Chapter 82

Lizzie's P.O.V.I stand here in front of the mirror having second thoughts about this. I really really am annoyed that I have to do this and that Ashley talked me right through it again but even though I admit that this is stupid, she really has a point. I know I should've listened to Shannon in the first place because they both said the same thing and that our situation will only get worse if I don't go, but Ashley made me realize how important it was to Shannon that my relationship with my Dad should be fixed before we get married and how important that blessing is to her. Well, she did came from Texas and  a Christian community so a marriage is somehow a sacred thing for her, even though her parents got divorced but not like I have, her parents are still good friends.

I'm still pissed about last time though, he's being an asshole and its not very funny and I don't know if I could look at him right in the eye later let alone talk to him and greet him a happy birthday without actually screaming at his face right in my fucking mind.

"Hey" I look pass my reflection and saw Shannon by the doorway of our closet looking like a lost puppy and just by the sight of her made me relax. She limps closer looking quite unsure of what she was doing and I just looked at her.

"Charles is waiting for you downstairs." She says in a gentle tone looking anywhere else but to me and she actually looks kind of adorable. "You look gorgeous by the way." She says suppressing a smile looking at me through the mirror and with that charming face and that cute antics of hers, I really can't stay mad at this woman for the longest time so I gave up and released a smile. Relief flashes across her face before she moves closer taking me completely in her arms inhaling the scent of my hair.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I wish there's another way but to be honest, we really need to fix things with your Dad. I'm sorry." She whispers against my head. I didn't said anything and just turn around in her arms resting mine around her neck letting our eyes connect with each other.

"Are you going to be fine here on your own?"

"I survived a month alone on a wheelchair sweetheart. I think I could probably survive another day even without a wheelchair."  She chuckles softly planting a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me. While you're gone, I'll be setting up the movies and drinks cause your brothers and sisters are staying over for a sleepover."

"What?" Well, Ashley forgot to mention that earlier, given the fact that its my house and I don't even know that I'm hosting a sleepover later on.

"I miss them." She simply says taking me completely in her arms before muttering the words "I miss you" I squeezed her tighter. We've been back and forth about this since yesterday and its creating distance between us even though we're living under one roof.

"I miss you too." I raise my head from her chest as my hand slide to the back of her neck pulling myself up a bit to capture her lips that tastes like pumpkin pie and it made me giggle against her lips.

"What?"

"You had dessert before you came here honey." She chuckles wrapping her arms tightly around me in embarrassment. My mind was playing a scene of her sneaking a pie from the kitchen while being worked up on how she's going to talk to me and its a scene that is surprisingly clear in my head its just adorable.

"I can't help it, I was hungry and I have to talk to you and you're kinda scary when you're mad you know like earlier and I'm really really nervous on how am I going to approach you and it made me so—" I cut her off kissing her on her lips, that taste of pumpkin pie lingering on my tongue again. I felt her arms tighten around my waist as she kisses me back. I pulled away after a while when the thought of Charles waiting for me downstairs pops into my mind.

"You were rambling" I whispered and she smiles, the charming one as always. "Charles is waiting downstairs honey."

"Right." She kisses me once more before releasing me from her tight hold and I immediately miss the warmth of it but her hand tangled up in mine makes up for it. "You ready to go?" She asks and I gave her a nod.

I take my purse sitting on the edge of the bed and she takes it from me before leads me downstairs where Charles is waiting, maybe too long already. ————————I'm outside my Dad's front door for a good minute now, contemplating if I should go through with this, if this is even a fucking good idea. Trent and the twins are already inside. I know, I saw Trent's car at the parking lot earlier and they've been texting me earlier asking me where I was already and am I even coming, hell I don't have a fucking choice haven't I. I need to do this for the both of us.

I raise my hand to ring the doorbell but before I could even do it, the door opens revealing Courtney with a frown on her face and I got confused even more when she pulls me inside and wrap her arms around me slamming the door behind me. I froze, my heart starts thumping in my chest while I stroke her back.

"Oh, I'm so happy you're here" She sighs heavily on my shoulder.

"Why, what happened?" She pulls away and looks at me obviously bothered by something. She doesn't speak and just bites on her lip so I touched her cheek hoping it would settle her down for a bit and look at me and tell me what's wrong.

