Chapter 24 - Sierra

Eleven Years Ago

"D-Dad?" I murmur under my breath when my father steps out of the room. Frowning when I notice how his dark brows are tightly knitted, I get off the waiting bench and rush toward him.

"H-How is she?" I croak, trying to meet his eyes when he averts his gaze. He'd been crying—it's clear from the way his eyes are puffy.

He shakes his head, pushing past me and dragging his feet toward the bench. "Go inside, mi hija . She's asking for you."

I nod tersely as I slowly turn toward the door. Behind it, my mother lies on a hospital bed, her arms hooked to machines and drips that keep her alive. A sight I can barely stand to see, but from what I just saw on my father's face, I know I have to go inside and face the horror.

The room is filled with the sound of beeping and the scent of medicines and alcohol swabs. I take a deep breath and go toward the bed, where my mother has her head turned toward the window, watching the sunset through the metal blinds.

"Mama…?" I call out tentatively, pausing with my heart feeling heavy. It's only been a day since I last visited her, but I have noticed she's lost more hair.

"Sierra…" her voice is hoarse as she slowly turns her face to me. As soon as her sunken eyes meet mine, the sob in my throat escapes me, and I'm propelled forward, rushing into her trembling open arm.

"I m-missed you," I squeak, noticing the way her touch feels weak. Remorsefully removing myself from her embrace, I lift her hand and kiss her fragile knuckles.

Her brittle, chapped lips form a feeble smile. "I missed you too, my child," she says weakly. The only real movement she makes is from the slight heaving of her chest as she breathes shallowly. "How was school today?"

I click my tongue irritably. "It doesn't matter," I grouch. "None of it matters as long as you're in here."

A tear slips out from her eye, and she doesn't fight it. Mama always strived to show her strength, but right now, she can't fight it anymore. I know it's because of the cancer that's eating her up from the inside out.

I just wish she'd fight harder.

"Pull up that chair," my mother says, releasing my hand. "Sit with me for a while."

Pursing my lips, I do as I'm told and sit beside her bed. She winces when she turns toward me with the last bits of strength she has in her bones. Still, she smiles at me through her pain, reaching out to cradle my cheek with shaky fingers.

"My beautiful girl…" she whispers lovingly. "You're growing so quickly."

"Too quickly," I muse, trying to make light of the situation. "Dad says I'm picking up too much weight."

My mother rolls her eyes and clicks her tongue. "He only cares about your health, my hija," she assures me. "He means well."

With my mother's reassurance, I touch her frail hand as she cups my cheek, her skin still as soft as ever. "I want you to come back home."

Mom smiles and feebly shakes her head. "Everything is going to be okay, my child. I wish you happiness, mi hija," she says as she places her hand on the top of my head, lovingly assuring me with the gentle lilt in her tone.

A lump forms in my throat when I realize that my mother is saying goodbye. She's not coming back home; that's why my dad looked as distraught as he was when he left her room. It's why she called for me and wanted me to sit down for this.

I shake my head, refusing to hear her, but listening to her sweet words nonetheless.

"One day, you will grow up and find all the happiness this life has to offer," she continues. "You will walk with love.'

***

Stroking a finger over my dad's fingers as he lies unconscious on the hospital bed in Aurora Island, I can't help but let my mind wander to the moments leading up to my mother taking her last breath.

She'd wished me well and prayed for my happiness and for love to map out the rest of my life. Sniffing, I close my eyes as the machine beeps in the room to keep my dad alive, saying my own little prayer for him.

The memories of Mama have me wondering if my father will ever wake up. If he'll wake up and wish for me the same things my mother wished for me. Now more than ever, I need to be reassured that the life I'm about to embark on is best for me.

In my heart, I know it is. But he's my father, and I need his blessings. Especially if I have a life growing inside me. Without Mama, he's all I have. She was right—he only means well. That's why he risked his life to save me.

I open my eyes to a well of tears streaming down my cheeks. He can't see me right now, so there's no reason for me to pretend that I'm strong. Gazing at his resting face, I start to wonder why he'd been so hard on me.

"Please wake up, Dad…" I whisper as I hold his hand to my chest. "I need you to tell me why you'd always been so hard on me. Especially when Mama left…" I sniff. "... You always hammered me about my weight, about school. You didn't realize how much I started to hate you because of it." A shudder passes through me. "I felt it too, you know?" I whimper, feeling the most vulnerable in front of my father now that he's not awake.

It's easier to pour my heart out right now when he can't hear me. I know it's pointless, but I need to get this off my chest.

