19. Daylin
NINETEEN
daylin
Just before I got on the jet with my man to leave one of the best vacations I’d ever been on, my father texted me to ask me when I was available to stop by the house because he wanted to speak with me.
Reading his message, I got a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach because something told me whatever he wanted to discuss had something to do with Rakim.
Now, as I sat in my car outside of my childhood home, I took a couple deep breaths to calm my anxiety. I didn’t know how this would go, but I prayed that it didn’t end in an argument. I hadn’t argued with my father in a long ass time, but back in my college days, we often bickered, and I hated it.
Additionally, I was exhausted from fighting with my parents—mainly my dad—about my romantic life.
I did it for years while with Shaun, and I didn’t have it in me to do it any longer while with Rakim, especially since I knew Rakim was endgame which meant I’d be warring with my dad for the rest of my life.
Walking up to the front door, I used my key. My parents weren’t exhibitionists, so we never worried about walking in on something. Also, the master bedroom was so far from the entrance, you wouldn’t hear their sexual escapades even if you wanted to.
Prior to arriving, my father had instructed me to meet him in his office, so I trod straight toward it despite hearing my sister and her kids in the backyard, most likely playing on the jungle gym my parents had installed seemingly as soon as Cairo and Serene announced they were having children.
“Come in!” my dad shouted as soon as I knocked.
Entering, I was immediately met with the familiar scent of his cologne that he’d been wearing since I was in middle school.
“Hey, Daddy.” I smiled softly, and when he didn’t return the gesture, I knew exactly what we were here to discuss. Nothing else in my life was amiss or could be a new issue except Rakim.
“Would you like something to drink? Water, espresso, tea?” He stood from behind his desk, gesturing toward his twenty-thousand-dollar espresso machine that I loved using while residing here.
Though my father was fifty-eight years old, he was still handsome and broad with amazing posture.
The days where we went places together, I often noticed women of all ages lusting after him.
His brown skin had not a mark or real sign of age in sight, but his salt and pepper hair and facial hair told his age.
“I’m fine for right now.” I tried to appear tranquil, but I couldn’t stop fidgeting as I watched my father make himself a quick doppio and then waltz over toward me to sit on the sofa beside me.
Sipping, he stared straight ahead for a bit like he was trying to mentally map out which route he wanted to take, then asked, “How did you really meet your boyfriend?” He set his big wide-mouthed mug onto the coffee table before us, then turned to look at me.
My father was an intelligent man, and, therefore, he was only asking me this because he’d already located the truth. I hated that Rakim couldn’t tell him the truth himself, but that was my fault.
“I met him when he kidnapped me, but I first saw him at a party. That little bit was true.” I did my best to soften the blow of the truth.
My father turned away scoffing and shaking his head while blinking rapidly in disbelief.
“I knew something was off when you didn’t give us his name until the day we were to meet him.
Hearing his voice at dinner, it was too familiar, but I tried to rid that thought from my mind because no way would my daughter be dating the man who tortured her and her family.
However, I couldn’t stop replaying it in my head and your timeline from Shaun to him just didn’t track.
So eventually I caved, researching him and finding some unsavory things, before I started to connect the dots.
Imagine my surprise seeing Talid’s mother had a sister named Helen Godfrey who has a son named Rakim Godfrey.
” My father looked over at me briefly, face calm, but I could see the sliver of annoyance.
“I wasn’t able to track him through Talid but I was able to track Talid through Rakim.
Once I found Helen Godfrey, I found Talid Miles. ”
“I know. I knew you’d look him up and he knew you’d recognize his voice eventually.”
“So was this whole kidnapping shit some sort of ruse, Daylin?” My dad palmed his knee, craning his body a bit to face me slightly.
“What? No! What would I have gained from that? It’s not like he got money from you. So what would be the reason for faking a kidnapping, Dad?” I frowned. “And I didn’t even know Rakim’s cousin to assist with this. Hell, I didn’t even know Rakim.”
My father couldn’t stop shaking his head as he ascended abruptly, clearly peeved.
“I-it’s like you are dead set on displeasing me, Daylin.” He finally looked my way, brows furrowed. “From your career choices to the men you date, it’s as if you purposely find what will piss me the fuck off most!”
