57

BLOOM

It took everything in me not to just walk past my father, but I stopped next to him and met his pleading eyes. Whatever he wanted to say, I hope he made it short. I didn’t want to listen to him any longer than I had to. Seeing him reminded me of the painful past I wanted to forget.

“Bloom, can we talk? I can’t stand you avoiding me because of how reckless I was.” Unexpectedly, my father’s voice came out choked like he was holding his emotions back.

I sucked in a harsh breath and glared at him. “What makes you think I want to talk with you about anything?”

“Bloom.” There it was again. My name on his lips. As a child, I had done everything to make him call me by my name instead of the ugly words he called me, but now him freely saying my name annoyed me.

“I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have blamed you for your mother’s death. I shouldn’t have hurt you, and I shouldn’t have let others hurt you. I don’t want to make excuses for myself, but you have to understand where I am comin