20

20
Jake never returned and I was left worrying all night. I was unable to fall asleep because I couldn’t help but worry that something terrible had happened to my dad. I ended up cleaning because I couldn’t sleep and I couldn’t bring myself to get out of the house the next day. I knew I would hear it from Greg and the others about missing work but for once, I was leveraging my status and Michael Davis’ daughter.
Alara came early in the morning at her usual time but I asked her to go back home. She was confused but I promised that I would explain it all later. I didn’t want anyone in the house, I just wanted to sit and wait for my dad in silence.
My dad returned sometime around noon. He looked like he had been through hell. The bags under his eyes were dark and I knew he hadn’t been sleeping properly over the last few days. When he saw me, he sighed deeply and just collapsed into the chair. I rushed over to his side but he waved me off to assure me that he was fine.
“I’m not going to let it go,” I said immediately and I saw the corner of his lips kick up into a small smirk. “What is going on dad? Why are you doing this to yourself?”
“Your grandmother,” he said slowly and my brows furrowed. The last time I checked, my grandparents were alive and well in the Hamptons where they had been for the last month. “She passed out one night and I had to fly over there to see her. She has cancer, Hayley and I have been running around and trying to figure out what I can do. Turns out, she has known about if for a while but she kept it a secret from me.”
“Did Grandpa know?” I asked and he nodded. “You’re pissed with the both of them, aren’t you?”
“Do you blame me? They knew she was dying and they didn’t even think to tell us. You deserve the chance to say goodbye to her.”
“This isn’t about me,” I cut him off. “I love her but this is about you. You want the chance to say goodbye to your mother. It’s alright to say that, you don’t need to use me to do it. I understand, I would feel the same way if it were you but dad, think about it, would you have told me if it were you in her position.”
He didn’t say anything and that was more than enough answer for him. He let out a heavy sigh and ran his hands down his face.
“I guess I just never thought that she would be gone this soon, you know,” he leaned further into the chair and for the first time in a long time, I saw my father looking his age. “I asked her to come back here and she agreed but she refuses to stay in the house. She claims she will be imposing. I tried to tell her otherwise but-”
“She is just as stubborn as you are,” I finished for him and he laughed. “She’ll be fine, you will be too. She is a Davis and if I know anything about us, we are stubborn as hell. She isn’t going to go down without a fight.”
“That’s the thing, I don’t think she wants to fight, she told me she was tired and she wanted to go peacefully and surrounded by her family,” his voice was barely over a whisper. “It doesn’t matter anyway, we shouldn’t be talking about this right now. What are you doing at home?”
“I was worried about you.”
He groaned. “Of course Ryker called you. I told him not to let you know.” I was confused for a second and then I remembered that my dad had called Jake. The only way he would expect me to know was if Jake had called me.
“Don’t get angry with him, I was the one who called him. I was wondering how you were and he told me that he was on his way to you.”
“He’s a good friend, you know, he can be a bastard sometimes but he is a good man. I don’t know if I will ever be able to repay him for what he’s done for me countless times. Sometimes I wonder if I don’t appreciate him enough.”
“I think you do and I think he knows how much he means to you.”
Father smiled softly. “I need to rest. Since I’m back, maybe we can continue with our movie tradition?”
“I would like that.”
Alana didn’t come that day so it was just me and dad. It was soft and quiet and I loved it. I was still worried about him and I knew he was hurting even though he tried to hide it from me. I texted my grandma knowing very well that she hated calls and was more than likely to ignore mine. She didn’t respond immediately so I called Grandpa.
“How is she?” I asked as soon as he picked up.
“If I knew that getting cancer was going to make you call then I would have gotten it,” he joked and I couldn’t help but smile. My grandfather was the expert jokester. It was his way of doing this. “To answer your question, she’s fine, she is asleep right now. I’m packing so we can leave tomorrow.”
“You should come visit.”
“We will, don’t worry,” he hesitated for a second. “Look after your dad for me, will you? He’s taking this very hard. He’s close to her.”
“I know, grandpa, I’m watching out for him.”
“I love you, Hayley.”
“I love you too.”
I hung up shortly after and went o set up the living room. I knew my dad would be awake soon. He never slept more than six hours at a time which used to annoy me growing up because I was a very light sleeper and would jerk awake whenever I heard him walking around the house. I got us popcorn and pizza then took out his favorite ice cream from the freezer. He was more of a sweet tooth than I was despite his age.
I had just finished setting up when he walked out of his room looking better than he had when he came back.
“Did you do all of this?” he asked and I nodded. “Hayley bear, you didn’t have to.”
He crossed the length of the room and came to sit down next to me. “You deserve one day to just relax before you have to go back to work.”
“Speaking of work, you didn’t call in sick. You’re going to get your ass handed to you.”
“I’m the boss’ daughter, I’m sure I can get away with one missed day,” I shrugged and the corner of his lips quirked up into a small smile. “Clear out your Sunday too, you need a spa day.”
He frowned. “I’m a man, Hayley, I don’t do spas.”
“If it makes you feel more secure, maybe I can send Jake along with you.”
He laughed. “If you can get Jake to go for it then I will go too with no questions asked.”
“Deal,” I held out my hand to him and he shook it.
“I can’t wait to see how this turns out. Can you see someone like Ryker in a spa?”
I thought about it and the honest answer was no but I had a few tricks up my sleeve that I was sure would work. “I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
“If he agrees, I’ll give you one grand and go for the spa. That should be enough incentive.”
The corner of my lips cracked up. There was no way Jake was going to get out of this now. I was going to make sure he went for that spa even if it was the last thing I did.
I fell asleep sometime during the movie because apparently, I was more exhausted than I let on. I woke up when I felt movement and I realized that my dad was carrying me back to my room.
“I can walk,” I muttered and he just laughed.
“Go to sleep, Hayley bear, I’m not that old yet. I’m not at the age where you have to worry about my back yet.”
“I don’t want you to pull it,” I countered and he scowled at me. He pushed my door open with his foot and gently lay me on the bed. “Thank you, it’s been a while since you did that.”
“You rarely fall asleep downstairs,” he shrugged as he pulled the covers over me. “Thank you for today, I didn’t know how much I needed that.”
“It’s alright, you’re my dad, you don’t have to thank me.”
He placed a soft kiss on my forehead, “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
I was already falling asleep again, “Goodnight dad.”
I didn’t hear when he left the room because the darkness had already claimed me.