"Dad, can I talk to you for a second?" I said as I saw him walked out of his room. I was actually waiting for him before he leaves for work today.

"Not now; I am in a hurry." He said without even looking at me.

"But Dad, please-" I said but he cut me off.

"I said not now, okay?" He said and turned his back on me. "I need to go."

I watched him leave as I kept myself from crying. He has been like this these past few days; as if he is avoiding me. Why is Dad doing this to me? Ever since the accident, he never looked at me the same way as before. We never talked about it and that is what has been bothering me. I wanted him to comfort me but he is way far from doing it. I am trying so hard to understand him.

It has been a week since our accident and I am still trying to recover from what happened. My wounds were healing already and I cannot feel anything painful already unlike these past few days. I sighed and decided to go back to my room. Just as I was about to take a shower; my phone rang. I took it from my bedside table and saw Jazree calling.

"Hey," I said when I answered the phone. "What's up?"

"Hey, how are you?" She said. "I called you yesterday but you didn't answer so I got worried. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Jaz; I'm just resting," I said. "I'm sorry; I didn't call you back, I was into something."

"That's good. So, how are your wounds? Are they fully healed now?" She said.

"Yeah, it's getting better," I said. "Why do you ask?"

"That's good." She said. "So, what do you say we go out tonight? Let's go to a club or somewhere else you wanted to go and have some fun!"

"Jaz, I don't think this is the right time for that. You know my situation, right?" I said. "I can't just leave home easily this time."

"I know and that is why I think we should go out tonight. You can't lock yourself in your house forever, Yal." She said. "You need to go out. Get some fresh air and take out all your frustrations."

"Jaz, I'm not sure about that-" I said.

"Please? Just this one time, please," She said. "Can you really turn me down? I missed you; we barely hang out."

Here she goes again using her card to get me to say yes to her. Come to think of it; she was right. We barely go out these past few months even before the accident happened.

"Alright; you really know how to get me," I said.

"Yes! That's great!" She said. "So, see you soon?"

"Yeah, I'll see you soon," I said. "Bye,"

"Bye," She said.

