Quality time

"A daughter should not have to beg her father for a relationship"

Nala's POV

"You're not gonna buy your old dad a drink?" He smiled from the bar
"Where the fuck have you been?" I asked him
He chuckled. Fucking drunk
"Here, there... on the road for a bit" he laughed.

"Alright. A better question. Why the fuck are you back?" I asked
"Oh come on, you didn't miss me?" He asked
"No, no I didn't, not when all you do is take my money or fuck Polly over time and time again" I said.

"Ah come on, we'll get a drink, what are you having?" He asked
I sighed, walking back out of the pub
I couldn't deal with him right now

I headed back towards the house, only to be met with Polly getting out of the car
"Nala? What's wrong?" She asked
"Nothing" I dismissed
"What's wrong?" She persisted, grabbing my shoulders, stopping me.

I sighed
"I... dads back" I said simply
She straightened up, her face falling
"Where?" She asked
"The pub" I said
She was walking past me in a shot
"Of course... where else" she mumbled to herself.

"Pol, don't" I said, following after her
She stopped in the doorway, watching him, he had his back turned again.
Chatting and laughing as Betty poured him another drink.

"Kinney Murphy" Polly said, crossing her arms
He groaned, turning round in his seat at the bar again
"Polly, god you look as beautiful as the day I left" he commented
"Exactly. You left. So why are you back?" She asked.

"Oh come on, I can't come visit an old friend?" He asked
"Your wife was my friend. You were just the dumb fuck she gave a chance" she said
He rolled his eyes
"Nala" she said blankly over her shoulder
"Go back to the house. I want to speak to your father" she said
"What? No Pol I-"

"Go. Please. Now" she said persistently
I give up. Either way she'll want to talk to him at some point
"Fine, I'm going to go back to the hospital, is John still here?" I asked
"Yes" she said.

I nodded
I'd have to tell Finn about this as well anyway.
Dad always did this. Hung around for a few days and then disappeared for another few months.

"I'll... see you later, I guess" I said to him, leaving.

Polly's POV

"In here" I ordered, opening the door to the small room
He raised his nearly empty glass
"How about another?" He asked
Fuck sake
"Betty" I said simply, heading into the room.

He eventually followed me, with a now full glass
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked with a smile
I shut the door, sitting down
"Why are you back?" I asked.

"I missed my daughter. Can't I visit my daughter?" He asked
"No" I said
"How's Mariana? She still kicking around?" He asked uninterested.

"Yes. And I don't think she'd be best pleased to know you're back" I said
I would take a calmer approach with him.
Mariana would break his knee caps and send him on his way.

"Oh come on, it's not her decision" he said
"No you're right. It's mine. Seeing as it's my house your daughter grew up in. It's me who raises her, it's my money you took last time to disappear" I said
"A few hundred quid isn't enough to keep me out of my daughters life" he said.

"She isn't your daughter. Catherine had that baby girl. Mariana and me raised that girl. All you ever did was let her down" I said
"Promising gifts, never showing up, walking out on her when she needed you" I said.

He was a piece of shit
"Well then... how much are you willing to give me this time to disappear?" He asked
"You're a bastard" I said
"Noted. How are the boys?" He asked, leaning back in his chair.

"They're good. Really good. Tommy wasn't grown the last time you fucked off. Now he is. So is Mariana, so I suggest you just leave, rather than trying to squeeze more money out of me" I said
When Mar finds out. She'll hit the roof.

And if Tommy found out. There'd be hell. So I'll deal with it.

"I'm not leaving. Unless you're willing to pay me away..." he laughed, standing up
"... then I'll be staying here, with my daughter" he said, staggering back out into the bar
Fuck.

Nala's POV

"He's back?" Finn asked surprised
"Yeah, turned up at the betting den. But I found him in the pub" I said
"What's new?" He mumbled
"Why do you think he's back?" He asked after a moment.

"I don't know, ran out of schemes... kicked out of where ever he was staying. I'm not sure" I shrugged
"And you're not... getting your hopes up?" He asked.

"I'm not an idiot Finn. I know he's a moron. He'll stick around until I give him something or he sees the opportunity to steal something from me" I said
He was always the same.

I gave up getting my hopes up when he disappeared before my 12th birthday party
For some reason, it was when it finally clicked in my head that he... didn't care.

"Does Mar know?" He asked
I shook my head
That's what scared me the most
"How are you doing though?" I asked, shuffling forward in my chair, taking hold of his hand.

"Honestly I'm fine" he said
"I'm on a lot of drugs" he chuckled
"I can see that" I laughed.

He looked sleepy. And cute.

"I really did miss you... these past few days" he said
"I really missed you too" I said
He smiled
"Will you two ever just shag and stop all the lovey duvet glances across the room" John chuckled, walking in.

"Will you ever stop interrupting us?" I asked
"Alright alright" he said, throwing his hands up
"I'll go find Arthur" he said, leaving again.

I looked back to Finn, leaning up so we were closer
"Nal?"
I didn't answer him, I just leaned in, connecting our lips.

I could have lost him.
He froze up, I think he was a little taken aback, before he leaned in to kiss me back, grasping the back of my hair and pulling me in.
"Mm" I hummed, pulling away.

But I didn't get very far, as he rested his forehead against mine.

"Nala?" John called out
"What John?" I asked exhausted
"The phone... in the hallway, it's Mariana" he said.

"Shit" I sighed
"Yep" he called out, letting the door close
"I'll be back in a second" I said, getting up and making my way into the hall
"Hello?" I said, picking the phone up where John had left it hanging.

"Your dads back and you didn't think to tell me?" Mariana asked annoyed
"I know bu-"
"No buts Nala. Tell him to pack up and fuck off" she demanded.

I sighed
"Mar, I'm dealing with it, he's only been back a few hours, I doubt he'll even stick around" I said honestly
"I don't care. He's a piece of shit Nal, he robs you, he abandons you, if Polly doesn't get him to leave, I will" she said

"He's my dad Mar, I will deal with it!" I said, stressed out
"You're just a kid, what do you mean you'll de-"
"I'm not a kid! And it's not like your dad is around is he?" I asked
There was a silence
"Just... be wary. Don't let him near the house and don't give him anything" she said, hanging up.

I sighed again. Fuck.
I didn't mean to say it like that
I didn't mean to upset her either
I'll have to ring her later

I trudged back into Finn's room.

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"Nala" dad shouted across the street
I caught sight of him behind me and sighed, carrying on my way
I didn't have time for him right now
He never had time for me.

"Nal" he said again, catching up to me, walking beside me
"What?" I asked bluntly
"How are ya? Finn alright?" He asked
"What do you care?" I asked
"Heard he's your boyfriend now" he said.

"And where did you hear that?" I asked
"In fact, where did you hear he was in hospital?" I asked, stopping at my front door
"Ah that doesn't matter, what matters is that I'm here now darlin', can't we spend some time together? Catch up" he suggested.

I grabbed my key from my pocket
"And what do we need to catch up on exactly? Who you've robbed off that past few years? How many drinks you've had today? When you're next fucking off" I said angrily.

Just as the door opened.
And Polly stood there, a fury on her face
"Ah come on Nal, I-"
"You should leave" Polly said, as I pushed past her to get inside
"I'll be by the canal tomorrow" he shouted, as I made my way into the kitchen.

"2 o'clock" he shouted, as the door slammed in his face
"Prick" Pol mumbled

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