"D-Dad's kind of pissed because Robbie couldn't come tonight and now he's going off telling people how miserable his life is. Trent and Jake have been holding him up but they're getting pissed as well and I hate it when— Everything is just a mess right now and dinner haven't even started yet. I knew this wasn't a good idea." I sighed, Its not been a minute since I made it here and this happens, this really isn't a good idea. I stroked her arm before I take her hand in mine before walking in further the house. Well it seems calm though, guests are talking with each other as they nurse a drink in their hands. Some are laughing, some are on a serious conversation maybe about real estate. One thing is, I don't really know these people at all.

"Where are they? Did your Mom came?" I asked looking back at her. She goes to my side linking her arm with mine and shakes her head.

"Apparently, she doesn't want to stress herself out with Dad's behavior and I clearly know now what she meant. They're in the back garden setting up dinner. I don't know where Dad is, he left when I walked out." I can feel tension through her touch and so I placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand just to settle her down. Even though we didn't grew up together and spend time that much, she's still my baby sister and I treat her just like how the twins treat me, a full blood sister and I worry whenever she's like this. We made our way to the back garden and I can immediately hear Trent's raging rants as we get further in.

"Liz!" Jake says announcing our presence and they all turn to me before rushing towards our direction. They greet me with a kiss and a hug and words like 'Thank God you're here.' and 'What took you so long' and I ignored all of it.

"What happened? Where's Dad" Trent rolls his eyes shaking his head and lighting up what it seems like his fourth or maybe fifth cigarette of the night, giving one to Jake too. Well, they are all smoking cigarettes when I got here, Mary Kate and Ashley just put theirs out.

"He's being an asshole again, if you ask me just because his favorite person is not coming tonight."

"I think he figured it out that its just going to be a mess and might've not get out of here alive if he cane tonight knowing that we know what he had done to you." Jake adds and Trent sniggers giving Jake a fist bump. God I swear, sometimes my brothers acts like children and O swear I will hit these two in the head.

"If he continues acting like this through the night, I'm sorry but I'm spilling the truth to his face even though its his fucking birthday." Trent says

"Well, he needs to know so wen can put an end to his obsession with Robbie." Ashley says. God this is so messed up. Maybe I need to talk to Dad, tell him the truth myself. Just the both of us. I know why he's so attached to Robbie. He felt like a son to him, he spends his whole time with him every time we get to visit here and judging by now, I realized that he never got that moment with my brothers. Trent cut us off for years since I've been with Robbie and Jake's is spending his time doing what he likes, he's a total opposite of my Dad, so that leaves Robbie to do the job. But that's not the case right now, he messed up too and if he can only give Shannon a chance maybe he can have that feeling once again. She has all the respect to him considering what he made her feel the first time they met.

"I'll put an end to it." I say and their heads snaps to me. "I should talk to him. Where is he?"

"Right now?" Mary Kate says. "I don't think that's a good idea Lizzie come on. Dad's probably drunk already—"

"I don't care, I want this to be over. The only reason I went here is to talk to him once again for Shannon and this is my chance." They all exchange looks. Courtney's grip on my arm tightens making me look at her just to see eyes laced with worry so I gave her a reassuring smile stroking her arm tangled in mine.

"He's at the bar, getting another drink. Maybe I should go—"

"Nope you stay. I'm sure I can handle Dad." I pull away from Court and made my way back inside before Trent could even say anything at all. I made my way to the bar taking deep breaths and composing sentences of what I should probably say to him like 'Hi Dad, I think you should know that Robbie hit me before that's why he's not here because Trent might kill him on you the day of your birthday.' Well its safe to say that I'm not fucking ready for this but still I have no choice but to do it so this should be fucking worth it.

I was able to find my Dad so easy by the bar because he was the only one who's there, away from the people Court said he was talking to. He's alone, literally and seeing him drowning himself in alcohol here in the bar when there's a number of people came in here to celebrate his birthday with him makes my heart sad. My Dad's an asshole but maybe this is the reason why.

I let myself in the glass door carefully afraid I would startle him before making my way towards him.

"Dad" I whispered as I sit on the stool beside him. He looks up from his glass of what I believe is whiskey, to meet my eyes. He raised his brows obviously surprised I actually came.

"Hey" He smiles in relief opening his arms for me fall in and so I did in attempts to create an easier atmosphere around us because I badly need it since I hold a heavy conversation with me right now. "Oh wow, you came."

"Yea, Shannon made me." I say as I pulled away. "and Ashley." He pulls on a small smile before drinking the contents of his glass.

