It wasn’t fair.

She wrapped her arms around her shoulders, yet it wasn’t cold that caused her bones to shudder. She sat alone in the fancy restaurant, forced to face the irony blooming the color of disappointment. Disappointment which was quickly turning into distain. She’d held on to the hope that he would show longer than she knew she should have. But somewhere deep in her soul she told herself he’d promised, he would come.

That was over an three hours ago, and she’d been waiting in the restaurant all evening. Now all she felt was increasing anxiety and the acute awareness of a deep wound that was driving itself deeper into her soul.

“Where are you, dad?” She mutters to herself under her breath. “You promised…”

Why should she be surprised? He’d never shown up to anything important in her life when he was in it. And when he left, well… she hadn’t been able to decide if she’d missed him or if she was glad he was gone. Tonight proved he’d never really changed like she’d hoped he did when he arranged to have dinner with her.

Screw him.

When the waiter came around for what felt like the hundredth time, for the first, she was forced to accept the truth. She hurriedly paid for her drink, left a tip, and then stepped out into what was now a raging thunderstorm.

She hated thunderstorms. Still feeling humiliated and pathetic for even hoping, she hurried down the street in her dress and heels, without even an umbrella to shield her. Feeling increasingly panicked she began to walk faster, tears mixing with rainwater as they poured down her face, ruining the make-up she’d so meticulously applied what felt like a year ago now.

Car headlights flashed in her vision in the pouring rain a few feet ahead of her at the curb. It only took her a few moments to recognize the driver as Leon steps out of the driver’s side door and strode purposefully toward her, concern written all over his face. She didn’t even question what he was doing here or how he knew where to look for her, she just dashed straight into his arms, crying.