vingt-et-un

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."

A.A Milne

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"Are you sure you'll be alright confronting him yourself?"

"Seb, I'll be fine. Stop worrying. It's just my father, for crying out loud. He's not a criminal." Rebekah paused before adding, "He's just a really terrible parent."

She felt a cold wind swirl around them and watched as a paper bag was tossed out of a garbage can and bounced down the street. The pale yellow light streaming through the dirty glass of the diner cast shadows across her face as her eyes darted towards one of the patrons sitting inside.

Sebastian frowned, his eyebrows knitting together in consternation. "Fine. But I still want to be in there with you. I'll sit a few tables away and when you're ready, I'll walk you back to your room."

His jaw was set in a firm line as he eyed Rebekah with a no-nonsense stare. She sighed. He was clearly not in the mood for any argument and frankly, neither was she. Her conversation with her father was going to require all her energy; she couldn't afford to waste it arguing with her headstrong boyfriend.

"Okay," she relented. Smiling softly, she stood on the tiptoes and placed a kiss on his nose. When she had returned to her normal height, she pinched his cheek affectionately. "And thank you."

Before she could retract her hand fully, Sebastian grabbed it and pressed a kiss against her palm.

"I love you and I'm here for you, okay?" Worry and anxiety blazed in his dark blue eyes. "If he says or does anything that makes you uncomfortable, just give me the signal and I'll get you out of there." He placed her hand on his chest, making breath hitch when she felt how fast his heart was beating. "I promise."

Rebekah could feel her own heart racing at a million miles an hour. She was afraid and angry and annoyed and outraged and wrestling with a dozen other emotions all at the same time, but knowing that Sebastian was going to be nearby brought her a certain degree of peace.

He was here.

And he loved her.

That thought alone was enough to give her the courage to do what needed to be done.

*

"Would you like anything to eat or drink, miss?" Little crinkles appeared at the corners of the waitress' eyes as she smiled at Rebekah. Her greasy brown hair was tied into a loose ponytail, allowing for long strands to fall out and frame her thin face.

"No, thank you," Rebekah responded. Her stomach was churning. She wasn't sure if it could handle having anything put into it.

The man sitting across the table swallowed nervously. A bead of sweat escaped his hairline and trickled down the side of his face as he regarded Rebekah with a tentative expression on his face.

"How... how are you, Rebekah?" His voice was calm and barely restrained.

"I am well."

The man shifted in his seat uncomfortably and wrapped his long fingers around his mug of coffee.

"That's good to hear." A watery smile slid across his lips. "You must be wondering why I'm here."

Rebekah crossed her arms across her chest and blinked. When she caught her reflection in the glass, she was surprised by how cool and collected she looked outwardly, especially since she was nothing more than a ball of raw nerves on the inside.

In all honesty, she still hadn't figured how how she should be reacting to him- to the man who had abandoned her and her family. She was torn in a million different directions; a part of her wanted to pour hot coffee down his shirt and scream at him for leaving the family; another wanted to just walk out of the diner right there and then; and yet another part of her wanted him to reconcile with her and become her father again.

"I'm sorry, Rebekah," he said finally. "And I know no amount of apologies can ever restore the years I've lost with you and your sister, but I want to make it up to you."

Rebekah felt her windpipe constrict.

For eighteen years, she'd waited to hear those words. She'd dreamed of her father coming back, like a knight on a white horse. She'd dreamed of family dinners and trips to the beach together. And now, after hearing those words, she waited.

She waited to feel.

Exuberance.

Anger.

Frustration.

But there was nothing. Only overwhelming sadness.

"I don't expect you to forgive me," he said quickly. "What I did was unforgivable. But all I'm hoping for is that you'll give me a chance. Please."

Rebekah felt her gaze sharpen on her father. In his younger days, he had been a real looker- a playboy who had more than his fair share of the ladies. He'd had more than many could wish for in life- wealth, family and good looks. But that hadn't been enough for him. He'd wanted more; he'd wanted power and fame and he did everything he could to get it and now, all she could see before her was a man full of regrets.

