At night when the stars, light up my room, I sit by myself, talking to the moon ~ Bruno Mars

☆

I rushed into the room we were directed to by the front desk. After waiting an awkward amount of time in the elevator and searching different numbered doors we finally found my mom.

She sat on the standard hospital bed with her foot bandaged and elevated on a pillow. Her back was laid against the bed comfortably, she was sipping water through a straw.

"Oh my gosh, what happened," I ran over to her.

She finished her sip of water and grunted, sitting up. "One of my idiotic employees dropped a knife on my foot. I told him to drop it, but not on my damn foot!"

I winced, ouch. "When can you leave?" I scanned her vitals on the monitor.

"Tomorrow morning, they want to keep me overnight for observation. Nothing you should worry about."

"Mom, a knife was literally wedged in between the flesh of your foot. Of course I'm going to be worried," I shook my head.

Kendall placed the get-well flowers she just had to get, and stepped forward. Her eyes watered as she looked over my mom's state.

"Kendall please, it's just a small wound. Don't cry." She rolled her eyes.

She wiped a sly tear away, "I'm sorry, that must of really hurt Katherine, why didn't you call sooner?"

Mom sighed, opening her arms and Kendall ran into them. She petted her hair as she sniffled. "How am I the hurt one and you're the one crying?"

"I know, I'm sorry." She stepped back, wiping her tears. "Do you need anything, kitty cat?"

"No Ken doll, I'm fine," she giggled. "Is it just you two here?" She looked around the room.

"No, uh Victor is here, I'm not sure where he went though..." Kendall trailed off. She turned to me in alarm, "did we leave him downstairs?"

I covered my mouth, "oh my gosh I think we did."

Victor then walked through the door with a cupcake in his hand. He glided past us to my mom and handed her the sweet.

"Thank you V," mom smiled, accepting the cupcake.

"No problem," he said, placing his hands in the pockets of his pants. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm doing just fine. You guys don't have to worry about me, just a little cut." She looked down at the cupcake, a faint smile on her face.

Kendall looked at her friend wearily and then back to us. "Can you guys leave us for a second please. I need to speak to Katherine in private."

We nodded and stepped out of the room. We sat outside on the waiting chairs across from the door. I could hear the faint voice of Kendall and Kathrine arguing through the thick wood.

"What do you think they're arguing about?" I glanced over to Victor.

"I don't know, they've always been secretive whenever around each other. They could be talking about anything."

I nodded and tapped my fingers on the arm of the chair. The summer was almost over, with only a few weeks until the first day of school again.

"Are you ready for senior year?" I twisted in my seat, desperate for some conversation. Nurses and patients in wheel chairs strolled up and down the hall.

He shrugged, "just another year of school."

"Just another year?"

"That's what I said isn't it."

"I know," I blinked. "But it's your senior year, I heard that's the best year of your high school career. You seriously aren't excited or even nervous for it?"

"I'm just ready to graduate," he sat back in his seat, dipping his head back and closing his eyes. The door to my moms room creaked open and Kendall walked out.

"Aniya, you can go ahead in the room. Victor and I will wait out here for you."

I looked over to Victor, who still had his eyes closed and rose to my feet. My sneakers squeak along the tiled floors. I walked in and closed the door behind me.

"Mom?" I asked, nearing her. She gestured for me to sit down on the spot beside her feet. "Is something wrong?"

She took a quick breath in and folded her hands in front of her, "I lied," confessed.

My forehead puckered, "about what?"

"The knife, an employee, didn't drop it. I did."

I gasped, "why would you lie about it? Accidents happen sometimes. We all go through them."

"I was embarrassed," she shook her head, looking back up at me. Her warm brown eyes looked at me with sorrow. She inhaled sharply, "I think we should go to your grandma's house for a little bit, before school starts."

"Grandma Rainey?"

"No, Grandma Grace. I think we should all be together for your fathers 2nd year anniversary."

I froze instantly. My father, his death date was coming up soon. How could I forget? My stomach twisted and turned bitterly as my lips curled. "It's been two years already?" I whispered softly.

She grabbed onto my hand and laid it flat against hers. "Yes, I was too distracted with the memories of him today. I should have taken the day off. I didn't even notice the knife sticking out of my foot and the sharp pain. Until Drew pointed it out, yelling to call 911."

I didn't reply. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and kept my eyes paced on the wrinkle on the bed sheet. I can't believe how selfish I've been. I haven't thought about my dad in a while, I was having fun and being careless. What kind of daughter am I?

"Aniya" my mom called my name.

I looked up to her and nodded, "going to grandmas sounds like a good idea. We should go once your foot heals."

She smiled and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "Sounds great. I know you guys just got back and you need your rest. Go home Aniya, you can come see me tomorrow when you pick me up."

I wanted to fight her on it, maybe beg to stay the night on the nearby couch. But the look in her eyes suggested I take her word and go home. "I'll be back first thing in the morning," I pull her in for a hug.

"I don't expect anything less my child," she giggled, giving me the best hug she can without compromising her injury.

—

"Happy birthday dad!" I wrapped my arms around his neck. I stood up straight and presented my gift to him.

