Dresden Academy

Who: Scar Evans and Chris Ford
When: Early June
Where: Burlington, Vermont and Plattsburgh, New York
What: Scar finds her dad
Rating: SFW


Facebook did wondrous things. Scar figured she was going to be looking for a while, but Facebook did for her in ten minutes what the Lifetime network told her would take years. She just wasn't sure she was ready for it yet. Staring at the page she contemplated what she could even say to him. Chris Ford. Her father. She couldn't just send off a message. Hey dad! I've never met you before but what's up?

She scribbled down the address, it was right across the lake. She could always just turn around and run in the other direction if need be.

Slipping off her slippers she changed into a cute dress and put on some high heels, she didn't forget to grab her cigarettes and lighter as she took off. Before she reached the door she had contemplated telling Vi but she couldn't even put it into words. Scar grabbed the keys for the car and took off without telling anyone. The drive to the ferry seemed to go by faster than it normally took, it was all happening so quickly.

Anticipation made her grip the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles turning white, even when she was just sitting in the car while the ferry carried her and the other cars across the lake. When she hit land she pulled off to the side and took out her phone to plug in the address for Chris Ford's house. She took another few minutes to adjust to the idea of meeting her father before taking off down the road. She pulled up to the small yellow house, and parked outside.

Three cigarettes later she saw two little kids run out the front door, followed by a tall man. She recognized him from the picture she had seen on facebook and from the one that her mother kept in her scrapbook. Scar tapped her fingers nervously on her knee and resolved to smoke one more cigarette before approaching. Her mom would kill her once she got home and smelled the interior of the car. Once her cigarette was smoked down to the filter she dropped it outside the car and opened the door. Her stomach bottomed out as she walked across the street. Nervous was not something she had experienced very much in her life but that was definitely what she was feeling at the moment. She walked slow, watching the kids run around the yard, their father watched from his spot on the porch. Steeling herself she walked right up the path to the house and stopped short of the stairs. "Hi," she said putting her hands on her hips.

Chris looked around as if someone else was around and then looked right at Scarlet. "Hi," he said, seeming surprised. "Can I... help you?"

Scarlet shrugged. "I... you're Chris Ford, right?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"I'm... my name is Scar. Scarlet Evans," she said shyly. Chris looked at her for a long time and then sat back.

"I wondered," he began, looking at his hands. "If I would ever meet you. Did your mother tell you?" he asked looking up at her.

Scarlet shook her head. "I found you on facebook."

He laughed. "Technology," he shook his head. "So... what brings you here?"

She shrugged. "I... wasn't sure," she said. "I just thought... well... I don't know, I just thought I should meet you. Maybe something would just... click." She looked around the yard. "You had more kids?" she asked of the boys running around in the yard.

"Yes. Adam and Brian," he said pointing them out. "They are seven and almost five."

"Cute, Vi would love them to death. She's good with kids."

"Vi?"

"My twin. Violet."

"Twins?"

"She didn't tell you?"

He shook his head. "She hasn't said a word to me in over seventeen years. Your mother is... not a fan of mine."

"Why? She never told us."

"She didn't want predictability. She didn't want to settle down. I loved her once. I would have given her the world but she's a butterfly, an un-graspable concept," he shook his head. "It took me a long time before I was over her. She left me at the alter," he laughed sardonically at that.

"Sounds like mom," she said looking at her shoes.

"How is she?"

"Ditzy as ever but we keep her on her toes."

"Did she ever find someone?"

"No," Scar shook her head. "She dates around but never anything serious. What about you?"

"I married, nine years ago," he nodded.

"Still married?"

He nodded. "Her name is Naomi. We're expecting our third."

"So... did you ever try? I mean, you had to know that there was at least one kid right? And you obviously wanted to be a dad," her voice was getting a little strained, her eyes misty. "You wanted to be a dad right? Sure it might have hurt to be around mom, but you could have tried. You could have been a dad seventeen years ago. Why didn't you come looking for us?" she asked getting angry. "We could have used a dad. And here you are just happy as can be, one hour away with three other kids and not even pretending to care."

He looked ashamed, leaning back he sighed deeply. "I really don't know what you expected to find here. I'm sorry."

"Nothing. Mom was right," she turned on her heel and stormed away, getting into the car she sped off down the street and rounded the corner before she pulled over on the side of the street to cry. She stayed there for two hours, smoking cigarettes and crying to herself.

When she finally rolled into the driveway Vi was sitting out on the lawn in one of their plastic lawn chairs. "She's on the war path baby. Why didn't you tell me where you were going?" Vi asked.

Scar shook her head. "It was a mistake," she walked straight past Vi and into the house.

"Scarlet Evans! Where have you been?" Blue shouted as soon as Scar swung the door open. Scar looked over at her mother, a little dazed.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You were gone for hours! You couldn't have even texted us to let us know where you were?!" Blue had moved from the couch to the door at lightening speed, cornering Scar before she could flee upstairs. "You smell like cigarettes. Were you smoking in the car? Does the car smell like an ash tray?" Blue was never this hard on Scarlet, she wasn't the one who took off without telling anyone, she was the one who always called, always texted, and could be trusted. Blue had been worried all day that maybe Scar was in trouble or in danger. When she saw the tears in her eyes though, she stepped back. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. "You were right, you're always right," she wiped her face again. "It's nothing."

"Was it that Nikitin boy? Did he hurt your feelings? Do I need to call his mother?"

"No, mom. No," she laughed, almost relieved. "No. Not at all. He's not even anything like that stupid," she laughed again, this time her laugh turning into a strangled cry. She leaned into her mom, hugging her tight, crying onto her shoulder.

Blue immediately softened, holding her back. "Baby, what happened?"

"I saw dad today," she cried.

"What did he say to you?" Mama bear getting defensive over her cub.

"Nothing, it just... nothing," she cried. "It was stupid, I shouldn't have gone out there. It was so stupid."

Blue said nothing more, just held Scar until she had cried herself out. "Come on trouble, let's make some popcorn and watch a chick flick. Sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good mama bear," Scar said wrapping her arm around her mom's shoulders and going out into the kitchen.