Silence.

A few minutes passed before my dad broke the silence with his chirpy voice "Dorothy! You threw a welcome party in Hollywood and I wasn't invited?"

"Very funny Dad," I reply drastically. I love my dad, Sam Daniels. Been totally honest, I loved him more than my Ma. I picture him in his khakis, blowing a whistle for Grant to commence his marching to the campsite. His handsome face wrinkling due to fatigue, his hazel-eyes and of course! His not so funny dad jokes. The least Grant and I did for him is forge fake enthusiasm.

"Sooo, what is this I hear about you getting married without your ol' dad?"

I launch into a long explanation of my life. With him throwing ol' dad jokes in between. Gee! My family was something else.

"Sounds like something you would do. You are a monster, opening his briefcase. Do you have any idea the important documents in it." He warned mockingly.

"Gee!! Thanks for the moral support, you're supposed to be on my side. I am your daughter!" I drawled with a sneer.

"What's with you and your mother in 'taking sides'? Am not taking any side. I'm just pointing out what I see wrong with the picture," he said in a stressed voice.

Instantly, guilt crawls to my skin. For the utmost time, I had hurt someone again. "Dad, am sorry. You were giving a candid opinion," I say sincerely, I loved my dad and me could go to any apex to make him happy. I mean, I owe him for my upbringing.

I hear distant chatter in the background "Annalee! Come quick. Dorothy is apologizing!!"

Another fact about me. I didn't find it easy to apologize. Even if I was at fault, I always did something Grant called 'investigation syndrome'. After every fight I had, I go back and retrace the fight in my head, how it played out, how it started and lastly who was at fault.

"Dad, suck it up. Who knows if when you get another apology out of me," I said, twirling a strand of my hair around my fingers. I had left it loose today.

I decided to bring on the question roaming in my head since he called. "Dad, would you like to come for vacay in Hollywood?"

His sigh at the other end told me he saw this charade coming, "Ruby-". "Just for a week Dad, with Ma, please," I say in my best pitiful voice. The key thing is that; my dad was easily convinced by me. It was better convincing him than my Ma.

"Okay Dorothy, I'll come, take a break and all that." He clearly wasn't happy, but I was over the moon.

"Sooo Zach huh, sounds like you like him to make him go through all the trouble," he clarified.
"What, no I don't," I say in one breath. My Dad chuckled, "Just be careful Cherry."

Suddenly, I smelt something,

Something burning.

"Zach would you stop_" I trailed off when I turned my head to the kitchen.

No Zach!

And there was a pot on the gas, housing fire!

"Holy crap, fuck. Dad, I'll talk to you later. I think I burnt Zach's medicine, love you."

"Love you too Cheery." I hang up immediately after that. I hurried into the kitchen coughing as I turned off the cooker. Lo and behold, the pot was black. The strong temptation to scoop up the little scraps of unburnt soup for Zach was high. Resisting, I throw the entire thing inside the trash.

Making a fresh soup, I headed back to Zach's room with it on a tray. He laid on his back, his eyes shut, concealing the almond richness. I set the tray on the nightstand before moving to wake him up.

Tapping his shoulder, "Hey Dumbass, wake up." His eyes fluttered open, meeting mine. My Dad was right! I needed to be careful. I tore my gaze away, I sit at the edge of his bed.

"Well, I threw out your garbage and made you a real soup," I say, aiding him to lean on my left side, I picked up the tray again, placing it on my lap. I uncover the lid and held the spoon in front of his face.

His lips move to a pout, "this is chicken soup."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, so?"

"Am a vegetarian," he said slowly. Oh. My. God, I'm an idiot. "Whatever, just eat, you're sick and I don't know how to cook vegetable soup," I gave a dismissal wave. He tried taking the spoon from me but, it fell to the tray.

Sighing, I manage to pick up the spoon due to his heavy weight on me. As I feed him the soup, I rubbed his back anytime he coughed.

When he was done, I place the tray back on the nightstand, I try to stand up but, he squeezed my waist lightly. "No, stay." And I slowly succumbed.

We sit in silence for about seven minutes, talk about AWKWARD! I distract myself by removing loose threads from my faded t-shirt before Zach finally spoke up. "If I die, it's going to be your fault. You fed me chicken," his voice sounding much normal.

"Well excuse me! That I had no idea you were a vegetarian."

"Of course you remember. Don't play dumb."

"What are you going to do? Become a huge weenie! Clearly, you are already doing a good job."

"If I die, it would be your fault," like a little kid. He crossed his arms. Typical.

"What am I suppose to do? Kiss your boo-boo to make it all better."

When I realized what I said, he was already sitting without my support. "Since you put it THAT way," he said giving me a real smile. "Kiss your boo-boo yourself," I try standing up again, this time, I actually do. But he grabbed my hand faster than a bolt of lighting.

Suddenly, I was lying on his bed, he was on top of me. "You know-" I cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. "Say anything about this position and I'll make sure you get sick, this time you would be in the hospital," I threatened, let's just say I tried to because he laughed and pecked me on the forehead before rolling over.

He rolls over to the other side of the bed, grabbing my right hand in his entwining both together. Oh God! I'm on a cloud nine. Zachary Reynolds was holding my hand in a romantic way! But it could be a dream.

I looked at him, he was still sweating due to his cold and his damp hair stuck to his forehead. Unconsciously, I reach to touch the silkiness with my left hand. He tensed up at my action but, relaxed a minute later.

"Zach, why did you get drunk?" I asked gently than I had ever been in my entire life. Suddenly, I did not want him thinking badly of me.

A minute passed before he finally spoke quietly, "my dad told me alcohol was the cure in getting better when sick."

"What? How did that happen?" My hands taking refuge in his hair strands. I may never wash my hands after this but, it was worth it.

"My mother died giving birth to me and my father, focused all his attention on making his company the best, leaving me with Sandra-" I smile sadly and he smiled back. His free hand moved to draw circles on my right wrist.

Jersey's words pass through my mind "promise me one thing, if am not next to Zach the moment when needed, I want you to be there for him."

I had made a promise, and I'll be damn to break it. "On Sandra's day off. He came to visit me and I was sick, coughing badly. He asked about Sandra's whereabouts, I told him it was her day off. He asked if I was feeling pain, I said yes. He told me to drink alcohol which according to him, clears everything including heartache. I was twelve-" tears fell from my eyes, hearing his childhood story. His father was a cruel parent, abandoning a poor child. I resist the urge to pull him into a hug as he continued.

"A maid brought in the alcohol, thinking it was for my father. Wanting to please my father, I chocked but drank it all-" I imagined a little boy with dark hair, almond eyes staring at his asshole father with longing and pride.

"After then, alcohol became my remedy for everything. I turned to another version of my Dad. At sixteen, I was sent to rehab for drug abuse and when I got out. My father had committed suicide, framing it as a car crash. I became an orphan with a prosperous company. I sold my father's company, assets, everything. Went back to school and made Zuri industries. Making my first billion at seventeen."

I see his eyes drifting close, I try to move but he whispered "stay," in my ear and I melted into a puddle, nodding. I look at his face while he slept. He looked peaceful, his breath fanned my face but, I didn't mind. Not one bit. I suddenly felt the need to mold an Adonis statue of him. I smile, looking at our entwined fingers. His other arm had gone around my waist while the other, held my fingers tightly.

"You know Zuri is my mother's name."

"Oh!" Having nothing else to say, I close my eyes, almost missing his next sentence.

"And you are beautiful just like her."