For the third time in her life, Kim didn't know how to react. She was... shocked. Her Mom stood still like she already knew what the rest of the conversation was going to be like.

"Sweetie, you are home today early." She still tries to cut in.

"Mom, what is he doing here?" Kim was furious.

"He, uh, .."

"I came to check on you and her."  Her dad stood up and somehow walked to face her daughter in the eyes.

"Check on us?" Kim pauses. "Check on us. We are fine. Now that you have your answer, you can leave Mr. Beulah."

She was angry, perhaps miserable. How could her Dad talk to her so casually, as if nothing happened? He left them. He left his 3-year old daughter. And now he was standing in front of her, without any guilt on his face, completely regretless. Kim tried not to blink, closing the path for tears which threatened to come out any second.

"Common, Kim. Can't we forget what happened? 12 years have passed. Didn't you miss me?" The smile on his face annoyed her even more.

"Exactly, 12 years have passed. Where were you? You didn't even worry to come back, not even for me. In these 12 years, did you even wonder if I am alive? If she is alive?" She pointed to her mother. Her hand was already massaging her forehead.

"You had to go for your damn ego. And now you come suddenly, asking me to forget everything." Kim continued with her words.

"No, Kim. I thought about you every day. That's why I am here to apologise. To apologise to you."  Her dad spoke up, his smile and affectionate voice growing even more.

Now Kim wasn't prepared for this part, but the pain, suffer, anger and hate formed over these twelve years could simply not be mended by an 'I'm sorry.' Kim swallows hard, her eyes were facing the floor.

"I don't need any apologies. If you have said it all, get out. And yeah, please never come back. We don't want strangers at our house." Sh said, lifting her gaze and pushing back her tears.

"I am no stranger, sweetheart."

"Don't call me sweetheart." She replies."Please, leave now. I am begging you. Get out!"  Her voice was no more calm, she had to yell.

A painful silence inside Kim's heart was being proved by her glistening eyes. Her dad's mouth opened up to let out a few words but the look in Kim's eyes prevented him to do so. He nodded, taking in what she said right now.

"Okay, if that's what you want." He left and shut the door behind him.

Kim fell on her knees, finally letting those tears out. Her mother ran to her, wrapping her arms around Kim, leaning her head close to hers. Kim wiped away the tears, hugging her mother back.

*At Night*

"Are you okay, honey? Your head seems very hot." She asked Kim as her hand surveyed her forehead.

"Yes, I am totally fine."

"No, you're not. If your fever's not gone, you can miss school on Monday."

"Mom, I think you are seeing things a little too far. I can recover in two days. I just need some rest." She assured her mother, keeping her hand down.

"Fine. I will put the lights out and go. Good Night."

"Mom, wait up." Kim asks all of a sudden. "Yeah? What, honey?"

"You knew about this, didn't you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You gave him the address. You knew he was gonna come here."

"Kim, I am so sorry. I thought that I can tell you after things go back to normal."

Kim glanced at her in disbelief. She was the only person she trusted. How could her own mom do this to her? She stared at the floor, no longer looking in her eyes. It was hard for her to even swallow her own spit.

"Mom, if you hide things from me, nothing will ever go back to normal."

Kim's mom stepped closer, sitting beside her. She took her daughter's hands in her own before telling her the complete story.

"Fine. I won't hide anything from you. Adam and I have been mailing each other for a month. And every time we talked to each other, he always mentioned your name. He would always ask me, How's Kim? He longed to see you, honey. So, I asked for a transfer to Seaford."  She confessed.

"And that's why we came to Seaford. So that you could meet him." Kim said, putting her hand on her hot forehead.

"I am sorry. I wanted to tell you on our last day in L.A. But if I told you, you would never come with me. I was afraid you would leave me too just like Adam did." Ms. Crawford forced the words out of her mouth. Her trembling voice proved her love for Kim.

Kim got up from her bed and made her way to hug her mom. "I can never leave you."

"He needs us, Kim." Ms. Crawford whispered lightly in her daughter's ear which caused her to pull away.

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

"He needs us, sweetie." Her mother repeated.

"Mom, don't joke with my feelings. You can't be serious." Kim stepped up from the layers of sheets she had on.

"Kim, I know it sounds strange. But I guess, we should give him one more shot with us. He has apologized." Ms. Crawford's words seemed serious this time.

"Mom, we are not some lottery ticket, whom anyone can give a shot. Didn't you see? He left us and never even cared to come back. Today he comes and stands in front of us, faking apology and you start caring about him? Stop being ridiculous." Kim said, letting her anger out. Every word coming out of her mouth caused her throat to pain.

"He is not anyone, Kim. He is your Dad. Plus he apologized."

"He was my Dad 12 years ago. And how can you forgive him?"

"I forgave him because he cares about you. I forgave him because of you." She said with a fall of pitch in her voice, as she kept her hand on her cheek, rubbing it with her thumb.

"If that's the case, then tell him I don't need his care. I have gotten enough of that."

"I am ready to give him a chance, sweetie."

"But I am not." Kim replied, bold.

"We are moving into his apartment on the next Sunday. And you are coming too."

"I am not going anywhere." Kim's face grew more attitude. This was possibly the first time when she was talking to her mother like this.

"You are coming. That's the end of the conversation."

"No. And if you force me, I am going to run away."  She folded her hands, her jaw stiffened as tight as she could.

"Kimberly Crawford." Her mother yelled at her, in her full voice.

Kim trembled, as well as her heart. She stood still for a moment and then reached out her hand to wipe her tears. Her mom felt that too. Never before this day, she had yelled at her like this. Kim tucked her hair behind her ear. Walking out of her house was the first thing which came inher mind.

Kim went to the park. An open space, where she could spend some time alone with her thoughts. Every time she tried to wipe her one tear, another tear would automatically come down. The chilled night breeze touched Kim's face and she could feel her fever grow. Kim wrapped her arms around her, making herself warm, tears still in her eyes.

She went to the skater area, where she could see that the lights were still on. A person's figure appeared, showing off the most incredible skating skills which she definitely saw the first time in her life. She wanted to take a closer look at who the person was, but if she did she would definitely fall.

Her face became hotter and redder than ever. The world around her slowly started blurring away. Kim started to lose her balance. Her foot slipped, but she fell into someone's arms. Darkness came inher vision, but she knew she was safe. She was warm.