Stella reached the hotel in tears. She hurried to her room and put on her favourite jumper. Exercising on a safe always made her better but it was pointless now. Everything she thought about and everything she did reminded of her father. Memories of him came back to the surface. She saw him standing there, the day she got out of high school. He was so pride of his girl. She saw him also when she rode on a bike for the first time, a perfect green one with flowers on. He had not been there all the time but he had been there at the important events. He wouldn't be here the day she got married nor the day her first child would come to the world. She realised that she didn't know so much about him. He was not an every day father, asking her about how the day was. She didn't know anything of importance. Only the things she got to learn when he was here. He had spent more time with Charlie than with her. She was disturbed in her thoughts by a knock and knew it was Charlie. She didn't feel good enough to smile so she just waited for him to say something. She crossed her arms over her chest, as protection against this cold that would never leave.

Charlie sat down on the bed next to her. " How you doing?" he asked gently.

She nodded. " Good. Considering the fact that I'm doing all of this for a man I barely knew." She could see or maybe understand why she had behaved so badly against Charlie. He was the wished son and she was the daughter he always had but never saw. " You know what bothered me all those years Charlie? It was that whenever he'd call me to tell me he was on some job, I knew you were right there with him." She bumped his shoulder with her own and came to her conclusion. " You got to know him a lot better than I did." Charlie, quiet until now, spoke with sincerity.

" Just because he was around me doesn't mean he wasn't thinking about you all the time."

" Would be nice if it was true." She was very sceptic of her father's love.

" It is true, confirmed Charlie. " He always regretted not having been a good enough father for you Stella." Stella felt her eyes water again. It was so sweet. So adorable of Charlie to say that.

" How do you know that?"

" Because he told me." She smiled, deeply happy to have such confirmation that her father really loved her. She knew it was true because Charlie would never lie, not about that. She looked down and remarked that his right hand was swollen and red.

" What did you do to your hand?"

He sighed heavily. " I punched Steve," said he in a mortified tone. Like he was sorry that he had to punch him. The truth was that Charlie disliked violence and did everything to avoid it but in this case, it had been necessary.

" Why do you get to punch him and I don't?" she questioned in frustration.

" 'Cause those hands are too valuable, replied he with serious concern. Stella chuckled, even though it wasn't a joke. Charlie stroked his hand up and down on Stella's back, like Rob had done earlier. Charlie pulled her close to her and kissed her on the forehead. He caressed her blond hair.

" You OK?"

" Yeah." He stood up and bad her goodnight and went for the door. Halfway across the room, Stella called him.

" Charlie?"

He turned around. " Yes?"

" Thank you. Thank you for everything." He hurried back to her and kneeled to be face to face. He took her face in his hands and pressed a quick kiss on her lips.

" You never have to thank me for anything. You deserve to be happy, Stella. Your father would have wanted this too."

Stella didn't answer but instead threw herself in his arms. She put her arms behind his neck and buried her face in his shoulders. He was taken aback but kept the balance and got back on his knees. He had his arms around her, holding her body tightly against his. They stayed like this for a couple of minutes until Stella lifted her head and looked Charlie in the eyes.

" Charlie, I…"

" Schhh." I understand. I see you tomorrow. Good night." He left, without looking at her or touching her before leaving. Stella sat back on the bed. She couldn't believe what just have happened. She could still feel the heat from Charlie's embrace and the quick kiss on her lips. She could still feel her heart pumping. The desire to be in someone's arms, to be held was strong and she could have stayed in his arms forever. This was a feeling she missed. She had her fair share of men during the years but never had she such intensity and such need to feel someone holding her as she felt with Charlie. Confused and lost, she went to bed that night without finding sleep.