Absolutely Bad

♤-Chapter 24-♤

"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that's where you will find success." --Thomas J. Watson

Chapter 24: Back to the Past #1

12 August 2009

965 Limestone Road, Clear View Point

The door slammed behind me. "Mom I'm home!" I shouted from downstairs. I heard a shuffle of feet from down the hallway to where my parent's room was. I heard a bang against the door causing me to jump in fright. I walked closer to inspect what was going on.

"Please Richard, don't leave Tatia and me! Was it something I did?" I heard my mom beg my father. Why was he home from work so early and what was my mom going on about him leaving us?? Was he leaving us, I wondered?

I know my mom and dad have been fighting a lot more the last few weeks then they usually did! But it was nothing serious. Nothing that would make my dad want to leave us.

"Love it's not you. It's me! I'm in trouble!" I heard my mom's soft cries at my father's reply. He continued "If they find out about you... they'll come after you and Tatia. I can't let that happen. I care and love you guys too much to put you in any more danger!"

I didn't want my father to go! Maybe we can do something to help him. "Rich? What is the problem? If it's money we have a bit saved!" I heard my father sighed.

"Anne its 150 thousand dollars. They want it in the next month! We don't have that type of money!" It was silent for a few seconds before I heard a sob. "Rich, what have you done?" I heard nothing from my father. Then I heard my parent's room door bang against the wall.

"Dad?" He looked shocked to see me. I could see the dark bags under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't had a wink of sleep for a few days. "Sweetheart!" He walked closer to me and dropped his bags on the ground next to him.

"I love you, Tatiana!" I could feel the tears in my eyes. I didn't want my father to leave. He was my role model. I have always been a daddy's girl. "Are you leaving?" I asked sadly. I hope I heard wrong and said that he was just going away for a while.

"Sweetheart! It's for you and your mom's protection! I don't want to leave but they will only hurt you if I don't go." I started to cry. I clung to my dad.

He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. I could smell his aftershave and his body spray. My father was still young at the age of 38 so he easily picked me up. He was 24 and my mom was 23 when they had me.

"Don't go" I sobbed. "Please, I got $2000! Please, daddy, don't go." I cried into his shoulder. I felt him hug me tightly. "I'm sorry my baby girl but I have to." He put me down but I didn't let go. I wasn't going to let my father leave without a fight. I didn't want him to go.

I clung to his legs... he tried to pry me off of him but I didn't let go. I heard my mom walk down the stairs and she called me sternly "Tatiana. Let your father go!" I shook my head wildly. My eyes grow big.

"I don't want him to go, mommy!!" I hiccupped. She glared at me and walked down the rest of the steps. She pulled me from my father and said: "He needs to go, let him!"

My father looked at my mother sadly before walking to us. He kissed my mom on the mouth and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "I love you. You 2 are my world."