You Died That Day

Arthur found out his first love, Eleanor, had died from terminal illness. Completely heartbroken, he gave away all his money to some cult and ran off to join them.

He left Margaret alone with their two kids, practically homeless and barely able to feed them.

Later, Margaret managed to scraped by, collecting trash and selling barbecue. Not only did she manage to feed Daniel and me, but she saved enough to open her own little shop and even buy a small house.

The day we finally moved into our new place, Dad showed up after being gone for ten whole years.

Turns out he had cancer. And he expected us to pay for his treatment.

I was at work when Aunt Linda called out of nowhere.

"Mia! Great news! Your dad's back! Aren't you thrilled?"

Hearing Aunt Linda's cheerful voice, my stomach dropped.

That man. Ten years ago, for some woman from his past, he abandoned his wife and kids and disappeared into some cult.

Why was he back now?

My throat felt tight. "Where is he?"

"Almost at your house! After all these years without seeing your daddy, you must be so happy!"

"Don't worry, honey, your dad's home for good this time! Your family's finally complete! You should hurry home, Mia!"

I hung up, panic starting to set in. Did Mom know?

She's the sweetest, most soft-hearted person. After Arthur left, she was completely broken for years before finally pulling herself together. Life was finally getting stable. I couldn't stand the thought of her getting hurt all over again.

Thinking fast, I called Mom.

She was at the market, haggling over prices, her voice cheerful but busy. "Mia? Honey, I'm swamped with shopping right now. What's up?"

Hearing her voice, I relaxed a little.

Good. She didn't know Arthur was back. There was still time.

I had to get him out of there before Mom got home.

"Mom, I'm really craving crawfish tonight. Could you pick up a couple pounds after you're done? The big ones."

"Oh, crawfish? They're hard to find this time of year! Don't worry, honey, I'll find some after I finish her."

"Okay, no rush. Take your time."

I hung up, took half a day off work, and grabbed a cab straight home.

A man and a woman were standing by the townhouse gate. How the hell did they even get in?

The middle-aged guy was dressed in cheap, worn-out clothes with a beanie pulled low. He was staring at the house with this annoyed look on his face.

"Didn't they get the message? Why aren't they back yet? This is ridiculous!"

He'd aged badly. His face, which used to be kind of handsome, was now sallow and saggy, but he still had that same arrogant attitude like everyone should bow down to him.

Seeing him like this, I felt... I don't know. Pity? Or just disgust?

Back in the day, riding high on being some hotshot Literature major, he always looked down on Mom, constantly making snide remarks about her being just an "uneducated housewife."

He openly carried around a photo of Eleanor, writing her poems, painting her portraits like some lovesick teenager.

When he heard she died, he chain-smoked on the balcony all night.

I was just a kid, but I remember him clutching that photo, tears streaming, muttering, "Eleanor, I'm coming to join you!"

The next day, he sold our house, donated every last penny our family had, shaved his head, and ran off to join that cult.

While the media gushing over their "epic love story," Mom and I had just been thrown out onto the street. Nobody gave a single damn about how we were supposed to survive.

I honestly don't know where he gets the nerve to show his face here.

"Mia! You're home!" Aunt Linda spotted me, waving way too enthusiastically. "Come here, sweetie! What's wrong? Cat got your tongue now that you see your daddy?"

Arthur followed her gaze. He blinked, then scowled. "Took you long enough! You have any idea how long I've been waiting out here?"

I completely ignored his tone. "What are you doing here?"

My lack of warmth clearly pissed him off. "What are we doing here? Who's 'we'? After all these years, and you can't even show basic respect? No manners at all! That idiot Margaret didn't teach you anything?"

Hearing him insult Mom like that,I completely lost it. Did he still think he was the king around here? Who the hell did he think would put up with this crap?

"Who are you calling an idiot?"

"Your mother! How dare You little brat! How dare you talk to your own father like that!"

He finally caught on, furious, and made a move to hit me. Aunt Linda grabbed his arm just in time.

"Stop it! Just stop! Father and daughter seeing each other after all this time, and you're already at each other's throats?"

She held him back, shooting him a warning look, then turned this fake sweet smile on me.

"Mia, don't be like this. Auntie knows you've missed your daddy all these years, you're just hurting. But Arthur missed you too! He's back to make things right..."