"Robbie's not coming." Hmm, just what I thought. "He said his "fiancé's" parents invited them over for some dinner, I don't know— but anyway I'm glad that you're here and not telling me off on whatever I do cause you're brothers are treating me like I'm some old man they need to look after to" He rolls his eyes and takes another swig again, he's drinking too much, I hate this.

"Dad, can we talk uhm— like properly this time." He looks at me and squints his eyes and I'm not quite sure what he's thinking about but maybe this would stop him from drinking because its really making me uncomfortable right now.

"Let me guess, this is about your precious girlfriend isn't it? Is she here?"

"No" For a split second, I saw disappointment in those eyes but only for a split second before it fades away but even that small tells me that maybe he does care even just a tiny bit. So I continue. "I didn't let her come and no, this isn't about her, maybe part of it,  but its about the other reason why I broke off the engagement and probably the reason why Robbie isn't here today." He sighs and turns his stool towards me giving me his undivided attention.

"Alright then, go on." I release a shaky breath as I settle my purse on the bar before I start to tell him everything. From Robbie and I having problems because of my busy schedule and his drinking and these gigs I don't know about up to the night when he did it and when he found out about it, he was in rage. One thing, I suck at is lying and my father knows that so if I told him it happened, it really happened.

"He strangled you?" He repeats with brows furrowed in anger.

"Dad—"

"He strangled you!" He says louder this time slamming a fist on the bar so hard it made his glass move. "That son of a bitch." He mutters before emptying his glass and filling it up again, he's getting way too drunk. I need to stop it.

"Dad, can you stop drinking plea—"

"He fucking strangled yo— why didn't you tell me this in the first place, or call your brothers and tell them about it. Does your mom know about this? Does she?"

"Yes but just recently—"

"What!" He raises his voice and I felt so small sitting here as he gets all worked up. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Dad!" I raised my voice this time hoping it'll snap him out of it and just fucking listen to me. He stops and looks at me properly. "Can you please calm down and listen to me."

"Calm down? you're expecting me to calm down after what you just told me. Your mom knows and didn't tell me about it. I take it your brothers and sisters know about it too right and they didn't tell me. Nobody's telling me anything nowadays"

"If you weren't being an ass when we had dinner at Mom's then I might've told you the moment the news was out."

"Oh I could just kill that man right now." Its funny to think how one truth can change a person's perspective in a blink of an eye. He's been obsessed with Robbie because he gives him attention when he's own children doesn't but now maybe he realized that its not just about that. I snapped out of my thoughts when he stands abruptly alarming me so I immediately pulled him back to his seat and rest my hands on his shoulders.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm going to his house and strangle him with my bare hands—" He's about to stand up again but I stopped him.

"Dad, Dad please you need to settle down. Its not worth it. That was years ago, I'm not in contact with Robbie anymore, I swear. Stop this, its your birthday and I don't want any trouble that's why I came here to talk to you and settle things between us." I let out a shaky breath and he sighs heavily looking up to me. "Its over, that's why I broke the engagement off and because he cheated on me and made a scene in front of Shannon's house—"

"That girlfriend of yours" He breathes out and it made my heart starts beating fast, I can feel it racing against my skin. "What's her name?"

"Shannon, why?"

"Is she hurting you too? Tell me the truth." He looks up to meet my eyes and I didn't back down. I held up his stare and smiled before shaking my head.

"No, never laid a finger on me." A wave of relief flashes across his face calming him down and it gave me some hope that maybe, just maybe this would end well. He breathes out a heavy sigh and pour himself another round of drink while I cautiously sit back to my seat.

"Why switch to women when you can—" He stops when I gave him a look. Its not about the gender its about the person herself and I'm not gonna sit here and explain that to him. He should know about those things by now. "Sorry"

"I know the reason why you like Robbie so much—"

"Not anymore" He scoff and somehow it made me smile. At least I broke his obsession over Robbie. Now all is left is for me to convince her that Shannon is better in every single way.

"Alright then." I sigh. "Its because he gave you all his attention every time we would visit you or have dinner and I know Trent and Jake were not like that with you, Well any of us actually." He shrugs and rolls his eyes confirming what I just said and realizing that makes me feel sad. Its true though Robbie and him did everything a son and a father would do. Like, talk about work, real estate even though Robbie isn't a fan of those things he did listen to my dad's rants about tough competition in LA and all of that stuff. They play golf once in a while, even invited my dad to some of his gigs and he would surprisingly go. It was nice seeing them together but I can't go on a relationship just because of them.

