Chapter 28: Chapter 28

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know Hallie. Darrell called me last night to inform me.  I was so pissed" Daria said pulling Halal's feeble frame into her arms.

Halal sighed and nodded "It's okay,  I don't want to talk about it anymore" Halal said faking a smile. Daria nodded numbly wondering if her plan to get Halal and her father together would work.

"We should go out,  I'm in the mood for some Coldstone ice cream" Daria suggested rubbing her palms in anticipation.

Halal shook her head "I don't feel like it" Halal said.

How twisted could life get? A few months ago she was unhappily married, now she was getting divorced soon, she basically had no one to trust except Daria whom she was sure was reporting back to her deceitful brother, who was definitely in contact with her lying boss.

She just wanted to be alone, she was tired of being trampled on by the people she cared about, the men she cared about. "Men are such asshöles" she scoffed out loud.

Daria looked at her in surprise, she wanted to disagree but she just nodded. "Most of them" she muttered.

Halal sighed "No disrespect to your husband, Femi is a good man" Halal said.

Daria smiled "Thanks, now can we go get that ice cream? I'm not leaving you here Halal, you've been here for three days. I've given you enough space" Daria said, a serious look was plastered on her face.

Halal groaned "Daria, you're such a bother. I don't want to go anywhere, I just want to be alone" Halal said. Daria rolled her eyes "You've been alone for three days, I'm not giving you privacy anymore. I'm not taking no for an answer, let's go. Get dressed and get your asś out of the bed" Daria said.

Halal huffed before getting out of the bed, she knew Daria wasn't going to leave her alone. She looked resigned as she got dressed in her navy blue joggers and a cream colored T-shirt.

"Now do something with that hair and put a smile on your face" Daria said. She quickly texted Darrell that Halal had agreed to come out.

Halal rolled her eyes and picked up a baseball cap. "Satisfied?" she asked plastering a huge fake grin on her face.

Daria smiled back "Hmph, a little. Let's go, we'll take my car" Daria said.

Halal agreed and took out her wallet from her bag. Daria shook her head and collected the wallet from Halal.  "My treat, I'm paying" Daria said dropping the wallet on the bed.

Halal shrugged and took her phone,  she slipped the phone into her pocket and slid on her Adidas slides.

"I know you're mad at Darrell Halal,  but understand that it was not his place to tell you. He gave a promise to a woman on her death bed, you must understand why he couldn't break his promise" Daria defended her brother.

Halal stiffened "I don't want to talk about it, your brother picked sides already. He didn't have to confirm Jacques's story, he could have just shut up and say nothing" Halal said coldly.

Daria sighed "Why are you angry at Jacques? As far as I'm concerned he's an innocent man,  he was told his child was dead, he finally learned the truth and did everything to get close to his daughter. Why are you mad at him?" Daria asked softly.

"Daria will you drop it already?" Halal snapped irritated. Daria shook her head "Will you forgive Darrell then?" Daria asked refusing to let the matter go.

Halal turned to her angrily "No! Your brother lied to me. I won't forgive him for that!" Halal shouted. Daria wasn't fazed,  she kept her cool.

"He didn't lie to you, he just didn't tell you a secret he promised to keep. You've kept a lot of secrets too, and you want to talk about lies? You lied to Darrell some years back, he forgave you didn't he? And he loves you" Daria said.

Halal sighed "What are you trying to prove, why are you telling me this?" Halal asked.

"I hate grudges Halal,  Darrell was so angry at me for a long time because I got married to a man I love. It's so ridiculous, you're angry at your father because he did everything he could to get you in his life and your angry at Darrell for not breaking his promise to your aunt. Doesn't it sound ridiculous to you? No disrespect Hallie, but where's my Halal with the big heart? Your marriage to Valentino has really changed you. You push people away, you get angry, you do a lot of things that frightens me sometimes. I feel like another woman is borrowing my Halal's face and living her life. You seem so fake, come back to us Halal.  For the sake of the woman who raised you, the man who raised you, whether they were your biological parents or not. They raised you better than this, what would your mom have done in a situation like this?" Daria touched a soft spot.

Halal sighed wiping a traitorous tear away "It doesn't matter, they lied to me. They're dead anyway, it's not like I can confront them" Halal said coldly.

Daria glared at her "What's wrong with you, why are you so cold and bitter? You're becoming more like Eva every day you know" Daria said.

Halal turned to glare at her "Eva is human too, and Eva is smart enough not to fall for lies like I do. At least she doesn't get hurt by the people she cares about" Halal said.

Daria smiled faintly "Eva doesn't care about anyone but herself, that's why no one cares about her. For the love of God, the girl calls her birth mother by her first name, don't be like her" Daria said.

Halal shook her head "Just stop it,  I'd rather not talk about this now. I'm not in the right frame of mind" Halal said tiredly.

"I don't think you have much of a choice. We're going to go get that Coldstone ice cream after you talk with Darrell" Daria frowned.

Halal looked up immediately and saw they were heading towards Victoria Island. So that meant they were going to see Darrell first.

"Daria, what are you doing?" Halal asked. Daria turned to her.  "What's best for you" Daria answered.

Halal crossed her arms against her chest and ignored the trio standing in Darrell's living room.

"Let's give them some privacy D, let's go in to the other room" Darrell muttered taking his sister's hand. Daria nodded in support and left with her brother.

Jacques turned to his daughter. "Halal" he began.

Halal held up her hand. "Please just stop, I don't want to hear you" Halal said looking away from him.

"Please just hear me out, I love you Halal. I love everything about you, when I saw your picture for the first time, I knew I had to meet you.  I wanted to know everything about you, I'm sorry I went the wrong way about it. Lying to you and deceiving you, I'm sorry. I just wanted to be close to you, you're special.  I'm glad I did something right in this life,  I made you Halal. I made you and that's enough, I just want you to know that you still have family. If you ever want anything, if you need a home, if you need someone to talk to. You have a place in my home, you have a place in my heart too. You don't have to call me Dad, you don't have to accept me as your father but you will always be my daughter. Right now, I'm here to ask for your forgiveness, your friendship also. I loved working with you, you brightened up my day. You're the only one I trust, please come back" Jacques pleaded.

Halal hardened her heart and her expression. "Please..." Jacques continued. She wanted to yell at him but she couldn't.

"Aunt Patricia died years ago, why didn't you come for me then?" Halal asked meeting his eyes.

"I wanted you in my life then but I was afraid you would hate me, you wouldn't accept me" Jacques responded.

"And now, what has changed?" Halal asked.

"Everything, I realized I couldn't hold back anymore. I tried to Halal but I couldn't, I realized I could die any day. Either by natural means or disastrous means and you would never know the truth about me. That alone pushed me to tell you the truth" Jacques said.

"I.....I don't trust you" She muttered softly. Jacques smiled "Then give me the chance to make you trust me" He requested.

"Friends and nothing more" Halal said. "That's enough for me" Jacques smiled. Halal smiled back, although faintly.

"Thank you" Jacques said. Halal shook her head.

"No, thank Daria" Halal said.

If Daria hadn't given her the pep talk in the car, she never would have listened to what he had to say.

Somehow Daria brought out the better part of her.