"Make things right?" I snapped. "When he donated everything and left us with nothing, did he spare a single thought about what would happen to Mom? To Daniel and me? Who needs his 'making up' now?"

Arthur just stared at me, completely shocked.

"What do you mean I donated the money and left you with nothing? That was my money! I earned it! A man's got a right to do what he wants with his own cash, don't he?"

"Besides," he huffed, puffing out his chest, "I was devastated! As my daughter, couldn't you show a little understanding? Is money really more important than feelings to you?"

I thought maybe, just maybe, he might feel a tiny bit of guilt. Turns out the man is completely shameless.

I almost laughed in his face. Arguing with him was completely pointless.

"I'm not arguing with you. Get out. You're not welcome here."

Aunt Linda saw things going south fast. "Mia, honey, your dad didn't mean it like that! Let's all go inside and talk calmly! Making a scene out here on the street isn't helping anyone!"

"You are not setting foot in this house today. Have some dignity and get lost before I call the cops."

"How dare you talk to me like that! I'm your father!" He lunged again. Aunt Linda held him back, frantically signaling with her eyes.

He took a deep breath, lowered his hand, and sneered. "Fine. Fine. Years apart, and my own daughter turns into a heartless snake. I won't waste my breath on you. When Margaret gets home, we'll see if she dares lock me out."

My fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms.

His confidence wasn't completely baseless.

Back in the day, Mom absolutely adored him. She chased after him for years before he finally, reluctantly, agreed to marry her.

Throughout their marriage, Mom was always the doormat, bending over backward to please him. He had flings, and Mom forgave him every time, never able to bring herself to really blame him.

If Mom saw him now she'd probably just melt and forgive him again.

I couldn't let that happen.

"I said you're not welcome! Get out! Get out! Security! Security! Thieves! Help!"

I started screaming, grabbing a nearby broom and swinging it wildly, shooing them like stray dogs.

If they wouldn't leave willingly, I'd drive them out!

The broom caught Arthur right across the face. He stumbled back, sputtering. "Mia Holloway, you're insane! How dare you treat your father like this! You'll rot in hell for this!"

"Holloway? I'm a Garcia!" I snarled, jabbing the broom, now smeared with what looked like dog mess, towards their faces. "Out! Out! GET OUT!"

The battle was still raging when I heard Mom's voice. "Mia?"

I froze.

At the end of the path, Mom stood there holding grocery bags, staring at us in complete shock.

Why was she home so early?

I tried to step in front of Arthur, but Mom had already spotted him.

Her gaze landed directly on him.

Arthur blinked several times. Mom stood there in a simple silk dress, light makeup enhancing her featurespoised and elegant, completely different from the stressed-out housewife he remembered.

He wiped some dirt from his face, forcing an awkward smile. "Margaret. I'm back. For good this time."

I looked desperately at Mom, terrified she'd fall for this nonsense all over again.

Mom just offered a faint smile. "Arthur."

Her calm demeanor caught me off guard. I rushed to her side. "Mom! Call security! Let's get them out of here!"

Mom gently chided me, "Mia! That's no way to talk! He is your father, after all."

Hearing her defend him, Arthur visibly relaxed.

He'd been worried she might hold a grudge, that he'd have to put in effortto win her back. Clearly, he'd overthought it. She was probably thrilled to have him home.

His expression turned smug, reverting to the domineering tone he'd always used with her. He pointed at me, clearly displeased. "This is the daughter you raised. Quite the handful."

Mom glanced at me, shaking her head with a small smile. "Mia's always had a strong personality. Don't take it to heart."

Not wanting to escalate the situation, Arthur gave a dry chuckle. "Wouldn't dream of it."

He reached for Mom's hand. "Margaret, these past few years..."

Mom smoothly sidestepped his attempt, smiling at me instead. "Mia, unlock the door. Let your father in."

"Mom! Why should let him in?"

"Open the door. Are you going to disobey me?"

I clenched my teeth, pulled out my keys, and unlocked the door.

Arthur watched Mom's retreating back. Her avoidance of his touch annoyed him slightly, but he shrugged it off. After being away for so long, a little resistance was to be expected. No need to make a big deal out of it.

He smiled, the earlier tension forgotten. Without waiting for an invitation, he strode confidently into the house.