Page 92 of Abigail's King
“I love you, Kye. Shit, I still can’t get used to the name.”
“I love you too.”
I went to help Abigail out of the car, but found her already standing there watching on. I should have moaned at her for not allowing me to help, but all I wanted was to feel her arms around me, even if it was just for a moment. I needed her strength today to get through this. I walked over to her and put my arms around her. She must have sensed exactly what I needed, because she immediately held me, rubbing my back for both comfort and support.
“I’m here for you, Kye. You can do this. I know they will be over the moon to see you, all of them. And wait until you meet Joaquim. He’s going to be the next Ronaldo, you know.”
I had to laugh. Both Mateus and I were going to be famous footballers when we grew up. It only made sense that he would want that to. I knew I couldn’t put this off any longer.
“Come on, then. I guess it’s time to face my parents.”
I took Abigail’s hand and followed Mateus up to the house. I was as nervous as hell right now. My heart was almost beating out of my chest, and I was close to a panic attack. I couldn’t really understand why, because it was only my family.
“Take a deep breath, Kye. It’s going to be fine.”
Abigail squeezed my hand as I took in a deep breath to try to calm my nerves. I walked through the front door and didn’t make it more than three steps into the house before I was engulfed in the biggest hug from my mum, who had tears pouring down her face.
“Ricardo, o meu filho. Voltou para casa para nós. Sentimos muito a sua falta.”
“Hi, Mum. Yes, I am back home, and I have missed you all too.”
The tears were pouring down my face as I said hello to all the members of my family. All except one. My father wasn’t here. I looked over at Mateus, who just shrugged his shoulders, as confused as I was. Could it be that he couldn’t forgive me? Would I never be able to have a relationship with him again?
“I’m sure he will be here in a minute, Kye,” Abigail said. “He wanted me to bring you back to the family. He didn’t seem as though he didn’t mean him as well.”
I smiled down at her. I knew she was just trying to make me feel better, but not having my dad here to welcome me worried me greatly. It wasn’t until Mateus walked over to me and spoke that I realised he had disappeared.
“Dad wants to see you in his study.”
I felt a coldness wash over me, as though someone had walked over my grave. We only ever got called into his study if he had something important to tell us, or if we were in trouble. I was guessing it was the latter for me. Even now, at nearly thirty-seven years old, my dad frightened me. He wasn’t a man to be messed with, and if you were in trouble, you knew it. He might not use any form of physical punishment now, but his voice was enough.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Abigail asked.
I looked at her, probably with fear on my face, judging by how shocked she looked.
“Thanks, but I must do this myself. If you are summoned to Dad’s office, then you better damn well attend. I’m sure I will be fine. Mateus will keep an ear out if it gets too much. He always did.”
Mateus gave me a small smile. I knew he always had. With the countless times he had interrupted our dad during a telling off just at the right time, he had to be listening. I gave Abigail a quick kiss on the cheek and headed down to my dad’s study. I knocked on the door, the same as I had many times before and waited to be called in. He still demanded the utmost respect, and I wasn’t going to change that, even now that I was a grown man myself.
“Entra.”
I opened the door and walked into his study. He had his back to me in his chair and was looking out the window, the usual position for a man who was about to let loose on his wayward son. I had seen it so many times, I had lost count.
“You wanted to see me, Dad?”
He had always liked to make you sweat. Would sit there for a while and say nothing, waiting to see if you would crack and confess to everything that he didn’t actually know about, but did after you had finished, just adding to whatever punishment he was going to give you for the original offense that you had forgotten about.
This time, it seemed different. I looked at him sitting there and he wasn’t in his usual upright, strict position. It almost seemed as though he was…crying. Could it be that my own dad was sitting there crying in his chair?
“Pai.”
Even after using the Portuguese for father to further gain his attention, still, he didn’t move, but I was now certain that he was crying. Slowly, I walked around his desk. As I came up next to his chair, I noticed the letter I had written in his hand. Mateus must have given it to him this morning when he arrived. I knelt down beside him and took his hand in mine. I couldn’t help the tears that were starting to fall down my face, the thought that I was still causing my dad pain being too much to bear.
“I’m so sorry, Pai. I truly never meant to hurt you or the family.”
He immediately stopped me by placing his hand on my face. We had never been very close. I loved my dad dearly, but I didn’t have the relationship my brother had with him, being the eldest. What he said next, though, broke my heart in two.
“No, Ricardo. It is me that should be sorry. I let you down by not noticing you needed help. I always put your behaviour down to being the middle child and seeking attention. Reading this made me realise that I could have done something sooner. I could have stopped you from leaving and going through eighteen years of hell. Like you, I will be judged for my actions by the Lord himself. I just needed you to know that I am so sorry, and I have nothing to forgive you for. But you have so much to forgive me.”
