”Lucy Wright,” I answered the phone and waited a few seconds in silence.

”Lucy? It's your father here,” he said. His voice sounded somewhat familiar.

”Eh, hey, Alfie,” I said. I wasn't able to call him my father because he really wasn't my father. I didn't think I even had a father.

”It's, uh, very nice to hear your voice. It's been a long time, eh,” he said, sounding extremely awkward.

”Yeah... So, uh, there is something I need to tell you,” I said.

”Okay?”

”Mom, I mean, Carol has passed away,” I said and then took a deep breath in. Alfie went quiet and remained silent for a very long time.

”What happened?” he asked finally.

”Mom had terminal lung cancer,” I said, ”She, uh... She passed away last week and the funeral is on Saturday, and, uh, I was wondering if you would like to come and...”

”Lucy,” he sighed, ”I don't think that's a very good idea. And Saturday is in a few days and the flights are expensive and, and...”

”I understand,” I swallowed hard and tried to hide my disappointment.

In fact, I had no idea why exactly I was disappointed. I mean, I didn't like that man. I didn't consider him a part of the family. But still, after all, he was my father, even if I didn't want to admit it. And he was the only parent I had left, even if he was a lousy one.

”I appreciate you calling me and letting me know, Lucy,” he said.

”Yeah. Goodbye, Alfie.” I ended the call and set the phone down on the table.

”He didn't even ask about Finn,” I muttered and shook my head, ”He really doesn't care about us and I don't know why I'm so surprised about that because I have known that for a very long time.” Vic, who had been listening to my phone conversation quietly, just looked at me. Apparently he didn't know what to say and I couldn't blame him.

”Lucy...” he finally sighed and stood up. He walked to me and pulled me up to my feet before pulling me into a tight hug. I buried my face in to his chest and tried to relax.

”Is your dad's name really Alfie?” Vic asked quietly after a moment.

”No, he's Alfred,” I mumbled, ”Alfred Wright.”

”That sounds so... English.”

”He is English.”

”I know. It's obvious. So how come you have your father's last name?” he asked. I pulled away from him and furrowed my eyebrow. I sat back down and watched as he did the same, before answering his question.

”I have no idea, honestly. My parents were never even married,” I said, ”You know, now that I think
about it, maybe it was a way to keep dad in our lives. You know, without his name, nothing would remind us of him.”

”Is that so? Do you never think about your father?”

”Well, no, not anymore,” I admitted, ”Except for now.”

”But... Wouldn't you want to think about him a little more often? Maybe?”

”Vic, what are you trying to say?” I sighed.

”I'm just saying,” he said, ”Maybe you could get to know to him a little more. Just saying.”

”Vic... He lives on the other side of the world. End of conversation,” I mumbled and crossed my arms over my chest. He didn't look satisfied yet but decided to keep his mouth shut about it.

”So... Can we go back to bed? It's seven in the morning, babe,” he said.

”I'm not tired anymore.”

”But you could use some sleep, right?”

”Right but I'm having a hard time sleeping. I can't fall asleep.”

”Well, in that case, it's your lucky day. I have one thing in mind that could help,” he murmured and wiggled his eyebrows.

The ”one thing” in Vic's mind was obviously sex. But as it was only, what, seven in the morning and I had just spoken to my father and had an argument with my brother, I was not in the mood for that. So when Vic fell asleep, holding me in his arms, I stayed up and stared at the ceiling above us. It looked the same, the way it always did, and I found no comfort in staring at it. At some point I closed my eyes and slowly drifted back to sleep.

I woke up to the sound of Finn and Vic whispering. Vic's arms were still around me and as I was very tired, I didn't want to open my eyes just yet. I felt very comfortable and I didn't want that to change.

”Why did you have to shout at her? You know she's not doing well,” Vic spoke very quietly, as if he was trying not to wake me up.

”Because she frustrates me,” Finn muttered.

”But is it really her or something else?”

”Look, man, I don't know... I just came to ask for a ride to the therapy,” Finn said and sighed.

”I'll give you a ride, buddy, no problem,” Vic told him, ”Just give me a moment.”

”Sure. Thanks, Vic.”

A few seconds later I felt Vic's lips on my cheek. I started smiling and he held me more tightly for a moment.

