Nobody
"What are you doing here?" She towered in the arch of the doorway, crossing her arms like a protection. He swallowed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. The pierce from her stare forced his eyes to the ground.
"Just passing through."
"Passing through from where?"
He finally gathered something akin to courage and lifted his eyes. "You know... places."
She scoffed. "Places!? That's original!"
"Yeah, well... seems to be working for me."
"Glad to hear it."
"Yeah."
Her eyes narrowed into blue slices, gashing what life was left in his bones. "So, what are you doing here?" she asked again, this time more forcefully.
"Nothing, really. Just--"
"He hasn't missed you," she interrupted.
"I'm sure he hasn't."
"Never says a word about you."
"I wouldn't expect he would."
"Do you know why he doesn't miss you? 'Cause you're a nobody! And nobody misses a nobody!"
"It's been seventeen years!" he pleaded, opening his palms.
Her eyes open wide with shock. "Oh, you remember how long it's been. I am impressed."
"Yeah, well... I always could count," he shrugged timidly.
"And your list of attributes ends there!" She puffed her chest and shoved the air forward.
He shrunk back a few paces. "Hey! Don't stand there and pretend you know me or know what I've been through!" His voice was still shaky and weak despite its angry tone. He couldn't match her indignation.
Her hands involuntary shot in the air then dove to her side, as if it took everything she had not to inflict any physical harm. "You're right, I don't know you. The only information I have is what Delia has told me. You do remember Delia, right?"
"Of course I do!"
"You went out... but you never came back. She can't get pass that part without crying her eyes out!" Her voice squeaks at the end, as if feeling her pain entirely, in one foul swoop.
"A lot of time has passed and a lot of things have changed."
"Really? Like what things? You?"
"Yes, me! Maybe... why not?"
She stabbed her finger in his direction, with every 'you' she said. "Come on! You never called before. Why now? What do you want? You need money?"
"What?"
"He doesn't have any!"
"I don't need money."
"I don't have any either!"
"I don't need money!!"
"So the look is a choice?"
"I... I just wanted to... I don't know, see him."
"Why now?" she demanded.
"I don't know. I just thought it was time. Time to... be there for him."
"Be there for him?!" She clenched her fists till her knuckles turned a ghostly white. Every muscle, bone and sinew ached to tear him away from her sight. "Where were you when he lost the Indigo League? Or when he challenged the Sinnoh Champion or the hundreds of thousands of other times he could've needed your help! Where were you then, huh? I've been there for him! Me!" She stomped the floor and seemed to grow a few inches taller while doing it."
"I..."
"...and the last thing he needs is a special appearance by his father who can't be there for any good reason!"
"There's no evil plan here. I have a job, a life. I just thought I'd come and..."
"What?! Say hello, see if he looks like you? Then what?"
"Well..."
"What?!"
"I don't know!" he groaned, raking his hands through his hair.
"Okay, well, while you're figuring it out, let me plant this little thought in your head: You do or say anything to upset him and make it harder for me to keep him on the right path I'm gonna put your head through a wall! Any wall, you can pick the wall but it's gonna be a wall! Got it?!" Her arm craned to his face to end this useless conversation. To end this useless man.
He sighed, at a loss for words. She was right. There was nothing of significance left to say. "I just wanted to see my son."
She claimed the leftover space between them, making sure his dark brown eyes could clearly see her. Only her. "Well, you saw him. Now get outta here."
"Hey, Misty!"
She swung her head back, hand immediately shooting to the knob. She closed the door tighter, body still in the doorway. "Yes?"
Ash flew down the stairs and jumped over the couch's back onto the cushion. He bobbed there happily for a second and waved a thin case in his hand. "I finally found that old DVD of classic Pokemon Battles. Wanna watch it with me?"
Misty paused and prayed the few seconds would erase the distress from her voice. She exhaled shakily.
"Yeah, I'll be right in." She looked back outside. The man was gone. Ash peeked his head out from behind her shoulder, just as the exhaust from a yellow and black checkered taxi disappeared into nothing... hopefully for good.
"Who was at the door?"
"Nobody, Ash," she whispered. "It was nobody."
Wow, I literally wrote that in twenty minutes. I hope it flowed naturally. Just so there's no more confusion, Misty was talking to Ash's father, the same man who's never made an appearance in Ash's life. It's a part of A&M's relationship that's rarely explored. Misty is very protective of that boy and will do anything to keep him safe. :)
Inspiration: "Say Goodnight, Gracie."