A man whose hair was both thinning at the top and greying at the sides. A man who sat with perfect posture and looked uncomfortable in his surroundings. A man in whose dark eyes still glinted pride and rebellion.

"Why did you leave?" Rebekah asked.

Her father didn't look surprised by her question. He sighed and lowered his gaze to the surface of the table. When he spoke, his words slurred and the ends caught onto one another so it was hard to understand.

"I was unhappy in my marriage to Shye. Don't get me wrong; I loved her initially, but I also had to face facts. She didn't belong in the high society. She... embarrassed me on many occasions when we were attending functions or dinners. When I tried to teach her, she remained stubborn. Obstinate. She refused to change, to adapt and conform to high society."

Rebekah saw her father's eyes harden and almost immediately, all sympathy or sadness she'd had for him faded away like a wisp of smoke in the wind.

"I thought of divorcing her, but knowing your mother, she'd probably make it messy and I'd be forced to give her half my wealth. I... I didn't want to deal with a divorce so I left. It was the easiest option."

"Easiest," Rebekah repeated the word flatly. "Leaving your family was... easy." Rebekah felt her stomach flip. She felt sick. "I see."

His eyes snapped up to meet hers. "No. Leaving you and your sister was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, although what I'm doing now comes very close." He let out a heavy sigh. "I need your help. Yours and Chloe's."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes. After what he'd just said about her mother, she didn't feel inclined to help him in any way, shape or form. She caught Sebastian's eye and motioned for them to leave. She didn't want to listen to her father anymore.

Picking up her bag, she shoved her chair backwards and stood up.

"I don't care about what you need," she said, stunned by the chill in her voice. "You weren't there when we needed you. Why should we help you now?"

She slung her bag across her shoulders and spotted Sebastian already on his feet, ready to leave with her.

"Rebekah, I'm dying," her father said suddenly.

Rebekah felt her eyes water but she forced the tears back.

"That's not my problem." Her voice came out softer than she'd hoped. She met his broken gaze and felt her heart shatter. "Goodbye"

She willed her legs to move away after that. She didn't- couldn't- look back; she knew she'd break down and do the right thing, and she didn't want to. Just once, she wanted to do the wrong thing.

Even though she knew that she'd regret it.

When she got to the door, Sebastian was waiting for her and he pushed it open. He held the door as she half-ran, half-walked out, her pace accelerating with every step. She didn't even realize that she was running until Sebastian grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"Sebastian, let me go." Rebekah beat her fists against his chest. "Stop this!" She struggled vehemently, feeling her vision blur as hot tears ran down her cheeks. She gasped for air as her windpipe constricted; she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. She was in a nightmare but she didn't know how to wake up.

Her energy eventually waning, she felt her legs waver under her as she collapsed into sobs. She felt Sebastian hold her as she sank to the ground.

"Let go of me, Sebastian. I'm a horrible person." Despite her words, she buried her face in his chest, feeling her tears soak through his jacket. "He's dying- my father said he's dying and... and I just-just walked away. Stop this. I don't deserve you. I'm not the person that I thought I was." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "I'm... I'm not a good person. So please please please, just let me go."

Sebastian's fingers tangled in her hair and his breath tickled the shell of her ear as he spoke softly.

"Hush now. I'm not going to leave you. You know why? Because I thought I loved you before because you were perfect. But seeing you like this, I realise that you're not. You're not perfect and I love you all the more for that." He brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Your imperfections are what make you so special and I wouldn't trade them for anything else in the world. So no, I'm not going to let you go. Because love isn't love if you're just in it for the good times."

Rebekah looked up at him through the blur of her tears and saw the earnestness radiating from his dark blue eyes.

"Then stay with me tonight," Rebekah whispered.

Sebastian smiled and brushed her hair from her face. "I thought you'd never ask."

A/N Hello fellow Wattpadians!

Well... that was emotional. What do you guys think of what Rebekah did/said?

Happy mid-week vibes, everyone!

Percy