Leslie slipping through the doors that lead into the parlor had me swearing further under my breath as I ignore Estelle who rushes after me and clings to my arm as I stop. I turn angry eyes to her and said through clenched teeth.

"Will you ever quit being a bitch Stella?"

She stares back at me her eyes widening in shock as they look back at me. "I am sorry Dan, I just got caught up ----"

"Save me the fuckery, Stella!" I snap cutting her off and pulling my hand from her grip. "From now on stay the fuck fra mi."

In all we have been through I have never exploded on her the way I did just now, but when it came to Leslie I would not be tolerant of Stella's behavior.

"Whatever!" I heard her said before she storms off ahead of me. I took a deep breath to calm myself before I made my way to where our father sat awaiting me.

I took one last fleeting look at the parlor before I slip into the room and walk to the man who in the few minutes of me being away from him look like he had become frailer.

"Hey," I said softly causing his weary eyes to flutter open.

He smiles at me and tried to shift up so that he was leaning forward but it seems it was a rather trying feat so he remains slump instead. I wanted to help him but I just stood there too afraid of how frail he had become.

"Bet you're wondering why I got you all here," he said, "well in two days I'll be locked away in some fancy nursing home paying a shit load of money for strangers to clean my shit and feed me food my body can no longer maintain with nothing to numb the pain."

I listen to him still being his jovial self despite the dire fate that awaited him I could not help but smile at the way he made light of the situation.

"Not how Myra would have wanted it but I can't stand to see her withering away with me, "he continued. "Also being here with Stella in this condition is worse than the cancer that's feeding off me."

I look down at my hands that were clasped tight together in front of me a sure sign that I was barely holding into my composure. I was so torn up I wish I could snap my fingers and end it all.

Why should such a sweet dear soul suffer so when there were so many wretched souls were wandering around in perfect health? He was just 72 and he looked 90.

"I just want you to know that I have put in place for you to fill my position at the University. If you should decide to fill the position the committee will be happy to sign the necessary paperwork to commence your permanency."

I look at him in shock. I knew that an opportunity such as this could not be put in place by just anyone and his 34 years serving the Institute had helped to propel such a venture.

He looks at me and took a ragged breath before continuing. "I am not doing this out of prejudice but out of the fact that you are someone who will ensure that the Department of Technology and Electronic Science continues to reach its outstanding potential and maintain its criteria."

He looks at me waiting for my answer and my mind buckle under the need to make the man who had pull me out of my slough and from then continue to aid my rise continually proud, and my true desire to just continue working on engineering robotics. His support was unwavering I can not recall a time he has ever let me down.

"I have no problem accepting to lecture on a part-time basis. With my commitment to my new overseas partnership as well as my company and a few upcoming projects I can not offer anything more," I told him feeling I was disappointing him but I would rather be honest and straightforward.

He reaches into the pocket of his pants and pulls from it a square box of black velvet and hands it to me. I reach for it and open it to find inside a chrome and silver Rolex with diamond studs where the numbers would have been. I took it from its satin cushion taking in its intricate beauty when I saw engrave on the back these words:

Thanks for being the son any man
would be proud to have. Love Always
K. P. Rivers

I never felt more loved or cherished than I did at that moment. We sat there with me all caught up in my feelings as I thought of how privilege I was to receive the gift of a father who was not mine biologically but took the role up and went far beyond the usual boundaries.

I thought of my child who I would one day have to nurture and mold the way that Kenton Rivers had taken me and done, with nothing but a need to be selfless and kind.

My child.

I was going to be the damn best father that he or she could ever have I would ensure I instilled in him the principles, morals, and love that my father gave me when he opened his door to me over 13 years ago.

"I have done my part with you son," he smiled then added. "Let Myra and the others come in she had prepared a little dinner and am sure she wants to get it on the way before it gets any later."

"Yeah mother can get rather cranky when her dinner goes array and besides I know you want to get back to that lovely wife of yours," I said bringing my thoughts back to my surroundings and teasing him to get my mind off the reality that I had a very big role to play in the life of someone who I never want to fail.

"So do you," he adds and he was right. I wanted to get to Leslie. It was about time I get some truths out and clear up some misunderstandings.

I was almost through the parlor door when Leslie barged into me. I held unto her to stop her progress and felt her stiffen in my arms as much as I would have hope for it to be easy I knew she was feeling upset seeing it was twice now she was given the wrong impression about Stella and me.

"Where are you going?" I queried.

"I want to go home," she said softly but her eyes were hard.

Myra who had walk up to us overheard and said. "It's ok honey take Leslie home. It's alright, go and say goodbye to your father."

I look at my mum then over her shoulder to where Estelle was approaching with Kameel her friend. He was also a producer on whose record label she was signed. I tried to relax as I did not come here to cause a scene or to indulge Stella in her whimsy.

"Dan," he said as they stop by us. "It is a small world. Who would have imagined you would be married to the girl I was so in love with back in primary school."

There was something in the way he said it that got me on red alert and the way that Leslie's eyes drifted to him and nestle there for a while set my alpha male rising and sent me on full territorial alert.

I stare at him sending him a warning that this was one boundary he was not meant to cross, but he gave me a cynical smile that bespoke a slight against my warning. He was challenging me and I never felt so primal in my life.

I took Leslie's hand and went to bid farewell to my father, never in my life have I ever felt such a strong urge to punch someone in the face. I was a pit of emotions the most prominent being jealously and I had to will myself to relax however Leslie, on the other hand, I was soon come to realize was a tempest that would put the raging rain outside to shame.
*

******************************************

What's up?

It seems Leslie and Dan have a thorn by the name of Estelle...
At a time like this, you think she would be thinking about her dying father, but no all she wants is Daniel...who needs only Leslie...what new drama is about to unfold due to this?

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