My Dad's Bestfriend

Chapter 25 Awkward Communication

Evelyn

To be honest, Dad's wedding felt like the longest destination wedding ever conceived. It was my meticulously planned affair, and I had no regrets about its duration. The actual wedding ceremony was scheduled for about a week later, so at this point, the mansion was filled with close friends and relatives. Other guests were expected to arrive a day before the wedding, while some would come on the final day.

However, amidst the people present here, there were a few individuals whom I despised, and one of them was undeniably my mother. The only reason she was here was to face the consequences of her past actions.

"Your father truly cares about you," Jacob said, a smile playing on his lips as he handed me a cup of coffee. He glanced over at Dad, who was massaging my feet as a way of compensating for the upheaval he had caused by inviting my mother to the wedding.

Dad's intentions were not unfounded; he simply wanted to mend the strained relationship between my mother and me. However, that doesn't excuse him from the fact that he invited her to his wedding without informing me. He had done it completely behind my back, making him a culprit in my eyes, even if not in reality.

"I know, right?" I chuckled, leaning in to press a kiss on Dad's cheek. "But sometimes he just acts like a bonehead."

While Jacob and Clara burst into laughter, a deep frown settled on Dad's face, clearly displaying his irritation.

"Excuse me, this foot massage doesn't give you the right to call me stupid. You won't be getting anything else as compensation," Dad retorted.

"You're too cute," I laughed.

"And you're too stubborn."

"That's kind of true," Jacob chimed in, taking a sip of his coffee. A small, almost imperceptible smirk formed at the corner of his lips.

However, as soon as Dad's gaze fell on him, Jacob quickly brushed it off with a laugh. "She's always been like this since childhood, hasn't she?"

Dad's earlier peculiar expression disappeared, replaced by a plain, blank expression.

"Yeah, she has always been like this. Stubborn and a bit childish," he chuckled lightly.

"Excuse me," I frowned, feeling the need to defend myself. "I was never childish."

but that's debatable," Clara interjected, causing a gasp of disbelief

with them, "Clara,

realisation seemed to dawn on her as she bit her tongue. "Well, I didn't mean it... What I meant is that..." She searched for the right words

That was truly helpful,"

the sarcasm in my voice, before she could respond, a voice interrupted us- the last

mother, Danica, entered the hall, and suddenly, the

with a smile. "Here,

Jacob and Dad before her gaze finally fell upon me.

No matter how many years we had spent apart, she was

observed her exchanging a glance with Dad and Clara, seeking their reassurance before she spoke, "Hey, Evelyn." Her hesitation was palpable, her eyes wavering. "How's everything going?" Without knowing why, my gaze shifted to Jacob, who sat across from Dad and me on the couch. I felt a strange mix of certainty and uncertainty, as if my body and heart were seeking

subtly nodded and blinked, and at that moment, the invisible restraints that had held me back from communicating seemed to

dependency, without me

Jacob and me, but

Mom," I forced a smile onto my face, "How are

my response. Maybe I hadn't sounded

a simple

much, then why did she leave us in the first place? It

with your studies? I remember the last time I heard from Samuel, he mentioned that you did really well in the semester. Have you

remembered that I struggled

ago, it was surprising that she

me over the past few years, and my maths skills have

me.

Nancy, and... what's her name...

felt. I had never expected her to remember anything about me, let alone these small details that were once a part of my life. "Yeah, everything's good. We are still friends, just like

want to avert my gaze, "I didn't really get the chance to catch up on your daily life. It's Samuel who has always kept me informed about

of my cheek, trying to quell the guilt that had been lingering within me. I shouldn't feel guilty for not maintaining contact with her all these years.

time when Dad and I needed her the most, she