Little moments..

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO

VIOLET

I walked through the front door, my school bag slung over my shoulder, the familiar scent of home welcoming me.The house was quiet, too quiet, and I figured mom was out. Papa was always in the living room at this time, either reading or going over paperwork for his company. I dropped my bag by the door and made my way down the hallway.

“Papa, I'm hom..” I called out the moment I reached the living room but stopped midway. Dad was there, sitting on the edge of the couch, his posture stiff and tense, but he wasn’t alone. A man I had never seen before sat opposite him, his sharp eyes flicking to me the moment I entered the room. His suit was dark, perfectly tailored, and his gaze seemed too intense for the casual greeting that followed.

“There she is” Papa said, his voice calm but laced with something I couldn’t quite place. He motioned for me to come closer. “Violet, this is Mr. Harker, a business associate of mine.”

I glanced between the two men, unsure of what to make of the situation. Mr. Harker’s gaze lingered on me, before he finally nodded in acknowledgment. I don't know but there was something about him—something unsettling. I shrugged it off. Maybe I was just being unnecessarily paranoid

“Good afternoon, sir,” I greeted politely, forcing a small smile as I clutched the straps of my school bag a little tighter.

“Violet” He mustered a smile,still glancing at me. There was something in the way he looked at me that made my skin crawl, but I didn’t linger. Papa always taught me to be polite, no matter who the guest was.

“Go on to your room, sweetheart. I have some important business to discuss,” Papa said, his eyes meeting mine for a brief second, and I could tell he didn’t want me around for whatever conversation was about to take place.

I nodded obediently, casting one last glance at Mr. Harker before turning and heading for the stairs. As I climbed the steps, I heard Papa’s voice again, low and measured, but there was an edge to it. I paused at the top of the stairs, my hand resting on the banister as their voices began to rise.

At first, I couldn’t make out the words, but the tone was unmistakable—anger, tension. I strained to hear, curiosity gnawing at me, but then I remembered Papa’s words.
“Never eavesdrop on a stranger's conversation, Violet. It’s impolite”

Still, their voices grew louder, words becoming clearer with each passing second.

“...I told you, this isn’t the way to handle things. It's illegal “ I heard Papa said,his voice firm but not angry.

“And I told you..” Me Harker cut in, sharp and cold, “I’ve waited long enough. You think I can wait till whenever you sort the issue out?”

There was a pause, and I held my breath, my heart starting to race. What were they talking about?

“You don’t know what you’re getting into,” Papa’s voice sounded different now—tense, almost desperate. “I’m not getting myself involved in this. It's dangerous.

A cold laugh echoed from the living room and I froze, my fingers gripping the banister tighter as I leaned in, trying to make sense of what I was hearing. Dangerous? What could it be?

The argument below continued, voices rising and falling in heated exchange, but I didn’t dare stay to listen any longer, afraid Papa might catch me. I don't know how he does it but it always catch me anytime I eavesdrop.

I swallowed hardd and quickly moved to my room. I wanted to understand what was happening. Papa never raises his voice and what's dangerous?

I knew better than to question Papa about his business.

My thoughts spiraled, but I forced myself to shake it off. Papa knows what he's doing, I told myself. He always does

With a sigh, I reached for the book I had been reading, flipping it open to the page where I’d left off.

After what felt like an eternity of trying to focus on my book, I heard the familiar creak of my bedroom door opening. I glanced up to see Papa standing there, the warmth of his presence immediately calming my racing thoughts. He leaned against the doorframe, his eyes softening when he saw me curled up on the bed,

“How’s my little scholar?” he asked with a playful grin, stepping into the room. His voice was light, like he was trying to shake off whatever tension had been in the living room earlier.

“Papa!” I jumped off the bed and ran to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. His laugh rumbled in his chest as he pulled me into a bear hug, squeezing just tight enough to make me giggle.

“You’re crushing me,” I teased, but I didn’t let go. I loved these moments with him.

He chuckled and ruffled my hair. “Crushing? Me? I think it’s the other way around, kiddo.”

I looked up at him, trying to hide my curiosity, but I couldn’t help myself. “School was fine,” I said quickly, trying to divert the conversation before I dove into what had been on my mind since I left the living room. “But, um, who was that man downstairs? Mr. Harker?”

Papa’s smile faltered for just a second, but he recovered quickly, nodding. “He’s just an associate, like I said,” he replied, his tone casual, but I caught the way his eyes narrowed slightly, like he was studying me.

“And… what was that about something dangerous?” I asked, biting my lip as soon as the words left my mouth. The second I saw Papa’s expression darken, I realized I might have gone too far.

He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. “You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?” His voice was low, but not angry. If anything, he sounded amused.

I slapped a hand over my mouth, my eyes widening in mock guilt. “I didn’t mean to!” I exclaimed, my voice muffled behind my hand. “It just… I mean, you two were kind of loud…”

Papa let out a dramatic sigh and gave me a playful nudge on the shoulder. “Ah, what am I going to do with you, hmm?” He was smiling again, that warm, familiar smile that always made me feel like everything was okay. He reached out and gently caressed my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin. “You know better than to listen in on adult conversations, sweetheart.”

I nodded sheepishly, dropping my hand from my mouth. “I know, I know… but I couldn’t help it. You seemed upset.”

He exhaled softly, his hand lingering on my cheek for a moment longer before he stepped back, his expression turning more serious, but still gentle. “It’s nothing you need to worry about,” he said quietly. “Mr. Harker… he wants to do something illegal, something dangerous. I was just telling him how improper it is, how it could ruin everything if he doesn’t listen to reason.”

I blinked up at him, my mind racing again. “Illegal?” The word felt heavy on my tongue, something I didn’t associate with my father’s world.

Papa chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Yes, but like I said, it’s nothing serious. I handled it, alright?” He tapped my nose lightly, trying to pull me back to that playful space we shared. “Now, don’t go worrying that pretty little head of yours. Let me handle the scary stuff.”

I smiled at his teasing, but part of me couldn’t let it go. “You promise?”

His eyes softened, and he leaned down to kiss the top of my head. “I promise, Violet. I’ll always keep you safe.”

I believed him. How could I not? Papa had always been my rock, the one person who made the world make sense. So I nodded, letting the worry slip away for now, trusting in his words, trusting that whatever darkness had been lurking in the living room downstairs, he had pushed it away for good.

“Okay” I whispered, wrapping my arms around him again. “I trust you, Papa.”

He held me close, his hand gently stroking my hair. “That’s my girl.”