Ali

“Ali, you have a call.” Mer’s voice cuts through the warm water that is spraying out of the shower head as I wash my hair.

“Tell whoever it is I’ll call them back” I pause for a second to see if she’s going to reply before continuing. All is quiet and the warm water flows down my body allowing my body to relax. I lean my head against the back of the shower wall when suddenly the door bursts open and Mer throws the curtain back with a look of panic on her face.

“It’s your father.” She says with a look of fear, concern and surprise all rolled in one. She shakes her head and whispers, “I didn’t know you knew him.”

Shit.

I jump out and throw a towel around myself and race to the phone leaving a trail of water along the way. Whatever it is must be important, he knows never to contact me directly. “Father. What’s wrong?”

“I can’t wait any longer, you must come home and claim your place Ali.” I hear him suddenly go into a raging coughing fit. I hear a bunch of rustling around and can te