GASLIGHT (1)- By Leighcar Marshall

I watched in fascination as the lean man, shielded in a well-tailored ensemble strutted towards me. He sat down at the decked table and intertwined his ring decorated fingers. With years of aging under his belt, my father still looked and acted like the charming man he was set out to be.

Women all over wanted to be a Clark, so when he chose my mother, the pathetic streetwalker, his family cut all ties. Until of course, she bared them their first grandchild.

Evelyne Clark.

The honorable daughter. Who possessed a cipher of her piteous mother’s qualities, only then, they became whole again.

My expression remained neutral, some would say it resembled a poker face, but all it was, was a way of protecting myself from the leaking emotion stabbing my thin barrier, “You are late.”

“You know how it goes sweetie,” He began stroking his dyed stubble. “I wanted to see my loving daughter.”

“I see right through you.” It took years to fully perfect the art of enough authority in my voice, in order to sound demanding, not an overbearing female.

“I taught you that.” Father and I knew each other inside and out, but everything I knew, he guided me through. In a way I became him. It’s just as matter of time before I replaced him. That day was most dreadful as ever.

“I’m proud of you Evelyne, have I told you before?”

The enduring unperceivable force choking the façade caused me to clear my throat. “You have not, luckily for me; I have not an ounce of desire to receive validation from you.”

The chatter rung amidst the customers when he decided to stay quiet, most likely stunned at the way I spoke to him.

For a second he bent his neck and took a peek at the menu, and then his icy blaze found my forged unaffected exterior. “You will not talk to me like that, have you forgotten when she decided to leave…” An increase of volume replaced his bass. “I stood tall for you!”

The chair slid backwards across the stone tiles as I curved nearer to him. “That was your duty as a father!” I stared at him in disbelief. “What, do you expect a pat on the back for paying people to look after me?”

Finally I sat back in the chair and brought my thigh over the other. “Well you’re not going to get one.”

“Great to see you Mister and Miss Clark-”

“Can’t you see we’re busy, get the hell out of here you ditzy tramp!” He directed those venomous words at the now frightened young waitress.

Calmly I reached into my purse, pulling out two blue bills and held it out for her to take. “Excuse my father; he is balding prematurely after his treatment. That would get anyone a little upset.” I winked at her, trying to put this situation at ease, but I failed horribly, since he snatched it from my fingers.

“Have you no shame? Handing out my money as if you worked for it.” He roughly readjusted his tie. The waitress found her way back into the kitchen without her money. Money I rightfully should have fought for, but it was exhausting.

My father took a deep breath and held onto my hand “Look sweetie, daddy is very sorry for everything he had done this past week. You know I do not mean any of it. It’s just after your mother left us, it’s hard. No one will ever love you as much as I do. And I will always stand tall when you need me to. Forgive me Evelyne.”

I hung my head in attempt of camouflaging the tears rolling down my cheeks, but he wiped them away, just like he always did. “Daddy loves you sweet little girl.”

I swallowed it down, and gripped his fist tighter. “D-Do you promise to protect me when the bad-bad people come, Daddy?”

He smiled, “They will never ever hurt you again.”

“I love you dad.”