CHAPTER 14

"You really have some nice employees. Your assistant out there put his hands on me and he mumbled something very unpleasant under his breath." "WHAT!!!" "He grabbed me by the shoulder to stop me from coming in. I explained that I'm your fiancee and Jevan is your son and we're welcome here whenever we feel like it. He mumbled that there's no need to be such a bitch. " Evan walked out the door. "You're fired," I heard him told his assistant. He came back into his office, and pulled a chair behind his desk, closer to his. He sat down with Jevan in his lap and I sat next to them. "You look worried." "Evan, My father showed up at the PH." Evan's eyes went slightly dark and his eyebrows creased together. I had told him about my father bailing on my family since Zenia and I were kids. Zenia's POV I was steaming from my ears and drinking three bottles of water weren't enough to cool me down. The bloody nerves of my pathetic father! Showing up after all these years like he had done no wrong! Asking for forgiveness? Forgiveness my ass!! My cellphone started going off with text messages. Messages from Jasmine and Ashley. Jasmine was checking in and Ashley reported that she wasn't feeling well today so she wouldn't be in. I was looking forward to someone to vent my frustrations to but once again, I was all alone. I turned on the computer and began looking at funny YouTube videos. Something to brighten up my mood. The bell above the door chimed, indicating someone had walked in. My eyes shifted from the computer to the door way. "Good morning sweetie." "Hey EJ?" "Well is that any way to greet your future husband?" "EJ, I really don't have time for this. Why are you are?" "I haven't spend time with you lately so I'm just checking in Zenia." I heaved a sigh, closed the computer and gave him a smile. "I'm sorry if I've been snappy. I'm already having a bad day," I told him as I smoothed my hair with my hands. "Care to talk about it? You know I'm always here for you Zen." "Yeah I know... But..." "No buts," he cut me off and walked up to me and pulled me gently into his arms, which was his favorite thing to do. I pouted. "Hey." His soft voice sent a shiver down my spine as he held me and looked into my eyes. "Why don't you close up shop for the day, lets grab some junk food and go to the park and relax?" I was hesitant. "Please Zen," he begged when I wasn't responding to his proposal. "Okay fine!" I finally gave in after he kept on asking over and over again. He assisted me in closing up the boutique, then we got into his car and drove to a KFC outlet. _______ "What would you like to have?" he asked as we got closer to the drive through window. "Umm...fries, corn, popcorn chicken and a dessert." I needed to keep my weight up. After he had purchased everything I asked for and an additional bucket (just in case hunger strikes again) we drove to a park. It was a beautiful day. The wind was blowing through the trees and the summer atmosphere was giving life to everything around us. EJ and I sat down on the grass. He lay a blanket, placed a small ice cooler of drinks close by and pulled out a deck of cards. "So you had been planning this?" I asked with a flattered smile on my face. "Yeah. Kinda." We began playing ‘Go Fish'. "What were you so bummed about when I came by?" he asked. I was contemplating on whether I should tell him the truth or just make something up. "My father showed up." I decided to tell him the truth. We were friends and I didn't want to lie to him like I had been lying about my feelings for him. "Oh. And that's bad because?" he asked, having no idea of what my father had done to my family. "Because he wasn't there EJ. I never knew him. He just upped and left Jasmine and I when we were kids. Mom had it so rough and so difficult to support me and my sister while my father was nowhere to be found. Living his life happy and jolly somewhere else. Now he's back. He's back when we're grown ass women. Asking for another chance. I don't think so." EJ looked at me as he listened to every word. The creased on his forehead and the expression on his face showed his concern and pity. "That's really messed up Zen but that's a weight you shouldn't carry. You need to forgive your father." I wanted to take the cooler of drinks and knock him outside his head with it. "Forgive him? How am I going to forgive him?" I asked with a shout. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy but for your own happiness and comfort, you and Jasmine both need to forgive your father. What he had done was very terrible, but that was in the past. I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe he wasn't supposed to be there.