I’m so tired of constantly dealing with them. I’ve had absolutely no contact with them at all, which they should be happy about. I just want to say my goodbyes, and they’ll never have to see me again. Thankfully.
“You deserve nothing from him!” she screams, drawing even more unwanted attention to us. “He gave you everything! You took everything from us!”
“As always, with you, it comes down to money, Angela. Like Florian said, I’m letting you remain in the house, which is something I don’t have to do. You should be grateful I don’t throw your ass out on the street, especially since you believe I’m the cause of everything that’s wrong in your life. It’s time to grow up and pull your own weight because you’ll get absolutely nothing else from me. Now, please leave me the hell alone so I can say goodbye to our father.”
“Fuck you, bitch!” Angela screams. “You’ll pay for this!”
I ignore her threats and curses because I know whatever she says or does won’t touch me. My husband won’t let anything happen to me.
“I don’t want to do this anymore, Florian. I’m ready to say goodbye so we can leave.”
I’m so tired of having to deal with them because I’ve done all I can for them. I’m ready to wipe the slate clean and move forward in my life without them in it.
He nods and motions to Hugo, who then creates a path for me through the growing crowd. Still, my sister’s voice echoes behind me, so I push it to the back of my mind. It’s more important to me to say goodbye to my father than to engage with my sister. Nothing good will ever come of it.
I approach the beautiful dark wood casket that my father picked out years ago. At least, after my mother passed away, he was responsible enough to take care of this part of his life.
When my hand touches the coffin’s smooth surface, instead of the grief and anger I expected, I feel a wave of peace.
“I forgive you for all the hurtful things you said and did to me.”
I’m not forgiving him to give him some type of absolution, even though he’s no longer here. I’m forgiving him for me. I don’t need that kind of hate in my heart when I leave here today. I want to be free.
I once loved this man. He made my dreams come true. He also, along with my sisters, became my nightmare. I can’t say I’ll miss the man he became, but I will definitely miss the man he once was.
“Rest in power, Daddy,” I say, then turn on my heels with my husband by my side and leave the cemetery.
It’s hard to give him my love now, but I can definitely wish that he’s finally at peace. And now, this chapter of my life is finally closed. Now, on to bigger and better things.
28
Florian
She’s been quiet since we returned home, and I can see all the questions in her eyes. We ate dinner in absolute silence, only the sound of our clinking silverware filling the room. After she moved to her studio for a few hours, I remained in my garden. She needed space to come to terms with what her sister told her.
Now I’m just waiting. Waiting for her to ask did I kill her father, although she doesn’t know how to. The distance she’s put between us is immense because she already knows the truth. It kills me not to be close to her, touching her smooth skin. However, I did what needed to be done to keep her safe. He’s a threat that no longer exists. And I’m not sorry he’s gone.
If I could snap her sister’s neck and get away with it, I would. If it wasn’t for her, this issue wouldn’t even exist. While I had good reason to get rid of Arthur, I never believed the subject would ever come up.
She’s sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair, and staring off in the distance. She’s imagining all sorts of things. She wants to believe she has married the man of her dreams who wouldn’t dare kill her father, when she knows in her heart who I am.
I’ve been sitting at the foot of our bed, and she hasn’t acknowledged that I’m even in the room with her. It’s fucking pissing me off. I’m ready to get this over with so we can move on with our lives.
“Ask what you want to know, Beauty.”
She stops brushing her hair, and I can see the tears gathering in her eyes through her reflection in the mirror. My heart twists inside my chest, but I don’t move. I don’t move to comfort her. She needs to do this. She needs to know the truth.
“Did you do it?”
“I’ve done a lot of things, Beauty. Be specific.”
I know I’m sounding like an asshole, but I want her to ask me the fucking question and not sidestep shit with me. If she wants to know if I killed Arthur, all she has to do is ask the question. I’m not going to hold shit back from her.
She jumps up from her seat and faces me. The tears gathered in her eyes finally spill over.
“Did I kill your father? It’s okay to ask it.”
“Florian…”
