Chapter 17:

Beckinsile's Point of View

"May I speak to Cadillac Blackwell?" He says in a business like tone.

"I don't know if that's the best idea after what happened back in your office." I glare at him and go to close the door but he puts his foot in before I get the chance.

"I need to speak with her; I have some things that I need to say."

"You've had your chance on multiple occasions, like when she showed up at your office once a week, every week for months." I snap which surprises him.

"I know but I wasn't ready then."

"What makes you think she wants to talk to you now? I mean if you said all those things to me, I'd never want to see you again." I cross my arms and stare at him.

"I'm her father; I think she'll want to talk to me." Mr. Blackwell glares at me and marches towards the living room.

"Why'd you never admit that before? I'm sure you've known it since the first time she came to talk to you." I can feel the bitterness in my tone.

"After what you and she said today it made me realize that not acknowledging her was the dumbest thing I've ever done. She's my own flesh and blood and I should never have taken that for granted. I don't know why exactly I was avoiding the fact that she's my daughter but I never should have."

"You were preserving your reputation. I'm sure a blue haired street kid doesn't exactly fit in with your reputation."

"I don't care about my reputation right now. I care about talking to my daughter." He pushes past me and I race after him into the living room.

Cadillac's jaw drops the same way mine did and tears fill her green eyes. She wipes them away with her bandage free arm and then glares at him.

"Are you here to make fun of me or something?" She snaps and then mutes the TV.

"No, I want to talk to you..." Mr. Blackwell's voice becomes a little choked up.

"Why would you want to talk to a gold digging slut?" Cadillac's voice is full of complete anger and disgust.

"You're my daughter; I need to talk to about what's happened between us..." If I'm not mistaken, I believe I see a stray tear rolling down Mr. Blackwell's cheek.

"There's nothing to talk about. You left my mother and I for your one night stand and then don't even bother to help us out when it's your fault we're in poverty in the first place."

"I know and I'm truly sorry about that. I don't even know what happened to me back then. I was an idiot."

"Oh you were more than that," Cadillac scoffs. "You've felt no remorse for the last seventeen years about what you did to us. You are more than an idiot; you are a soulless devil and don't even tell me that you felt guilty because if you did, you would've sent child support or something but you didn't. You raised your new kid and lived life with your new wife and completely forgot about us. I'm disgusted with you."

"As well you should be. What I did to you and your mother is unforgivable and I'll spend the rest of my life regretting it."

"Yeah, with your perfect wife, daughter and endless piles of money; I'm sure you'll be regretting lots." Cadillac rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.

"Cadillac,"

"No, save it for someone who cares. Don't you find it ironic that your new wife came into the picture right as your trust fund was about to become available because I see that as more than a coincidence." Cadillac stares at the noiseless TV blankly.

"Cadillac, Elissa loves me and I love her; the trust fund has nothing to do with it."

"Most married men with unborn children don't go looking for someone else to love and they sure as hell don't leave their wives for that new person." Cadillac's voice is dripping with bitterness.

"Cadillac, I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry I ruined your future. I'm sorry I pretended that you weren't my daughter and I'm sorry I was never there to help you out. I'm sorry I let Elissa manipulate me into never helping you guys out. I'm sorry I never worked things out with your mother and I'm sorry you feel like I hate you." Mr. Blackwell takes the seat next to Cadillac.

"I don't feel like you hate me; I know you do or you wouldn't've even been manipulated in the first place. If you loved me, nothing your new wife said about me should've had any effect on you. Honestly, if you truly loved me, you would've apologized to my mother and cleaned up your act. You wouldn't have given her a little pay off and then ran off with your escort." Cadillac has tears rolling down her cheeks and a murderous look in her eyes.

"I do love you, Cadillac." Mr. Blackwell says softly.

"No, you don't. If you did you would've stuck around to take care of me and you would've acknowledged me the first time I came by. I wouldn't be so mad if you had said I was your daughter in the first place instead of calling me a gold digging slut. I may have even forgiven you but now I can't. I can't forgive you for what you've done and I can't even really believe what you say because you've lied to me and hurt me so many times before. You can say you love me all you want but I don't think even you believe that." Cadillac doesn't bother to wipe away the tears that are dripping off her cheeks.

"I don't know what else to say, Cadillac. I can never apologize enough for what I've done and no matter what you say, I'll always be your father and I'll always love you." Mr. Blackwell wipes away a few tears from under his eyes.

