"Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends." 

- Alphonse de Lamartine

Hailey POV

It's been a month since I last saw Asher and two months since I left his house.

My life went back to normal, almost as if nothing had ever happened between us, my name is not passed around in the media anymore and nobody even remembers my name or face when I pass people on the street.

It's been some time but, I'm starting to feel happy again.

I no longer live with Ivan as I've moved out of his place and rented an apartment with Rafael. I now work nights after my classes at the restaurant and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity, it's given me more time to prep for my exams and become more ready for graduation.

Graduation is tomorrow and I couldn't be more proud of myself for finally finishing it till the end, it's taken me five years to get here with my money troubles but here I am.

I decided (After stating my case many times to Rafael) That I didn't want to celebrate tonight, I want to be nice and fresh for tomorrow, after all, it's not every day that I see him show his face.

I can't believe that he's coming.

Replaying the day over in my head makes me chuckle at how much I actually can't believe this is happening.

24 hours ago.

My phone rings on the bedside table and I roll over to the side to grab it.

Clenching my eyes to look who it is, I almost drop my phone

'Dad is calling you..'

What the freaking hell is going on, I answer the call and put the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

Theirs some noise on the other end that almost sounds like a helicopter whirring. 

"Ailey? Ca... you hear ..m?" He asks, his voice cracking from cutting out. "Stup...fuc... hone."

I was about to open my mouth but then the call goes dead, I move the phone from my ear and stare at my phone in utter confusion.

When was the last time I heard from him? A single phone call from him? What could he possibly be phoning me now for? And he hangs up, why did he even bother to call me..

I decide to get up and go shower and brush my teeth, once I get out and get dressed, my phone rings again, but this time it's an unknown number.

Damn, should I pick it up? It's probably someone calling as a mistake.

Sighing I answer the phone. "Hello?" I answer slightly annoyed. I've had so many crack phone calls since Asher that whenever an unknown number calls me now I can't help but get snappy.

"Thank Christ, pardon my language." His voice comes out clear and irritated. "Hailey? It's me your-"

"Dad." I interrupt him, swallowing my emotions down. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" I say, trying to keep the sarcasm from my voice.

There's a silence, then his voice comes through and he sounds tense. "I'm in town."

He's... what? In town?

I look at my phone and then put it to my ear again, still processing what he just said. "In L.A?" 

"Yes, is it possible to meet me for tea?" He asks. "You still like tea, right?" He grunts out and I blink.

"Yes... I still drink tea." I clear my throat. "Uh, sure, when and where?"

"Now, and I can text you the address. Is that good with you?" He asks and I feel like I just got whiplash.

Did he just ask me if that was alright? I have no idea what the hell is going on. He never asks for confirmation before asking or telling me to do something, he usually never takes no for an answer. 

"Y-Yes, that's fine." I stutter out.

He sighs deeply. "Thank you, I'll see you soon." The line goes quiet then I can hear him pass the phone to someone and yells something impatiently to them then the line goes dead.

Um... What just happened?

*****

I walked through the cafe doors and look around warily, the place is fairly full with little spots left, I was beginning to think he wrote the phone place down as I couldn't see him.

Then I heard my name. "Hailey, over here." 

I whip around and see that he had a corner seat. Awkwardly I clench onto my bag and walk towards the booth, upon reaching him I see that he's not alone and he's sat with a woman who has a smile on her lips.

I sit down in front of him, we're both looking at each other awkwardly and I could tell he didn't know where or not to stand up and hug me or shake my hand, he eventually just nodded at me and shifted in his seat.

He hasn't changed a single bit, only now he has more grey hair. He's the same as the last time I saw him, whenever the heck that was.

"It's nice to see you Hailey, I uh, I'm happy you showed up." He says, scratching his white beard nervously.

He's nervous? He's never nervous. I shift my eyes to the woman beside him, then to him. "I didn't expect to hear from you, what's it been, five years?" 

He looks shocked by my sudden change in tone yet, he nods his head. "Yes."

I sigh and lean back into the chair. "What do you want?" I ask, staring into his eyes that now look hurt by my tone.

"I.." He clears his throat and the woman beside him puts her hand on his and clenches, I see him physically relax from her touch, and for some reason, it sends a painful jolt in my chest. 

"I quit the navy."

Furrowing my brows." Excuse me?" I mumble out, confused. "Why?" I ask.

He smiles sadly and leans back in his chair. "I'm sick Hailey."

I tense and stare at him, suddenly feeling lightheaded. "Sick.. how?"

"It doesn't matter Hailey, I.. I just wanted to see my daughter before.. it's too late.. to.. er.." He closes his eyes and tenses. "What was I saying again?" 

The woman beside him rubs his arm. "It's alright, you're doing so well." She says in a calming tone and he nods her head at her.

