15. Athena
CHAPTER 15
Athena
“ M ija, come in.” Papá waves me into his office with a flutter of his hand. He points to the phone nestled against his ear then rolls his eyes. He gestures to the seat in front of his wide, oak desk as he rolls his eyes again. “Mmhm. Yes, well I don’t think that’s… No… I?—”
I’ve never seen Papá be so fucking patient with someone, they must be important.
Nervous energy shoots through my veins like a spinning top that’s been released from a height. I sit at the edge of the chair, twisting my hands in my lap and staring at everything that isn’t my father.
His hand slams onto the table with a loud bang, making me jump. “For fuck’s sake Emilio, it’s a terrible idea, and if you insist on walking that path you need to find a new job.” Without another word or second of hesitation, he slams the phone down with a grunt.
Well, I couldn’t have picked a better time to show up at his place of work unannounced, could I?
Part of me wants to run. Fight or flight has kicked in, and I want to flee. I don’t want to confront him, I don’t want to call him out for being a shit husband, a shit role model to my younger brothers, and another stereotypical Dominican man stepping out on his wife and family and having a fling on the side.
My blood boils. I’ve spent my whole life proud of the fact that my father didn’t conform to that stereotype. It’s something our culture pretty much accepts as normal, and to me it’s not.
“Mija, what brings you here?” He steps out from behind his desk, arms open as though to embrace me, so I stand up and oblige, offering him half of my body in an awkward hug. “You could have stopped by the house later, both Mamá and I will be there.”
I nod, twisting the hem of my shirt which doesn’t go unnoticed by my eagle-eyed father.
“What is it, Mija?” He leans against the edge of his desk, clasping his hands on his lap. “You can talk to me.” He stares at my face, making me self-conscious about the bruise I know my makeup didn’t all-the-way cover up. “Athena.” He picks up my chin between his finger and thumb. “What happened to your face?”
I look him straight in the eye. “It was an accident; I caught an elbow to the face.” I try to shake him off but he holds fast.
“Are you sure? Is someone hurting you, Mija?”
I smirk. “Not likely, Papá. Do you think I would let someone live if they hurt me?” I snicker. “I’m a de la Pena. And even if for some reason I did, my brothers wouldn’t stand for it either.”
Papá’s eyes glisten with pride as he pushes my hair back from my bruised cheekbone. “It looks painful. Are you sure you’re okay?”
I nod, steeling my spine and sucking in a deep and super shaky breath I’m not sure actually delivers any oxygen to my tense and trembling body.
“Papá.” I channel all the strength I can from my ancient mythological namesake. “I know you’re cheating on Mamá.”
His face doesn’t fall, doesn’t twitch, nor does he even bat an eyelid. “Athena de la Pena.” He pushes off the table to his feet. “You come into my office and accuse me of wrongdoing? Me. Your father.” He covers his heart with both his hands. “Why do you hurt me so?”
Why do I hurt him ?
His eyes are hard, his jaw firm.
Wow.
Holy shit. Is my father a narcissist?
“I have proof, Papá, so don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about or that I’m out of line for my accusations.” I stand so I’m level, instead of letting him look down at me from a position of power.
He folds his arms. “Proof? What proof?”
I pull out the folded copy of the original document from his office. I made copies and put the original in a safety deposit box. “I was looking for my birth certificate and passport in your office, just like you told me. And while I was searching, I found this.”
He barely reacts, but if I stare hard enough, the muscle right under his eye is twitching.
“I have the original somewhere safe.”
He grunts. “Are you blackmailing me, Mija?” His voice is ice cold, devoid of any emotion.
“No, Papá, but I didn’t want any evidence of your missteps to suddenly vanish from existence.”
He snaps the page from my hand. “Is this it?” He flaps the paper in my face like it might intimidate me. “A bank statement to an account?”
I smirk. “No, Papá. I’ve met Mathias. I didn’t go to visit Gloria, but I have her address and cell number.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but I hold up my hand. “I know, she’s under an NDA and can’t talk to me.”
He starts huffing like he does when he’s getting agitated. “What’s the point of all of this, Athena?”
“The point,” I step toward him. “Is that if you’re still sleeping with this woman, it stops now, do you hear me?” I lean into his space, steeling my voice against the wavering undertone. “It ends now.”
He stares at me but doesn’t say anything.
“Are there any others?”
“Other what?” His nostrils flare.
“Indiscretions, Papá. Any other women or children out there that my brothers may bump into in the grocery store or on the ice? Any other women out there getting one hundred thousand dollars a month to stay quiet because you’re a cheating piece of shit, Papá?” I don’t care that I’m yelling now, I don’t care that his secretary may hear me. Fuck, she may be one of his fucking conquests for all I know.
My breath is loud through my nostrils as I stare down the man I’ve looked up to and adored my entire life.
Tears well in my eyes but I blink them back. I will not let him see me cry. I can raise my voice to him, I can call him names, but I will not let him break me. Not here, not now.
“She’s the only one, Mija.” His voice softens as though he’s remorseful. “Gloria is my only indiscretion against your mother.”
He rubs his hands up and down my biceps.
“Promise?” My voice wobbles on the single word.
“Sí, Mija. Lo prometo.”
I nod, but something in my stomach still isn’t settled. He pecks me on the forehead, slides out from between my body and his desk, and returns to his seat. When I don’t move for a beat, he looks up from his papers to me. “Was there something else?” That cool, calm tone has returned as well as the hardness in his eyes. Something has changed between us in this room, and only time will tell what that is.
I smooth out my skirt. “No, Papá. Nothing else.”
My legs somehow carry me back to my car where I sit trembling and replaying the conversation with my father. My phone beeps, dragging me from the cycle in my brain.
Gizmo: Did you talk to your dad?
Athena: I did.
Gizmo: You okay?
Gizmo: Bright Eyes?
Gizmo: Hello?
He tries to call, making me start in the car. It’s been ten minutes since I last replied to his text. Shit.
Athena: Sorry, I’m just sitting here… staring.
Gizmo: Where are you, Athena? Are you safe?
Athena: Just in my car at Papá’s office.
I’m not sure what else to do, or say, or think. My father promised she was the only one, but he cheated in the first place so he inherently can’t be trusted, right?
Gizmo: Don’t move. I’ll be there in less than ten.
Campus isn’t near Papá’s office. Why is Scott anywhere near this side of town? Was he going home to Keystone? Or was he hanging around at a coffee shop close by in case I needed him?
I get out of the driver’s side, circle the car, and climb into the passenger seat, pulling my knees to my chest as I sit staring out the window.
Scott’s already in the car and touching my arm before I even know he’s arrived. He searches my face for something, then tips his head. “What do you need?”
I look up the tall building in front of me, half expecting to see Papá watching my every move. “Just drive. Please, Gizmo. Just drive.”
I rest my head against the window while Scott pulls out of the parking lot, navigates his way out of the city, then hits the open road. The vibrations through the car lull me into a restless sleep where all I dream about is my cheating father hurting my mother.
I don’t know whether I believe him or not, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to tell Mamá about this.
And maybe Abuelita, too.
I’m not sure who I’m looking forward to talking to least, but I know both of them are going to want to head to Home Depot to buy some shovels and plastic sheeting. Because my father betrayed his vows and disgraced our family.
I might even help them hide the body.