DAD

6. Memories

"Just exactly why do you think this girl is your daughter John?"

Was the first thing Rebecca had asked after he explained everything. Johanna let him continue with the rest of the story, how he guided her to his office, asked questions like if she ever owned a bank account, where she is from, and even how old she was. None of that didn't seem to bother him at all until he popped the big question.

"So why did you decide to come to this bank today Johanna?"

"I'm your daughter."

She kept quiet, unsure what to do or say after he had bold face lied to his wife.

Why? Over something so little at that?

"How?" John's wife pressed on.

Johanna put the little incident in the back of her mind for later.

This was something else her mother had never mentioned, was how. How did she get brought up into this world?

Johanna waited impatiently for the answer, the truth was so close now she had to fight to keep still.

John shook his head. "I-I don't know. I only knew Beth, her mother, for about six months. She was attending college around here, had gotten a job as an assistant at my father's bank. I was young, stupid even."

"Why do you think this young lady is your daughter?" Rebecca asked again.

"The only reason why I think there might be even a slither of a possibility... because I lost my virginity to that women. Without protection. "

No one said a word. John continued on.

"I was extremely terrified, I just knew I messed up big time. I-I didn't know what I was doing, we never went for a pregnancy test afterwards and I'm almost three heart beats away from a heart attack- but Beth... she didn't seem like she had a concern in the world. She was the one to reassure me everything will be alright. Like I said, I was young, just turned the big twenty-one. Of course I believed her... I made myself believe her. Who wouldn't want it to be all alright?"

Johanna could've sworn he looked like he was getting ready to cry, but the tears never emerged.

"The next day, I bought a ring and some flowers and rode over to her workplace. I thought I had found the girl of my dreams, only to find out from my father she had quit her job and already taken her pay check that morning. I never heard nor seen from her again. I tried every way to get ahold of her... but it was like she disappeared off the face of the earth."

"Honey..." Rebecca finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Why didn't you ever tell me this story?" Her tone from earlier had completely diminished, she sounded more hurt than anything. Betrayed even.

John looked miserable, but he pulled his attention over to Johanna instead. "Do you know why she left?"

The girl felt her heart sink by such a question, aware of the fact she will truly never know why her mother had suddenly upped and disappeared. She was no help at all for either of them.

"No. She never talked about you much." The words sounded heavy, she was like stone saying them.

John's jaw begin to move back and forth, his eyebrows furrowed together. He was angry, and Johanna now wondered why his attitude morphed and hopped whenever her mother was mentioned.

"Oh." Was all John said. A moment passed before he suddenly checked his watch. "Six pm? I think I'm going to get another drink." He walked out of the room and Johanna knew that was the que this conversation was over. For now at least.

Rebecca was very quiet. She looked lost in thought. "Well, this is a turn of events." She stated, smoothing out her long brown curls. She looked back over to the girl, no attempt to even try and smile at her.

"Well, um Johanna. Our house is your house... for awhile I suppose. Would you like to come and join me tomorrow for tea? Get to know each other a bit more?"

Johanna thinks of any excuse to say no, but ends up nodding in agreement anyway.

"Excellent. I'll come find you when I'm ready."

Rebecca got up and excused herself then, saying she wanted to call her mother to see how things were going for her.

But Johanna secretly thinks it's more to babble about this sudden twist happening in her ordinary life.

The girl got up and stretched. She walked out of the theater and was just deciding about going to bed early when she heard something peculiar down the hallway.

Johanna stopped and listened carefully, following the noise till it led her to a cracked door. She slowly approached it before peeping in.

Shelved, colorful liquor bottles took up every wall in sight, and she quickly discovered this was where he locked away his stash.

There was John in the midst of it all, slouched on his lazy boy and swirling a glass in his hand. The ice tinged against the sides as he pondered in deep thought.

So that was the noise I heard.

So far, this was the most unprofessional she had seen him, his tie was nowhere in sight anymore and his shirt untucked. Shiny shoes were kicked off to the side. He looked tired, drained, and drunk.

He looks more his age actually. Johanna observed, noticing the fine laugh lines around his mouth and the bags under his eyes.

"Just... just why does she have to look like her?" She heard him softly complain to thin air.

"I have a wife and a son... Why pick me dammit? A father to this girl? Why punish me even more and make her look like... like Beth? I didn't ask for this."

Johanna tried to take in a deep breath, but she felt like a large battery had just been shoved down her throat.

I'm just a painful reminder of her... he doesn't see me as a daughter. He sees me as a burden.

Her vision got blurry from the thought of it. She tried to blink away the hot tears but it didn't seem to work. The girl got up and walked away not wanting to hear anymore. Even with the recent passing of her mother she had never felt so lost and unwanted.

First night here... and I'm already thinking I made a huge mistake mom.

QUESTION TIME!

Q: What do you think of Rebecca?

Q: Are your views changing on the story's plot yet?

Q: Do you think John is right for feeling this way, considering he still let Johanna stay with his family?