What Are The Chances

Without another word, he excused himself and walked out of the ballroom, the noise of the party fading as he stepped outside into the cool night air.

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The weight of what he was beginning to suspect settled heavily on his chest. He leaned against the wall, his mind racing. “Could it be?” he whispered to himself. “Is Alicia…?” He rubbed his forehead as he started to get a headache.

All This Time

The thought was too overwhelming to process. He hadn’t seen Tegan, Trisha’s mother, in years, and they had parted on bad terms. But before Tegan, there had been Michelle. Michelle, his first serious girlfriend in college, who had suddenly disappeared from his life without explanation. The memory of her leaving haunted him for years.

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Trisha had noticed her father’s sudden departure and began to worry. She excused herself from her friends and went in search of him, her heart sinking with each passing moment. She found him outside, standing alone under the stars. “Dad?” she called softly; her voice filled with concern.

Talk To Me

Steven jumped, startled out of his thoughts. “Trisha… I’m sorry, I just needed some air,” he said, trying to force a smile. But Trisha wasn’t fooled. She knew something was wrong, something that had shaken her father to his core. “What’s going on?” she asked, stepping closer. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

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Steven hesitated, the words catching in his throat. How could he explain the turmoil inside him without unraveling everything? He couldn’t bear the thought of Trisha knowing the truth, of her seeing him as anything less than the father she adored. “It’s nothing, really. Just some old memories,” he finally said, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her. But Trisha wasn’t convinced. “You can tell me, Dad. Whatever it is, I can handle it,” she insisted, her eyes searching his for answers.

His Real Daughter

Steven looked into her eyes, the same eyes that had always looked up to him with trust and love. He wanted to tell her, to unburden himself of the secrets that had haunted him for so long. But he couldn’t. Not now, not on her special night. He forced another smile, this one even weaker than the last. “I’m fine, Trisha. Really,” he said, his voice betraying him.

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Trisha reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently. “If you say so, Dad. But just know that I’m here if you ever want to talk,” she said softly, her words filled with warmth and understanding.

He Can’t Ask

Steven nodded, unable to find the right words to respond. His heart ached with the weight of what he couldn’t say. He watched as Trisha gave him one last concerned look before heading back inside, leaving him alone with his thoughts once more.

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He stood there in the darkness, his mind reeling. Alicia’s face was etched in his memory, a haunting reminder of a past that refused to stay buried. The questions kept coming, each one more unsettling than the last. What was she doing here? Did she know who he was? Did she know the truth about her mother?

Stuck In Between

Steven’s thoughts were a tangled mess, and he felt like he was drowning in them. He had tried so hard to leave the past behind, to build a new life for himself and Trisha. But now, it seemed like everything was unraveling, and he didn’t know how to stop it.

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He wanted to run, to escape from the memories that threatened to consume him. But he couldn’t. Not when Trisha was inside, surrounded by friends, blissfully unaware of the storm that was brewing outside. He couldn’t let her special night be ruined by his own demons.