A smile spread on his face when he saw the small turquoise box in my hand. "Ooh, what did you get me this time? Another one of your hand drawn turkeys?"

I rolled my eyes as my mom chuckled. "I haven't given you a piece of my art since third grade. You're going to have to give me a little more credit than that."

Smoke arose from the blown out candles and light music played in the back. I sat down beside him as he opened his present.

He pulled out a little charm with a penguin on it. It glimmered dazzling as it swung around its silver chain. "Well it definitely ain't a turkey, but it is some type of bird."

"Look, I got us matching charms!" I pulled the sleeve on my wrist back and showed him the tiny penguin similar to his.

"That's so cute, Aniya," mom cooed. She held the baby penguin between her fingertips. "But why a penguin?"

I shrugged, "it reminded me of you."

He jerked his head back, "is my nose really that big?" His forehead creased.

"Oh my gosh dad, no!" I giggled. "The male penguin takes care of the egg, protects it, and keeps it warm. Kinda like how you take care of me."

He glanced down at the penguin, his lip quivering.

"Are you going to cry on me?" My eyes widened.

"Hush Aniya, you know your father is sentimental when it comes to you," mom waved her hand.

My eyes snapped open and I was back in the real world. The pain of the dream I just left made my chest heave as I got up.

I trudged down the stairs, the lights were off and it was dark outside. I don't even think I ate dinner.

I opened the fridge and found a made plate with my name written in cursive on a sticky note. I peeled the plastic off and popped the food into the microwave.

I placed my head over my arms on the counter. The whirl of the microwave sounded throughout the room. I lost my matching charm in the fire that day. It was probably the most important thing I had of my dad, and it was destroyed.

"Are you not going to take it out?"

I lifted my head up, "hmm?"

"The food, the microwave has been beeping for a while."

"Oh sorry," I stood up and slid the hot plate out, the ceramic jumped from hand to hand. I dropped it on the counter quickly. "Shit that's hot," I blew on my fingers.

"You did have it set for five minutes."

My eyes bulged and I turned to Victor in shock. "Five minutes? How is my food not burnt by now?" I shook my head

"My guess is as good as yours," he shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets and leaning against the counter.

The room filled with silence, I grabbed a fork from a nearby drawer and stabbed a piece of chicken. Mid eating, a sudden gasp of air strikes me and salty tears stream down my face. I wiped them away with my sleeve but the tears still flowed.

Victor stepped closer to me, his eyebrows knitted together. "Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing," I cleared my throat, scooping some rice onto my fork.

"Aniya," his knowing voice started.

"What?" I braked at him. I probably looked insane yelling at him but I couldn't help it. "I said it's nothing, why can't you just leave it alone?"

"Because it annoys me when you cry," he raised his voice.

My mouth dropped, "then go somewhere else asshole," I yelled back with food still in my mouth. I scraped my plate, not hungry anymore and dropped it in the sink.

I stomped over to the exit of the kitchen. I stopped in my tracks when Victor slid in front of me, blocking my path. I narrowed my eyes, despising the amount of height he had on me. "Move out of my way Victor," I gritted my teeth.

His jaw ticked, "No." He crossed his arms over his chest, not moving an inch.

I charged for him, it was an ultimate failure as it was like pushing a hard brick wall. "Move out the way!" I blindly started throwing punches.

My hands were caught up in one of his hand in an instant. "What the hell Aniya just tell me what's wrong," he seethed.

I tried pushing past him again and slamming my body into his but nothing worked. I huffed, snatching my hands from his. "My dad died two years and 5 days ago from today, and I didn't have the decency to remember. I am quite literally the worst daughter in the world!" I yelled, guilty tears trickling down the curve of my face.

I put my head in my hands, my breathing increased as the whole dam broke. I seriously hate crying, it's not a fun experience. There's a headache, and the insufferable runny nose that follows after.

"Forgetting your dad's death anniversary doesn't automatically make you the worst daughter in the world," he said. "I mean its not the best thing to forget, but it doesn't make you a bad daughter. My dad forgot my birthday one time and that doesn't make- actually wrong example."

I looked up at him from my hands. "Is this you trying to help?" I narrowed my eyes. "Because it's not working."

He placed his hands on my shoulders, I squirmed, startled. "Look what I mean to say is, I don't think you would be on your dad's bad side if you forgot, probably the worst day of both his and your life. He would be happy, you were having fun and focusing on the positive things in your life. You only speak of the good memories about your dad, and I think that's enough. It's not like you completely forgot about him, he's still always with you."

I sniffed, wiping the tears from my eyes. "I guess you're right," I tilted my head thinking it over. It's still shitty I forgot.

He nodded his head, his hands still on my shoulders. My eyes connected with his, the only light glowing from atop the stove made his grey eyes appear darker. I gulped, not sure what to do with my hands, they fidgeted by my side.

His eyes glanced over me once and with a sigh, he dropped his arms. "It's late, I'm going to bed."

"Night," I said absentmindedly as he turned around. I let out a breath and wrapped my arms around each other.

I hope my dad can forgive me.

—

QOTC: Thoughts on Aniya's dad?