"All I've ever wanted was for you to say that but now it's too late. I know that you don't love me and you'll never treat me as your real daughter because according to your new wife, I'm nothing but a common slut from a bad neighborhood. She's greedy and soulless and I can't believe you've stuck with her this long. If you'd felt bad for what you'd done, you would've left your lover and came back, pleading for forgiveness, to your actual wife. You wouldn't have continued life with your lover, had a kid with her and let her take advantage of everything that should've been my mother's. That's why I can never believe that you love me." Cadillac screams and stands up from the couch. She looks like she's about to throw up from crying.

"You're right; I've been a terrible man. I should never have left your mother. I never should've married Elissa. I should've begged your mother for forgiveness which I probably would've gotten had I actually come back. I shouldn't have run off with Elissa because I already had a family. I should've honored the vow I made to your mother for life. I should've helped you guys out after all the hell I'd caused you both. I'm truly sorry and I will spend the rest of my life proving how sorry I am." Mr. Blackwell stands up and wipes away more tears.

"I don't care; I'll never be part of your new life. You'll never love me the way you love Danika. You'll never treat me the way a father should treat his daughter. You'll never be my actual father. I may have your DNA but that doesn't make you my father. You weren't there for me and you never cared for me. You pretended to not know who I was even though I'm your own flesh and blood. Things between us can never be the way they should've been and that's something you can never mend." Cadillac balls up her fists and leaves them by her sides.

"I'm sorry I was never the father you needed,"

"I never considered you my father period."

"I should've been there for you. I know we can never have the father-daughter relationship that you deserve but I want you to know that I'm sorry for everything I've done to you and I do love you." That's when Cadillac breaks down.

"I want to forgive you but I just can't. I want to believe that what you're saying is the truth but then I remember everything that you've done and I don't want to forgive you anymore." Cadillac places her hand over her mouth and more tears spill over her cheeks.

Mr. Blackwell walks over to her and wraps his arms around her; I wait with baited breath for her to respond. I don't know what I want her to do. Something about him showing up and saying all these things feels so wrong. He can't have changed this much in one afternoon. I really hope he's not manipulating her or faking it because I have a feeling that would kill her from the inside out.

"Cadillac, you don't have to forgive me, if I were you I wouldn't forgive me either but I just want you to know that I'm sorry." Mr. Blackwell strokes her hair and talks to her in a soothing tone. I can feel the tears sparkling in my eyes as Cadillac wraps her arms around him.

They stand there for a few minutes in silence. The minute they let go the front door creaks open. In walks Cadillac's mother. She drops the bag she's holding and tears sparkle in her eyes.

"I...I..." She stammers her voice choked up with emotion.

"Vivian, I'm so sorry..." Mr. Blackwell's voice is also choked up.

"You left me and my child to die. No money, no place to live and for what? Some drunk slut. The time for sorry has passed, Matthew. I'm disgusted that you would even show up at our house. I want you out, now!" She shouts and leans down to pick up her bag.

"Vivian, I'm so sorry. I never should've done what I did. I never should've broken that vow and I should've come back to you." He says with a few tears.

"Get the hell out of my house!" She shouts and then collapses on the couch.

Cadillac stands shell shocked in the corner. I stand stunned in the doorway to the living room and then follow Mr. Blackwell out the door.

"Listen, thank you for making me realize my mistakes. You were honest, very blunt, but very honest and I think I needed to hear it from someone other than Cadillac. I know that she'll never forgive me but I'm glad we're on better terms now." Mr. Blackwell holds out his hand for me to shake.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking but why did it take you so long to realize what you'd done was wrong? I don't want to intrude but it doesn't make sense that you just realized it."

"I realized it the minute I ran away with Elissa but I knew Cadillac's mother would never take me back; I had hurt her enough as it was so I did the only thing I could think of, keep moving." Mr. Blackwell looks upset with himself. "If you don't mind me asking but who are you?"

"I'm Beckinsile, a friend of Cadillac's." I take his hand and shake it.

"I'm glad she has a friend like you looking out for her. I'm afraid I've done more than a terrible job of that." Mr. Blackwell shakes his head as we walk down the stairs.

"Goodbye, Mr. Blackwell." I say politely as Ed drives up and unlocks the door for me.

"Goodbye, Ms. Beckinsile." Mr. Blackwell gives me a small nod and then walks off to his expensive looking car.

"So that's the man that screwed up Cadillac's life?" Ed asks in a low voice.

"Yeah, he also happens to be Danika's father."

"That's awkward,"

"You're telling me; I just spent the whole afternoon playing family counselor and then watching Mr. Blackwell apologize to Cadillac. It's been a stressful afternoon." I sigh as Ed starts back towards the main road.

"Hopefully, things will get better tomorrow." Ed whispers as I drift off. For my sake and Cadillac's sake, I hope he's right.