I ended the call and put my phone down. I looked at the watch and saw that it was just one in the afternoon. It's way too early to prepare for a night out and so I decided to take a nap first. I have been having trouble going to sleep these days and I always wanted to take naps during the day. I went to my bed and lied down.

~~~

I turned my alarm clock off and woke up. It was four in the afternoon already and it is time for me to get ready. As much as I hate to go out; I already promised Jazree that I would go out with her. I took my phone and saw that Jazree texted me. She wanted us to have dinner first before heading to the bar so I guess I have to get ready earlier than planned. I have been on leave from work ever since the accident and this will be the first time that I will be out of the house. It kinda feels new to me as I felt like it has been ages since I went to a bar.

I took a quick shower and started preparing for the night. I blow-dried my hair and let it flow freely on my back naturally. I took the dress that I chose to wear tonight and put it on. It was a little black dress which fit perfectly on me; It was so special since Mom was the one who bought it for me on my birthday last year. It has a deep v-neck style and has a semi-backless cut on the back which shows just enough of my skin; not too revealing but could attract attention. I took my make-up set and did a light make-up for myself tonight. I don't want to look like a clown so I opted for a light one. I was spraying perfume on myself when my phone rang. It was no other than Jazree. I pressed the answered button and put her on speaker as I was still fixing up myself.

"Hey, are you ready?" She said. I looked at the clock and it was already eight in the evening. Wow, I never knew I was taking my time off in preparing.

"I was just about to call you," I said. "I am done; how about you?"

"I am in my car already. Shall I pick you up now?" She said.

"Won't that be too much of a bother?" I said. "I can just take a cab and meet you there, you know."

 "That's fine with me, okay?" She said. "I won't take long, okay? I'll be there in a few."

"Yeah, I'll be waiting," I said. "Take care."

We said our goodbyes and ended the call. I waited for her text and took that time to put my stilettos on.  It was a back one with just enough inches to make me feel tall and sexier.

I went out of my room and checked Dad's room and as usual, he still isn't home yet. He has been out late every night and goes home drunk or hot-tempered. I called our house helper and she responded immediately.

"I'll be out tonight," I said. "Please check on Mom for me."

 "Yes Ma'am," She said and I nodded.

"Just in case Dad asks for me; tell him that I went out to have dinner with Jazree." I said.

"What?!" Dad's voice boomed around the house. I turned to him. I didn't notice him arrived. "Where did you say you were going?"

"Dad," I said. He looked furious. "I-I'm going out. Jaz invited me to have dinner outside. I will be back shortly Dad."

"Really?" He said and laughed sarcastically. "And you have the energy to go out and enjoy yourself at this time?"

"Dad, it'll be quick," I said. "I just wanted to see and talk to her-" I said but he cut me off.

"How insensitive of you!" He said. "Your mother is in a coma and you chose this time to go out and have fun? How could you even think of that?"

"Dad, it's not like that," I said. "I just needed to breathe from-"

"It is," He said. "Why don't you just stay at home and be with your mom? After all, you have nothing else to do."

"Alright dad, you wanna talk about mom? Come on, let's talk about her." I said. Now might be the right time to talk to him about how he has been acting lately.

"Stop it." He said. "If you want to go, then go. I won't stop you." There he goes again and changed the subject.

"No, Dad," I said bravely. "Make me understand. Why are you acting like this? What is wrong with you? Come on; tell me whatever it is that is running in your mind. I want to know Dad."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He said and was about to turn his back on me when I spoke.

"Oh, stop it, Dad!" I said. "We both know that you have been avoiding me ever since the accident happened. Why? I don't get you, Dad!"

"I said that's enough!" He said.

"No Dad! Tell me!" I said. "Let's clear things once and for all!"

"Why are you so hard-headed?" He said. "That is exactly the reason why you and your mom got into an accident! Can't you stop asking?"

What did he just say? Is he blaming me for what happened?

"Dad, did I hear you right?" I said. "Are you blaming me for what happened to us? For what happened to Mom?"

"If only you didn't ask her too much then she would've focused on driving. Look what happened!" Dad said. There, he said it out loud already. He was mad and was avoiding me because he is blaming me for what happened. I remember that I told him what happened seconds before the accident. I told him what we were talking about. I didn't know that that was what he thought of me; of what happened. "She shouldn't have been in a coma right now!"

"Dad, I can't believe you! I can't believe that you would blame me for that accident. You are unbelievable! How could you blame that on me?" I said and turned my back on him. I was hurt. I thought he was just avoiding me because he was still haunted by what happened to Mom. I was wrong; there is a deeper reason why he became cold to me. "I was hurt too, you know, but I set aside because I know that you were too. It was a tragic experience and I was counting on you to be there for me, Dad! I thought that it would be easier for me to recover because you would be there for me but you weren't! You left me all alone Dad! I had no one! I felt like Mom isn't just the one who was in a coma; you were too!" I saw Dad cried but he didn't say a word. I knew he was hurt but blaming me is too much. I was blaming myself too. I couldn't even look at Mom who is lying on the other room with all the apparatus attached to her. Dad wanted Mom to be brought home and the hospital approved of it.

I was wiping my tears off when my phone beeped. It was a text from Jazree saying that she is already outside. Wow, that was fast and that is a good thing. I went out of the house and saw her car outside our gate. I went out of the main door and she went out of her car too. I waved at her when she turned to me and she did the same. Now I am sure that I needed this night out more than ever.

~~~

"What?! He said that?" Jaz said when I told her what happened. "I can't believe he said that. I mean, why would he think like that? You were just a victim too."

We were already at the restaurant and were done eating when I told her what happened. She was so persistent on asking me why I was crying and so I told her everything.

"I can't believe it too," I said. "I mean, I knew we had a problem but I never thought that it was because of that."

"That is way out of line, Yal." She said. "He's your father; if there is someone who should be there for you during this time, it should be him. You two should be working hand in hand in facing this struggle."

"I don't know, Jaz," I said. "Maybe, he is right. After all, I was the one who was with Mom at that time. I should've been attentive and not talkative."

"What? Are you insane? You absolutely have nothing to do with what happened. "No one wanted that to happen; absolutely not you."

I sighed and drink my water. "I knew he was just frustrated but I couldn't accept the fact that he is throwing all his frustrations at me. I am also hurting, you know. If I could trade places with my mom then I would because it breaks my heart every time I see my mom lying there. It pains me so much." I said and was crying non-stop.

"Ssshh, stop that," She said as she helped me wiped my tears. "I am here for you, okay? Don't worry; everything's going to be okay." 

"Thank you for listening, Jaz," I said. "I don't know what I would do without you by my side."

"You know I'll always be here for you no matter what," She said. "I'm your best friend and it is my job to be there for you at all times."

I nodded and continued wiping my tears off.

"You know what you need?" She said after a moment of silence.

"What?" I said and turned to him.

"You need a night full of alcohol, people, and dancing. What do you think?" She said.

"You're right; that's what I thought too," I said. "Just one night; I want to have fun even just for tonight."

"So what are we waiting for?" She said and stood up. "Come on,"

I nodded. I took my bag and joined her. We walked to the exit and straight to her car. This is going to be a hell of a night! Tonight, I will forget all my problems.

hh