2 THE COMING DAYS

After preparing the food, and everyone had had their fill, Dandy took her bath as she dressed up to go out, first by heading to her father's place of work with a packed food-filled flask that was meant for her father.

Walking out of the Housesince her brothers had gone to their place of work which was part-time though, she locked the door as she kept the key in her purse that was crossed on her body, holding the bag that held her father's food in it along with hers, she walked down the street to the nearby bus stand, in which the bus was scheduled for arrival in five minutes.

On getting to her Father's workplace where he worked as a plumber, she met him with a client she was accustomed to

"Morning, Mr Walter" she greeted as she avoided her father's eye completely not waiting for the man's reply, she walked into the office her father managed in the workshop.

Taking out her phone she began to chat quietly with her friends, as she placed the lunchbox she held with her gently on the table, waiting for him, The job she had was part-time, even though she had sent her CV pack to company to take the job of a secretary and hoped to be called in anytime soon. she slumped lazily into the chair that stood opposite her father's.

Waiting for her Father, after swearing to see him eat before leaving for her work which was in an hour time.

"Honey" she looked up to see her father standing, staring meaningful at her, but no words came from her lips.

After two minutes of an eerie silence between them, she finally spoke.

"I brought you your food" pointing at the lunch box on the table, she slumped back into her seat.

Mr Adams came to seat across his one and only daughter, he knew she was probably mad he did not inform her of the marriage, but won't show it because of the love she had for him, not only that Dandelions wasn't an expression revealer if she was hurt no one could tell, if happy no one knew, but her heart was made of Gold, those who knew her Knew even in her financial mediocracy she still offered help to people who asked for one from her, only a a few had seen her cry and laugh and her father was privileged to be among those few which were none other than her brothers and Chloe her best friend.

He wished things were right, he wanted her to be happy, he knew if his wife was alive she wouldn't have accepted the proposal and would scold him all night till he rejected it, he suddenly missed his wife who had suffered ten years ago from breast cancer that claimed her life, it was undetected until she had slumped on a faithful Monday morning like this and rushed to the hospital by him where their peaceful and hopeful life had begun to move in the direction of sorrow, pain and distress, his ever-cheerful daughter had turned to an extreme introvert after the death of her mother and had taken it upon her shoulders to take care of the man and boys in the house.

It was then they discovered the cancer was already in stage four and has begun to spread all around her other systems body, her right kidney and liver were damaged and had to be operated on, there was no hope for her they could only wish for a miracle which unfortunately never happened.

Now that his daughter had come of age and the son of a mayor in the country had taken a liken in her, he would have refused the offer if his twin son's life had not been Jeopardize by the offer, he could not tell his daughter this knowing even in her cool-headedness there was a fire that was not to toy her that would burn everything around her including herself.

how was he to face his wife if she died as well, luckily his daughter never took his wife's look but his grandmothers which saved him the pain of staring at his wife's carbon copy in his daughter, he had heard of his daughter's suitor boy, he prayed the heavens to have his daughter joy in him no matter what?

Opening the lunch box his daughter places on the table, he brought out the flask opening it his favourite food stared at him, unconsciously a tear rolled down his cheeks.

Taking his spoon as he scooped it into the food before tasting it he wiped the tears on his face.

"Thank you" was all he could say before eating, he didn't know if his daughter was aware of the ulcer that had come to live permanently in his stomach, her gaze told him something else.

"Father I've decided to meet the man, you have set me up with when can I meet him," she asked recovering her voice slowly, she had noticed the tears that slipped on her father's face but said nothing if he wanted to cry he should cry it all out now she could not deny the fact that her mind boiled with pain, anger, love, hatred and betrayal at the moment, she needed something she could hit right now but her father was the last person she would ever wish to hit.

She watched her father as he placed the spoon down, waiting patiently for his reply, she had thirty minutes left twenty minutes to start heading for work.

"Ok, I will tell him and inform him "he simply replied, his conscience was judging him greatly.

Dandelion on the other hand was wondering why her dad would refuse to inform her of the man's identity what was there to hide, she asked herself.

standing up, as she took her lunch box, she took a glance at her father, his dark orbed hair had begun to have shades of grey in them, his face was wrinkled nevertheless held beauty in them, she stared at the strong arms that carried her all the times on his shoulder, she could not find a place in her heart to hate him, she was aware of his ulcer and knew how her father had kept it a secret from them.

she was privileged to know of it because her mother had informed her before she died in her sickbed.

she moved close to him and placed a light kiss on his cheeks, just as she was about to withdraw her body from him, she felt his strong arms hold her tightly as he whispered some words lightly in her hears, her eyes narrowed at what she was hearing, but quickly faded back to a plain expression, she stayed until her father released her.

It wasn't until then did she realise how wrong things had become and how it was to be in the coming days.

"I love you Papa" she whispered back to him, before heading out of the office back to where they lived.

Her face held no emotions In them but deep within her, her heart wept was trembling in her but stood firm on the surface, her nose flared in anger but her lips held a smile in them, contrasting what she was feeling.