and left for the firm.
I arrived there about 30 minutes later and took the elevator up to my office, Jessica (John's secretary) was seated in front of my office arranging files,she got up as soon as she saw me and bowed.
"Good morning sir" She said with a bright smile.
"Morning"I replied and she got up to carry my office bag and opened my door,she entered with me and dropped the bag on the table.
"Huhm..Mr Lancaster already chose your new secretary,she would be sent the information of hire later today and start work latest Monday" She said maintaining her professional smile,my blood boiled in anger,my dad just loved to be in control of everything I do,and now he wouldn't even let me choose my own fucking secretary,I looked up at Jessica in anger and her smile faltered.
"Go bring the CVs of everyone who applied...I'll choose my own fucking secretary" I said and she nodded and left.I had fired my old secretary because she was flirting with me,I mean light flirting I could sort of excuse but this lady was full on trying to get me to fuck her and I could understand and I'm not trying to be cocky here,I knew that I was an attractive man and she was somewhat attractive too,but I wasn't into her and I needed a secretary who would do her job right.I needed one who would make me a respected man in front of dad so she had to leave, Jessica became my temporary secretary after that and even though she was good,she was still John's secretary and he needed her too.
Jessica returned about 5 minutes later with the files and placed them on my table,bowed and left.I wasn't really going to go through them,I knew deep down that I was still probably going to choose the girl my dad chose at the end of the day but I still needed to at least feel like I chose that person myself,I was still flipping through the files mindlessly when a name caught my eyes,I sort of blinked to make sure I wasn't imagining it and looked again and it was the same thing
DAHLIA COOPER
My heart raced at seeing that name again the same way it did when I first saw it in my dad's office,it had been almost 10 years,it was the same girl I had let cry on my shoulder on a bus,the one I had given my favorite facecap too and the one whose mum I let die.
Dahlia fucking Cooper.