Shadows In Durango

*****Vincent's POV*****

After a quick back and forth on the phone with my father again this morning, he informs me that he will be coming to visit this weekend which wasn't ideal since that gave me all of one whole day to prepare for his arrival.

He claimed that he 'couldn't wait to meet the girl who was managing to turn me soft' to which you can imagine I wasn't happy about hearing.

I wasn't even sure if a day would be enough time to prepare Sofia for meeting two people like my parents, since neither of them were anything to be proud of at the best of times!

My father then went on to inform me that he had reached out to her father - Frazier - last night and was still waiting for him to call back today to talk things over...

The whole process had me on the edge of my seat, unsure of where the conversation between our fathers would even lead...

Things could either go pretty smooth or really, really bad and I felt somewhat dirty for sneaking around like this knowing that if Sofia knew I was reaching out to her father to offer him money, she would no doubt freak out and beg me not to. But some things were best kept secrets until they were smoothed over...

I turn on my heels hearing the doorbell ring throughout the house, as I walk towards it in large strides with a suspicion of who it is already.

Pulling the handle down, and opening up the door, I usher the three cleaners inside.

"The old man will be back tomorrow night so I need the whole place done and his room and en-suite prepared on the top floor." I inform them, having used the same people for years and knowing already that they were good at what they do.

I leave them to it, deciding to take my phone and my coffee out back, settling myself in to one of the comfier garden chairs with the realisation that all I could do now was wait...

It was a pretty windy day, yet the sun was still shining which made the cold breeze bearable to sit out in.

I check my wrist watch, seeing that it was five to nine, before an incoming call comes through from Daryl, capturing my attention.

I had only been away from them for all of half an hour and feared already that there was a new fucking problem relating to Sofia...

"Daryl?" I answer, placing it on speaker phone and holding it close to my mouth with little energy.

"Sofia just freaked out on us in the car, she knows something is up. You'll have to talk to her about all of this at some point, we can't keep awkwardly ignoring them!" Daryl scolds me, as though this was all my fault which causes for me to roll my eyes.

He had agreed only last night that I was doing the right thing by not telling her and yet here he was all of a sudden prepared to jump ship to make Sofia like him again - what an ass!

"What do you mean she freaked out?!" My tone is accusing, unable to imagine Sofia 'freaking out' on anyone.

"She just demanded to know what was up with everyone and I told her that you had a lot going on and would talk to her about it all soon. They both stormed out of the car and left us the second we parked up after that." Daryl complains, as I take a drink whilst listening to his rambling.

I don't know what exactly he wants me to do about it right now? Things were still very up in the air and until I had heard back from my father, we just had to put up with the girls and their stroppy mood swings!

"Just keep an eye on them in school and bring them home, that's it, you only have one job to do whilst I attempt to sort out this mess - suck it up!" I state finally, before hitting the red button to end the call on him.

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I could only imagine how furious he would be after I had hung up but I didn't care. He was calling me to waste my time with dumb shit that didn't even matter right now in the grand scheme of things. Typical Daryl...

Although I couldn't complain about him too much after he had stepped up to help me out when I needed him most.

I swipe open my phone, seeing a new notification, before I click on to it to find that it was from Sofia herself.

Great... what will this be now?!

'Vincent, what is going on? Please tell me? Everyone is being so weird around us today... is everything alright? It's making us feel pretty on edge not knowing anything!'

Tilting my head backwards and releasing a sudden heart felt groan out in to the quiet back yard, one in which I had hoped would release some of my built up tension with it, I am disappointed to find that it does nothing for my situation. Little did Sofia know that I was now under a great deal of stress, all to help her out!

'You have to give me some time. Trust me when I'm saying that this shit isn't anything little, it's extremely important. I'm waiting to speak to my father and after that, I'll be able to let you in on what's going on. All I'm asking for right now is some patience from you, let me handle my business first.'

I send my response, praying that she doesn't poke and prod any further since I feared that I would soon reach my breaking point with her if she does.

She had never been nosy or anything of the sort until now, and right now was probably the one time I needed her to not ask me any questions!

After sending the message back, I toss my phone onto the table and lean back, staring up at the sky. The wind picks up again, tugging at the edges of my black sweatshirt, but I barely feel it. My mind is too clouded with thoughts of Sofia, my father, and the mess I've gotten myself into.

I could tell she was getting anxious, and I hated that I was the one putting her in this position. But what choice did I have? This wasn't just about me or her anymore - there were too many moving parts, too many dangerous variables.

I close my eyes over, trusting that my phone was set to loud and would wake me if I dared to doze off for a quick nap since I didn't sleep much last night...

The day goes by slowly, with the cleaners remaining inside to relieve at least one stress from my list of things that I had to do.

Unsure of how long I had been in a half dozed off state, my phone finally buzzes loudly again, and for a second, I'm cautious to even look at it.

But when I pick it up, it's not Sofia or Daryl...

It's my father.

I swipe to answer, the familiar feeling of dread settling in my gut as I bring the phone to my ear, now fully alert.

"Vincent," his gravelly voice comes through the line. "I've heard back from Frazier."

My heart skips a beat.

This was it — the conversation I had been waiting for, but also dreading.