Wrong Number - L.T 1D

Chapter Seventy Six

"Daddy?"

The shock at seeing him standing there, in front of me, alive and breathing is enough to send the tears tumbling helplessly down my cheeks. The air that brushes past my lips in one movement sends shivers running down my spine.

"Hi darling," he whispers as he holds his arms out to me.

That's all it takes for me to jump into them, wrapping my own arms around his neck tightly. I take a deep breath, breathing in his scent which hasn't changed since the last time I was in his arms, ten years ago.

"Oh daddy. I missed you so much," I sigh.

"I missed you too Mimi. It feels so good to hold you in my arms again," he says and I can hear his voice choking up as he holds back tears.

"Dad?" I hear Liam ask from behind us.

"Hey son."

"What are you doing here?" Liam questions.

"I had to see her Liam. Now that she knows that I'm still alive I had to get on the first plane here," my dad says as he tightens his hold on me.

"You should have told us you were coming."

"Why? So you could ruin the surprise? No Liam," my dad says sternly.

I hear Liam sigh in defeat from behind me. Serves him right. Ever since he saw me and Lou about to kiss he has acted like the biggest douche in the world. It's going to take me a while to get over what he did. He made Lou and I fight. He put some stupid idea in Louis' head all because he didn't want us to be together.

"Mimi, let me see you," my dad says as he pries my arms from around his neck.

I reluctantly let go, taking a step back from my him, "Dad, what are-"

He cuts me off with a gasp, "Oh Mimi. You've grown into such a beautiful young lady. I can't believe I missed seeing you grow up."

"It's not your fault dad," I lie, knowing full well that it is.

"Yes it is M. I was the one who left. I was the one who came back and pretended to pass away so you would get closure. I'm so sorry sweetheart," he mumbles as he pulls me back into his arms.

It takes me a few moments but I realise that I need to apologise as well, "I'm sorry too daddy."

"Why are you apologising Mimi? You didn't do anything."

Oh but I did. I know eves dropping is wrong but when I fell asleep only to wake up to hear them talking about me, I knew I had to listen to what they were saying. Even if it was wrong.

"I just wish she had told me. Then I wouldn't have left her like that. I would have taken her from her mother and never pretended to be sick," my dad sighs through the phone.

"What do you mean?" someone, I think it's Harry, asks.

"When I went back to see her, she didn't tell me about the things her mother had done to her. If she didn't pretend that everything was fine I wouldn't have left her like I did," my dad tells the boys.

"Would you expect her to tell you something like that thought dad?" Liam asks.

"Yes. I'm her father. I thought she would trust me enough to tell me something like that. But she didn't and I left her," he cries.

"It's not your fault Geoff," Louis mutters.

"Yes it is. It's both of our faults. Not that I would ever tell her something like that. I wouldn't want to make her feel guilty. Having her mother treat her the way she did is enough."