"How are you sick dad? What is going on, what is this?" I slam my hand onto the desk, not caring that people are looking over to our table, I just want answers.

I see his Adam's apple raise and fall. "I have RPD." He swallows hard. "Dementia..."

He puts his hand on the woman shoulder who sits beside him and smiles at me. "This is Kate, she's my sponsor and friend.. she offered to come with me today." He tenses and closes his eyes. "As support."

Dementia? How.. how is that possible? And sponsor? I have so many questions, but before I could open my mouth, my dad speaks.

"There's a reason I kept my distance, I.. I never really recovered from losing your mom, it took all of me the day she died. I didn't want to drag you down so I focused on work, weeks turned into months, I filled the void with alcohol after you left, and then suddenly here we are, I just.. couldn't be what you needed."

A tear falls from his eyes and my heart clenches at the sight. "You look so much like her, y-you know that right?"

I nod my head as I feel a teardrop fall onto my leg, I didn't even realize I was crying. "Y-Yes." I wipe my eyes. "Sorry, gosh I don't know why I'm crying."

I take a deep breath and look to see him wiping his eyes. "Are you getting help.. for your.."

He nods his head. "I start treatment next week, Kate here is here to help me just incase, she's been a big help." 

I sit there, processing everything and I can't help but feel numb. Why didn't he tell me sooner? "Dad-"

He interrupts me. "I got a letter for your graduation in the mail yesterday." He says, a faint smile on his lips. "I'm proud of you sunflower, I knew you could do it." 

Sunflower... The nickname my mom used to call me before she.. she..

"I... I wanted to give you this." He says, placing a white letter in front of me, with my name on the front in my dad's perfect handwriting.

I look at him confused and he clears his throat. "Me and.. your mother started this the day you were born.. we wanted to give it to you on your graduation together.. but er, yeah." He clears his throat again. "Open it." 

I hold onto the letter with shaking hands and open it up, my hands won't stop shaking as I take the piece of paper out from inside.

It's a cheque. "Your mom's idea, she was always smart like that, originally it was your car fund, then college fund.. it just kept getting bigger.. so we decided we would give it to you for graduation." He says embarrassingly, scratching the stubble on his chin.

Holy... "Dad...this is too much." I stare widely at the piece of paper then at him. "I can't accept this, i-"

"Please, your own child Hailey, if we can't give you this much we have failed as your parents." He says, his voice breaking.

But... almost a million dollars? How is this the least they could do, this is more money then I will ever earn in my life.

"Your mom's life insurance plus what we saved for you, it's all yours now, do what you will with it." He grunts out, his cheeks are slightly red. 

I go to open my mouth but the words won't come out.

My dad reaches across the table and holds my hand in his and gives my hand a slight squeeze. "I love you sunflower, always have and always will, I know your mom is watching over you and proud."

"D-Dad." I sob out, my voice breaking as I stand up from the table, as does he, and meets me halfway as I wrap my arms around him.

He hugs me back, wrapping his large comforting arms around me, and rubs my back gently as I cry into his chest, clinging onto his shirt and letting my tears fall out. "Shhh, it's alright."

*****

After I had calmed down and stopped crying, we came back to my apartment and talked for hours, I got to know what he had been up to, learning that he left the navy last year and has been in a support group for widows and alcoholics.

He's doing well, which is all that matters right now.

I asked him if he could come to my graduation and he said he wouldn't miss it for the world, and that is when Rafael came back looking like a drag queen and drunkenly stumbling through the door.

Once Rafael had sobered up from my dad giving him water, I introduced them both and surprisingly they got on really well, my dad even laughed at some of the words that were coming out of Rafael's mouth, which were always inappropriate, even going as far as to call my dad a DILF.

Tomorrow is my graduation and I couldn't keep the smile on my face even if I wanted to.

Reconnecting with my dad- James, I can't even put into words how much I had missed him, I was so busy hating him that I never even realized how much he was hurting from losing my mom to breast cancer, she was his wife, she was his whole world too.

I haven't decided what to do with the money yet, so I've put it away, for now, it's taken a lot of worry off my mind, especially with my debts that I can happily pay the loan off without worry now.

This means I can.. I can finally pay Asher back, I will always be thankful to him, he helped me when others couldn't and he did it without a second thought.

He actually did it behind my back because he knew I would turn it down... I can't believe he did it but I am so thankful, and now I can repay him back and.. that would be that.

First thing tomorrow I will wire everything I owe back to him.

I turn off my bedside table light and get into bed, closing my eyes and picturing what tomorrow will bring, all my hard work paying off, my dad being there with me, but most of all, I feel lighter in my body with how things are starting to get back to normal.

Even if it hurts every day, not waking up to see him or get a text from him, it's painful but I'm slowly getting there.

..Slowly.