"If you just give Shannon a chance, you're still going to get that—"

"Why?" His head snaps to me then down to my hands and yes I am wearing the ring, on the right finger this time.

"You're getting married?" He whispers. "Since when?"

"A month ago." He looks away kind of pissed off again so we are back to square one again, okay. This is harder than I expected.

"Of course all of them knows and I'm the last one who's gonna know about it, again. I'm starting to think you don't want me to be a part of it in the first place—"

"Hey that's not fair." I say. " Well, at first—"

"Liz"

"Shannon wants your blessing. She's been bothering me with it ever since she proposed. She just wants to meet you properly and get to know each other. Dad come on" I sigh. "She's still trying despite what happened and all the shit you told her the last time."

He was silent for a moment, a thrilling silence. The kind of silence that will put you on the edge of your seat, waiting for something to happen that would literally change everything. Well, I'm on the edge of my seat.

"Dad—"

"Where is she? How can she ask for my blessing if she's no— Oh God" I cut him off by literally jumping on him and taking him in my arms, maybe a little too hard because his chair slightly tipped over upon impact but I don't fucking care. Oh my God, I can feel my heart beating out of my chest and its kind of overwhelming me, I'm literally going to cry.

"Oh Dad, thank you. Thank you, you're not going to regret this. You are going to love her, more than you loved Robbie." I mutter against his shoulder. I felt his arms tighten around me and he relaxes nit speaking anything. Its been a while since I hugged him like this and it made me realize how much I missed him. Its his birthday, and I've missed many of his birthdays before so its that of a surprise to him that I am actually here. I pulled back and looked at him. Well, he's not getting any younger and even though I hated him for what he has done. Shannon's right, he is still my Dad no matter what happens and he deserves to be included. Maybe that's all he wanted in the first place.

"So—" He starts with a lighter expression on his face and I smile.

"I can't call her and make her come here—"

"Why? Is she scared to face your Dad." He chuckles and I rolled my eyes shaking my head.

"Well maybe but that's not the point. We can go at my house if you want though, the others are spending the night over there and you are very welcome to join in, besides—" I look around and through the glass walls seeing a boring party waiting for us outside. "Your party kinda sucks Dad." He snorts out in laughter making me join in, well its true. One reason, I hate going here is because all his guests are either from work or sometimes a few friends we barely know about.

"Come home with us, Shannon baked a pumpkin pie and its to die for and maybe I can whip us up something at home." He finally nods his head and eventually stands up stumbling a little but I caught him just in time.

"Well I better go and talk to— Oh your brothers and sisters coming in for the rescue." He says and my head snaps up seeing them rushing in the room.

"Wha—"

"Hey its alright. Its all good. I'm not drunk enough to go and kill Robbie for what he did to my Lizzie." I giggled and they all relaxed looking at me then Dad. So I gave them a nod and maybe judging the smile on my face, it was enough to tell them that everything is good now.

"You're fucking good." Trent says to me as he made his way towards us giving Dad a hug making me pull away from him and shrug my shoulders. Well, just a little talk will fix everything as they say, specifically my fiancé. I really need to thank her for pushing me to do this and putting up a fight for it. "Dad please stop being an asshole" Trent says as he pulls away and Dad laughs, then one by one comes in the hugs and its very nice looking at it because, its really been a while. Maybe Shannon just saved another relationship in my family again. God, I love that woman so much, I'd die for her or without her.

"So lets go?" I say and they all looked at me with a puzzled look on their faces. Not Dad though, he has that suspiciously smirk on his face because he knows what's up.

"Why? Where are we going?" I look over to Dad and he gives me a nod making me smile.

"Well you told Shannon, only Shannon, that you're going to spend the night in our house right? Well Dad's tagging along." Their jaw drops like all of them and it made my heart jump for joy. This is the best feeling I've had around my Dad and my siblings in one room.

"Yep, so you better warn Shannon about her speech for me to hear in less than an hour." Dad says.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now." Mary Kate says."Damn she's good." Ashley adds and it made me laugh.

"Come here you little shit." Trent says pulling me into the group hug and squeezed in causing us to erupt in giggles. Oh everything is slowly falling into place and its all because of her. I can't wait for her to find out Dad's coming. This is the chance she's waiting for. I just hope she's ready for it now.