Page 49 of Mr. Blackwood

Courtney held her phone out to me. “Just call.”

I stared at my sister and my best friend before I eyed the phone like it was some evil entity. “Fine.”

I took the phone from my sister and rolled my eyes when I noticed she had already pulled my father’s contact up in the phone.

“He’s been waiting for your call—hoping that you will call him.”

“What did you tell him, Court?”

“Just that you could use some parental love right now.”

I sighed and pushed the dial button. When his voice came on the phone with a tenderness that I had never heard, my heart softened just a bit, and my eyes grew moist. I stood and walked out onto my sister’s balcony for some privacy.

“Hey, Daddy.”

“Pretty princess. How are you doing? It’s been a while. I’ve missed you.”

I sighed. “I know.”

“What’s going on? How can I help, pretty princess?”

I hadn’t heard him call me that name since I was little. The tears that gathered in my eyes spilled over, and I had to clear my throat several times because I had gotten choked up, and my voice was wobbly.

“Anything for you, pretty princess,” he stated when I finished.

I cleared my throat again. “Since when, Daddy?”

“Your mother and I failed you and your sister by not being there for you the way we needed to. We put our careers first, and we thought that sending you to boarding school would set you both up for a beautiful future and successful life. We thought we were doing what was best until years after your graduation, when both of you refused to return home for the holidays, and you seldom visited us. I’ve been waiting for the first opportunity to prove to you that I love you, I screwed up, and there isn’t anything I won’t do for you.”

I broke down crying and replied, “Thank you, Daddy.”

We talked for a while and said things that needed to be said. My mother joined the call a little while later, and she apologized too. After I ended the call and returned to the living room with Courtney and Shana, I told them everything, including the change in Daddy’s attitude.

“Yeah. I had a similar conversation with Mommy and Daddy a couple of weeks ago,” Courtney shared. My little sister pulled me into her arms, hugged me, and kissed my forehead. Shana jumped in and hugged us. “I didn’t want to be left out,” she stated with a giggle.

We all laughed, and I felt infinitely better.

20 – JABARI

ONE WEEK LATER

“This is about to be some bullshit,” I grumbled as Creed pulled up to the tall chrome building.

“Just hear the man out. Best case scenario, you’ll walk away with a win. Worst case scenario, you’ll walk away having been entertained,” Creed replied with a shrug and a smile.

“Yeah, whatever.” An attendant rushed to the car and pulled my door open. He held an umbrella up and smiled.

“Hello, Mr. Blackwood. Welcome to Lewis-Fox Communications Company.”

“Thank you,” I replied as he gave the umbrella to me.

A valet attendant took the keys from Creed, and Creed and I walked to the door. The way the rain poured down around us had me in a horrible mood.

“I hope this rain isn’t an indicator of the way this meeting’s about to go,” I grumbled as we headed for the elevators.

“It’s all about perspective, boss. You can look at it as a gloomy day, or you can look at the rain as peaceful, relaxing, and cleansing. This meeting may be a fresh start to putting some of the other stuff behind you.”

Creed shot a smile in my direction again as we stepped onto the elevator. I glared at him and shook my head.