Shooting to my feet as well, I spat, “So because I didn’t venture into the medical field, I am set on disappointing you?
I have a business degree from UCLA and a flourishing business that clears five hundred thousand dollars a year, yet my career is a letdown?
” I couldn’t stop shaking my head now either.
“And okay, Shaun may not have been the best, but Rakim is nothing like him. You met him and approved of him, so you saw the shit yourself.”
Irate, my father bellowed, “You are so stupid! You are literally defending a man who kidnapped you and forced my fucking hand!” He was smiling, but it was lacking mirth and full of startlement.
“Forced your hand? He forced you to do the shit you should’ve been doing, Doctor!” I hollered back. “People trust doctors with their lives, and for good reason, yet it’s ones like you who give them a bad fucking name! Who pushes back a life-or-death surgery to go on a fucking vacation!”
My father’s eyes were wild, and I knew he felt disrespected, but so did I. In all my years of arguments with him, he never yelled at me, and he’d never called me names. I was befuddled at the moment, wondering if this was just a nightmare I hadn’t woken up from yet.
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, Daylin Conrad! Remember I went to medical school. Stick to selling phone cases, beloved. Talid Miles was gonna die regardless of whether I operated or not, but he and his wife didn’t want to accept the shit!”
“That is clearly not true, Mr. Medical School, because the man is currently alive right now! You saved him just by doing your damn job! People shouldn’t have to kidnap your kids for that!
” I paced, hotter than a whistling tea kettle.
“The fact that you tried to neglect doing the very job that makes you think you’re so much better than others is crazy! ”
Closing the gap between us, he barked, “I am better than others, including Rakim, and if you continue to date him, I won’t support it at all!
You marry him, I won’t walk you down the aisle.
You have children with him, and I will not be in their lives.
I let everything else you’ve done slide, but this, absolutely not.
You are not going to bring a criminal into the family.
Not only did he abduct you, but he murdered another boxer.
What is he gonna do next? He’s a fucking multifaceted criminal, Daylin! ”
“Wow.” I peered down to the laminate flooring of his office, for some reason shocked that my dad wanted to control me yet again. I didn’t know why I was surprised when he’d been this way since I was in kindergarten.
Calming his tone, he gripped my shoulders, making me look up into his distressed face.
“Baby girl, he has brainwashed you. It happens all the time with hostages. You sympathize with him, but you need to understand that he is violent, and what he did to you is not okay.”
Not caring about how insane my true thoughts may have sounded anymore, I spoke softly.
“Being holed up with him even without a phone was the best time of my life.” I kept strong eye contact with my father, watching the astonishment filter onto his face.
“I didn’t even wanna be let free. I am not brainwashed.
I’m in love with him and happy that he came and took what he wanted instead of waiting around like most niggas. ”
My father drank me in wearing a horrified expression as if I were turning into a zombie or werewolf before his eyes. He promptly moved his hands from my shoulders as if he was expecting me to pounce on him and tear the flesh from his neck at any moment.
“Guess we have an understanding then. If you’d rather trade your own father for a violent criminal, who am I to stop you. You’re twenty-eight years old.” He tossed his hands up before cupping his mouth in complete dismay.
Not saying a word, I started for the door, pulling it open to leave him be.
I felt like shit, not wanting to be torn between my father and my man for the second time, but I wouldn’t continue to let my dad control me or have so much input.
The man hated every nigga I brought around, even my high school prom date.
Rakim was the first person he’d actually liked.
“Hey. That was intense.” Serene met me at the end of the hall.
“Yep, but oh well.” I shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant as she guided me into the empty den where we sat at the bar.
“I figured your new man was your kidnapper. The timeline didn’t make sense.” Serene smirked. “I also knew Daddy would not approve.”
“Worst of all, I kind of get it. I couldn’t say I wouldn’t feel the same if my child started dating their kidnapper, but he just doesn’t get it.” I sighed, knowing my dad wanted to keep why Rakim even did this shit in the first place from my siblings and mom.
“I mean, does he have a job?” She poured me some wine. “Because why was he asking for ransom money?”