Chapter Eleven - The father – daughter quarrel

Ever since Ariel had woken that morning her father had been on her case. First about why she didn’t sleep at home, then why she didn’t make it home from brunch, lunch or even dinner. It was like she was ten years old again and her father were fussing over her because she was the youngest and most delicate of them all.

Her brothers were older, stronger, faster – they could all take care of themselves. And his older sister, she had already moved out to attend college. Out of sight out of mind. The one good thing about that time had been her mother, always telling her father to back down, to take it easy. To stop worry. It was closing in on the ten-year anniversary for her death – it was a hard time for everyone in the family, Ariel knew.

But her father didn’t make it any easier on any of them by fuzzing about her whereabouts. She was 26 years old; she could take care of herself. In fact, she should have moved out like her older siblings a long time ago. Both Elijah and Noah had joined the military after graduation, and they were still there. It was something they both loved, fighting for home and country, and Ariel envied them. She had tried to out for the military herself, but her father had put a quick end to it. No girl of his was going into that kind of danger. Too bad she had already met Kieran before then. If daddy dearest had only known, then he would have escorted her to the military herself.

“Ariel – it’s your father, again” Kieran called from the kitchen. He was cooking them dinner, pasta. Not only had Ariel found a man who could hunt and kill, he also cooked. And he was handsome and great in bed – could a girl really ask for more?

“I don’t really feel like talking to him” Ariel ended another call. “You could always inform him that you have in fact moved out and want to be treated as an adult and not an insubordinate teenager” Kieran suggested with a casual shrug, giving the sauce another stir.

“You do know that my dad doesn’t like you?” Ariel asked. “I’ve been getting those vibes yes” Kieran answered. “Do you want him to like you any less?” Ariel asked, jumping up on the counter to the side of where Kieran was standing. “Is it possible for him to like anyone any less?” Kieran asked, turning to face Ariel with a mischievous grin on his face. “I can think of a few ways” Ariel smiled, draping her arms around Kieran neck, and pulled him in for a kiss.
His lips felt soft and warm against her, giving her goosebumps, and making butterflies flutter. It had been close to a decade, still he made her stomach flutter whenever they kissed. “Do tell” Kieran whispered against her lips, keeping himself just millimeters away from her. “Well…” Ariel started but was interrupted by another ringing tune. “Now he’s calling me. Either you answer, or I will” Kieran handed the phone over to her, she was half a mind to let it go to voicemail, but when Kieran answered the phone, she had no other choice.

“Good afternoon Mr. Noye. Of course, I know where your daughter is. No, she isn’t in any kind of compromising positions or in any danger of any sort. Uhu. Yes. Of course” Kieran covered the mic. “Your father wants to know if you’re coming home anytime soon” He said to Ariel, who in turn just started at her.

“No, no I don’t think so. You know – we have been thinking about something I’m sure you’ll be most pleased to hear” Kieran continued, making Ariel leap of the counter to grab the phone. “No!” She shouted before wrestling the phone out of his hands, all the while with him grinning from ear to ear.

“Hello father – I do apologize for that” Ariel panted once she had gotten the phone out of Kieran’s hand. *“You sound out of breath, is everything okay?”* Her father said. “No, yes – well, I was just. Never mind – what do you want?” Ariel left the kitchen, Kieran snickering to himself as he turned back to focus on the cooking.

*“You haven’t been home all day, are you not coming home soon?”* Her father sounded worried, or hurt, or maybe both. “Dad – listen. We should not have this conversation over the phone. How about lunch, tomorrow, at your favorite place?” Her heartbeat faster. How come she was cool as a cucumber when it came to facing monsters, while she quivered like a leaf in the wind when it came to her father?

*“I’d love that darling. I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night”* He sounded happier. “Good night” She hung up and went back to the kitchen, now with a scowl on her face. “See, it’s not that hard” Kieran shrugged, unfazed by the daggers her eyes were shooting him. “You’re 26, he’s 60, you’ll both be fine”
–
Ariel had a heavy heart when she left the comfort of Kieran’s apartment just before noon. She knew this had to be done, she had to break it to her father that she had moved out and wouldn’t be moving back home. It had been a long time coming, had crossed her mind several time. Had she not been moving out parts of her wardrobe already? It was the bare necessities left, only what she would need for a night or two.

The house was big, too big for her and her father alone. Gabriel or Jezebel on the other hand, they could have found use for it with both having big families. But they had moved to other parts of the country for university and never looked back. It was just her and her father, and Isaiah whenever he would pop by. He lived like a nomad, traveling the world for a living. Father loved it for him, refused it for Ariel. What was so different between her and her older brothers, or older sister even?

Thoughts were swirling around as she found the restaurant they had agreed on. The town was small, but it had one restaurant in relation to the hotel, who served up some of the best food. One of her high school friends, Michaela, worked as a chef there and if there was one thing that blonde girl could it was cook up a decent meal that would banish your hunger for hours at the time. It was her favorite place to dine, as well as her fathers.

He was already seated when she walked through the doors, smiling and waving once he spotted him. She waved back and let the hostess know she was expected. The hostess led her to the table and handed her a menu before going back to her station.

“There she is” Her father beamed when she sat down, looking at her like he hadn’t seen her for half a decade. “Dad – you saw me two days ago” Ariel sighed. Sometimes she wished her other siblings was closer, not living on the other end of the country, far down south.

“You’re my daughter, and I’ll always be happy to see you” Her father said before covering his face with the menu. Ariel didn’t even bother to have a look, she already knew what she would have, she always ordered the same, creamy pasta with chili marinated shrimps. She was a sucker for pasta, and Francesca’s had the best pasta in town.

“So, what was it you wanted to talk about?” Her father put his menu down after deciding on what to eat. Ariel guessed he was ordering the usual, a steak with something on the side. Even for lunch her father would order a steak, never with a salad on the side. She could already hear Jezebel scolding him. She was a nutritionist, always worrying about their father’s health.

Ariel had other things to think about, but she found peace knowing her siblings were blissfully unaware of the supernatural world. If it was up to her, it would stay that way, she didn’t want any of her nieces and nephews to know about the kind of creatures that lured in the dark. So far, she hadn’t had to face any of the real danger, but she was preparing. Something was changing, she could tell. She didn’t know what or why, but there hadn’t been a single werewolf attack in ten years. Though she had only encountered one she was on the alert. She could still remember it like it was yesterday.