”I have to get up, babe,” he whispered into my ear.

”Why?” I mumbled and let out a big yawn a second later. I rolled on to my back and closed my eyes for another moment before turning my head to my side and looking right into his eyes.

”You look so beautiful like that,” he whispered, ”When you've just woken up. When you don't yet remember all the awful things in the world.”

”Vic...” I whispered and let out a deep sigh, ”I love you so much.”

”I love you, too, Lucy,” he whispered and leaned closer to kiss me really quickly.

”But I really have to get up,” he murmured after a moment.

He grinned like a little child as he got up from the bed. I watched as he grabbed his jeans from the floor and started pulling them on. Then he walked to my closet and pulled out a fresh t-shirt, one that he had left me ages ago, and pulled it on. He brushed his hair back quickly with both of his hands and then looked at me again.

”I need to give Finn a ride to therapy but I'll come right back here after that, okay?” he said. I nodded.

”Stay in bed. Sleep. Relax. Try not to think about anything. Promise me that, Lucy.”

”I promise I will try.”

”That's good enough for me, baby.”

But I couldn't just stay there and not do anything. So after Vic had left, I got up from the bed and went to take a quick shower. After that, as it was Thursday and my mom's funeral was going to be held on Saturday, I had to pick a dress for her and deliver it to the funeral director.

I hadn't been to mom's room after she had passed away, so I was afraid to open the door and step in. When I finally did it, and opened the door, I burst in to tears and leaned against the door frame and just sobbed for a moment. I took a deep breath in and pulled myself together before turning on the lights and walking into the room.

The whole room was exactly like my mom had left it. The bed and the sheets were still bloody from mom's last night there – she had been puking blood everywhere. There were clothes all over the floor and the room was messy. I was in no mood to clean up so I walked to the closet and started looking at her dresses. She didn't have many, and the ones she had didn't really fit her because she had recently become so skinny and bony.

I finally found a dress which didn't look too bad so I grabbed it and quickly left the room. I locked the room behind me, making sure that Finn wouldn't stumble in and see the bloody sheets, and slipped the key into my pocket. I took the dress downstairs into the livingroom and sat down on the couch. I tried to watch TV for a moment but I couldn't really focus on anything.

Vic came back some time later and found me sitting in the livingroom.

”Are you okay?” he asked me as he sat down on the other couch.

”Sure,” I nodded and tried to smile a little, ”How's Finn?”

”Finn is... Finn is Finn,” he shrugged, ”Listen, I know you probably don't want to do anything or go anywhere but I would really like to take you somewhere.”

”Vic... I don't know...”

”Come on, it will be fun. Just you and I,” he said, ”Please?”

”Oh, fine, okay.”

Vic drove us to the beach. It wasn't exactly a hot day outside but the air was nice and warm. We got out of the car and he grabbed my hand and started pulling me to the sand.

”Why did you bring me here?” I asked and looked at him. He kept walking and pulling me with him along the beach. I decided to take my shoes off, and the sand felt nice and cool under my bare feet.

”Because look at these people – they're all happy here. They haven't got a worry in the world. Look, he's surfing, she's trying to get a tan, those kids are playing – everybody is enjoying themselves,” Vic told me, and as he spoke, I looked at the people who were all having fun.

”But why did you bring me here?” I asked, not really understanding his reasons.

”I want you to take your mind off of everything,” he said, ”Just, relax, enjoy this, take in this moment.”

”I... But...”

”Please, Lucy, do this for me,” he said quietly and stopped walking. He let go of my hand, only to lift his hands up and taking my face between them. He looked straight into my eyes.

”Okay,” I whispered and nodded, ”Okay.”

”Great,” he smiled and let go of me, ”Now, that water looks nice and cold. Care to try it?”

”No!” I exclaimed suddenly and shook my head. Vic's grin grew wider.

”Really?” he asked and suddenly wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up from the ground and throwing me over his shoulder. He held my thighs tightly against his chest, not allowing me to fall, and started walking towards the water. I giggled and screamed and begged him to let me go but he didn't.

And I was glad that he didn't let me go because I was actually having fun and I didn't want it to stop. Even if it meant getting thrown into the cold water.