"Mama's death was hard on me, but having to face you was harder. Why do you think I ran away, huh?" I sniff and wipe my nose with the back of my hand before returning to squeezing his hand. "Then you go ahead and save me like you actually care? Silly old man!" I giggle nervously. "I'm angrier than I was when you kidnapped me."

I scoff as the sobbing subsides, my freedom to finally speak permitting me to be completely open. "You know, I'm not even mad that you sold me off to the weredragons. I really wish we shared some kind of relationship ‘cause I would have told you about Felix long ago." Sighing, I continue, "The thing is, Felix was my boyfriend about eight years ago. He l-left." I hang my head, shivering. "He left, and it left me torn. He had his reasons, which I only came to find out about recently. Thanks to you," I chuckle and lift my head to smile at him.

I really wish he could see it.

"Thanks to you, I was reunited with the love of my life. And…" I gulp as I look down at my belly. "... I might be pregnant. I need my father's blessings."

I begin choking again when I lay my father's hand on his chest. I turn to the nightstand to get some tissues, and then I feel a hand on my head.

"Dad?!" I exclaim in surprise, turning to find my dad smiling at me, his eyes narrow slits as he blinks his eyelids. "Oh, my God! You're awake!" I sigh in relief.

He removes his hand from my head, his face contorting with discomfort as he struggles to straighten up. I rush to my feet to help him, placing a pillow behind his head.

"Y-you have my b-blessings," he croaks. He attempts to chuckle but coughs instead. I quickly pour out a glass of water from the pitcher and help him sip while frowning at him.

"Wait… You heard me?"

My dad manages a croaky chuckle as he gently pushes the glass away. "Of course, I heard you, mi hija," he says, his voice unusually gruff. "What happened to me? Where am I?"

Taking back my seat, I go on to explain that after he'd been shot, Felix had brought him to the Aurora Island hospital, where their resident doctor removed the bullet and stitched him up.

"You've been out for a few hours," I explain. "I didn't think you'd wake up so soon."

Dad smiles mischievously. "I'm glad I did. I heard everything you said."

"E-everything?" I wince. "I thought you were—"

"Shh…" He presses a finger to his lips. "Let me have my moment, okay?" His chuckle sounds healthier this time.

"Dad…"

He turns his face to me, the sneaky grin gone, in its place, a sternness I'd only seen every time he scolded me.

"Forgive me, Sierra," he apologizes earnestly, the apology written in his eyes. "I was only ever hard on you because I didn't wanna lose you the way I lost your mother."

Blinking back the fresh set of tears welled in my eyes, I nod gently. "You're forgiven, Dad. I was afraid I was gonna lose you yesterday."

"Oh, you can't get rid of me so easily," he laughs with his belly. "I'm always one step ahead. When I made the deal with the weredragons, I already knew about your heartbreak seven years ago."

"You did?"

Dad nods. "I'd been watching you since you left. I had to—just to be sure you weren't in any kind of trouble. If ever you needed me, I would have been there."

When he smiles at me again, it's like my heart has been embraced by warm arms. I reach for my father's hand as he continues,

"When the weredragons approached me, I didn't know who the man was who would be your mate. I just knew I'd be giving you a chance to find true happiness again. The weredragons might be scary, but they're not heartless."

"You just didn't know that Felix was a weredragon…"

"No," he concedes. "I didn't until I saw him after kidnapping you. I'm sorry about that," he grimaces. "I knew you wouldn't agree to it, so I had to do it."

"I'm not mad anymore, Dad," I assure him with a gentle squeeze of his hand. "I mean, I would have been mad if it wasn't Felix, but fate played a role in all of this."

"I'm sorry for everything, my child," he says as he places a hand on my head again. "I want you to have my blessings for the rest of your life. Your happiness is what matters the most."

"Thank you, Dad," I murmur, feeling so full of the love I couldn't see before. The love I denied myself from feeling.

When my dad's eyes flit down to my belly, I feel heat spreading across my face.

"Is it true?" he asks, pointing at my stomach.

"I'm not sure yet," I shrug. "I haven't confirmed—"

I'm interrupted when there's a gentle knock on the door before it opens up. Felix appears then, pursing his lips.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," he grimaces, pointing behind him. "I can leave if this isn't a good time."

Gulping, I turn back to my father and mouth the words, "Don't tell him." while shaking my head discreetly in warning.

Dad winks his promise to keep my suspected pregnancy a secret before turning to Felix.

"I'm sure you wanna discuss what happened yesterday," Dad says. "Sierra was just about to leave."

I frowned at my father but proceeded to get to my feet, placing a soft kiss on his forehead and promising to visit him later.

He wants a private moment with Felix, so I decide to give it to them.

Besides, I'd picked up a new pregnancy test kit from the Aurora Island hospital, and I'm dying to know the result.