Father's Day. What a holiday eh?
Sure it's an excellent thing to celebrate, but what about those who don't have fathers? Who don't know who they are? Or have lost them and have nothing to celebrate.
And what about the fathers who don't have children anymore? Who lost their little girls or their sons at too early an age? Those who have to sit and watch, year in and year out, as children attempt to surprise their fathers with badly wrapped presents and burnt cakes.
It's even worse for those who are both.
Never have I felt my father's arms around me. Never have I cheered on a basketball team with my father beside me, or done the same with my own son. Never have I known who my father was.
Never have I had my daughter run up to me with her latest find, be it a snail, a shell or stone. Never have I had to worry about beating up the boys interested in my little girl with a baseball bat. Never have I pretended not to cry as I watch my daughter graduate.
So really, what is the purpose of father's day for those without a father? Or for those who will never receive one of those badly wrapped presents or a burnt cake?
Is it so we can walk through stores, seeing the cards and presents, and hate ourselves, thinking it to be our fault?
Father's Day can be a day of joy or one of sadness.
For me it's a nightmare.
Isn't it funny what pops into your head when you're sitting behind your desk at work?
"Call!" The sudden bark of my name was enough to jolt me out of my musings and make me look up at my…lovely boss Matilda Dawson. "I called your name at least six times. What is in your head that is so important that you ignore me?" She snapped, striking an imposing figure with her high waisted black pencil skirt and white silk blouse. I knew if I ducked beneath the desk I would see the black six inch stilettos which tapped a rapid rhythm in the office every day. Sure she was a beautiful young woman but she lived for her work and had practically no social life.
"I apologise Ms Dawson." I said, meeting her intense glare. "I have things on my mind.
"Well that much is obvious. Do you have the paper work for that little Italian girl, Jane I think her name was?" She asked, her nails drumming on my desk.
"Yes Ms Dawson, I have them right here." I said immediately, picking up the required documents and handing them to her. She nodded approvingly at me and picked up the phone on my desk.
"Joanna." She said into the phone, her voice tense. "Send the girl in." She waited a second and then put the phone down and clicked back into her office. I sighed and relaxed slightly, only to tense up a moment later when a tiny vampire came through the double doors. I hissed, standing up quickly.
She was almost completely hidden beneath a black velvet cloak so I couldn't see her face but her smell hit me like a bulldozer and I snarled. A low snicker came from beneath the hood, followed by a singing female voice.
"Don't strain yourself." I could tell she was smirking and that infuriated me more. My hands shook slightly, rattling the pencil holder I had grabbed to stop myself attacking her. "Now, now mutt. What would your boss say if she discovered a wolf in her office?" I growled threateningly again but took a deep breath and managed to stop the shaking.
"Why are you here?" I muttered out through gritted teeth.
"None of your business. Speaking of which, I have a meeting with your boss. Now you behave." She took a step towards Matilda's office then paused. "Stay." She ordered, a tingling laugh leaving the hood before she disappeared into the office.
The second I was sure they were immersed in their business I sprinted outside and phased, letting rip a howl as soon as my paws hit the ground. It was at least five minutes before several voices popped into my head.
What's wrong now?
Jake was annoyed, already upset by a false alarm this morning.
Vampire, little Italian one in the office.
I reported and the others sighed.
Take care of her yourself Embry.
One by one the voices popped away again, leaving me to my thoughts. Everyone was distracted, wanting to be with their kids on father's day.
Jake and Ness were busy with three children. Their twin boys, Caleb and Gregory, were four and their baby girl, Jade, was only eight months old. Claire and Quil had the triplets. Sam, Paul, Jared, Collin and Brady all had families. Even Seth had finally found someone. He and Hannah were expecting Natalia in October.
And then there's me. The bachelor of the pack. Woo.
Sure I've always been the shy one, standing in the back watching while the others flirted with all the girls and made fools of themselves. Sure, I was always the mysterious one who no-one knew about. Sure, I never seemed to talk.
But hey, I'm a guy, a straight guy at that, and I was brought up by my mom so I learned to respect girls in a way that Jake and Quil didn't until they imprinted.
Anyway, back to business. I had a vampire to get rid of.
"Thank you ever so much Matilda, you've been ever so helpful." When I re-entered my office the little vampire girl was perched on my desk, still wearing her cloak and gushing away to my boss. I had never met a vampire who could gush like that with the exception of Alice Cullen.
"You're ever so welcome. Please call me if you ever need my help, my assistant will put you straight through." Matilda gestured to me, a smile on her face that I'd never seen before and then turned around and disappeared back into her office. Maybe this vampire had some kind of controlling power.
I cleared my throat and the girl turned to look at me from beneath her cloak.
"Yes?" She asked, her voice singing.
"You're sitting on my desk." I said slowly.
"Is there a problem with that?" She asked, probably smirking.
"I need to work." I scowled. A pale hand emerged and she raised it to lower her hood, still not looking at me which was a relief. I hated their blood red eyes.
"That explains why you went outside for the duration of our meeting." She said with a triumphant attitude.
"Why are you even here?" It came out a lot louder than I had intended and I winced, hoping Matilda hadn't heard.
"I needed some papers. And I knew you worked here and I have something to tell you." She said, making me frown as I paced over to the window.
"What the hell could you have to say to me? And are you stalking me or something?"
"The Volturi keeps tabs on every shape-shifter there is." The girl laughed. "And yes I have something to say to you. It concerns your daughter."