The smile instantly vanishes from my face when I’m drowned in recognition and memories.

Bringing his face close to mine, he orders in a hushed voice, “Smile!”

Turning my head, I start coughing as the familiar scent of his signature brand of cigarettes fills my lungs. The scent is so powerful that it’s obvious that he’s just come in from smoking.

“Trinity, do you know this man?”

“Ah, Trinity, who’s this?” he asks, donning a pleasant smile as he releases me. He stretches out his hand, but Christopher, visibly very wary, does not shake it. I’m surprised at how open he’s being, looking at this man’s hand as if it’s filthy, and then looking him dead in the eyes with a seriousness in his own.

The outstretched hand slowly lowers, but the owner’s smile does not disappear.

“Trinity, who is this?” Christopher asks again, more firmly than before as he takes my hand. I don’t fight him this time.

“My… My father,” I answer quietly.

“You’re not going to tell me who this young man is?” he asks, his voice laced with a hidden threat. A threat hidden to everyone else except me. I hear it all too easily.

“This is Christopher, Dad,” I reply. My stomach twists on that last word. To me, the word ‘Dad’ represents pain. To me, the definition of my father is ‘bringer of pain’. This is the man who causes me to wake up some nights to my own crying and screaming. This is the man who has decorated parts of my body with physical scars, and wrecked my life with many more emotional ones.

This man grabs my hand and pulls me into a hug from the side, quickly, before Christopher can react. I get an instant chill, feeling a spirit in the air that upsets me to my soul.

“Chills, hm?” he whispers in my ear. “You like my touch all of a sudden?”

“When hell freezes over!” I say sharply under my breath, glaring.

“Fix your face, cupcake,” he says quietly. “We don’t want to attract any negative attention. I’m warning you.” Then his tone suddenly changes and his voice becomes more audible. “Ah, Trinity.” He leaves a kiss on my forehead. “Long time, no see. I’ve missed my little angel. Not so little anymore, I see. Christopher, would you mind if I spent some time with my daughter, alone? We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Yes.”

“Excuse me, son?”

“Yes,” Christopher answers, louder this time. “To be frank, sir, I really don’t trust you, and I certainly do not feel comfortable taking my eyes off of her. Especially not if it’s to leave her alone with you.”

“Christopher, don’t,” I warn quietly.

“Don’t worry, Trinity,” my father says casually, reaching into his right pocket; the one I can’t see. I fear that he’s pulling out a gun, but no. I’m much more surprised when I see what he holds loosely in his hand. “I’ve got this.” He holds a stack of cash out in front of Christopher, who looks at him in disgust.

“Do you think that she’s a puppy for sale?” he asks angrily. “Keep your money.” Lowering his voice, he continues, “You might need that and more to bail yourself out of jail someday.”

My father, red-faced, walks up to Christopher, who squares his shoulders and looks up with a glare. My father towers over him at a shocking six-seven as I remember, but Christopher appears unfazed.

“Listen here, boy,” Dad says, “Trinity is my daughter. Do you really think I would do anything to harm her? Treat her in any way other than with love? You’ve made quite a big assumption right there. Don’t make quite a big mistake.”

Suddenly, a female’s sleepy voice startles me a little. “Steven, I’m getting tired,” she says with a yawn. “I think I’m going to head on out, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure,” my father replies. “I’ll take you home.” The lady walks outside and he turns to me. “It was a real treat to see you again, Trinity. It was a pleasure meeting you, Christopher.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” Christopher says sarcastically.

“Hmph.”