I jumped as I heard the loud slam of the door being shut. My pissed off dad made an appearance in the living room instantly making me worried. He was one of those people that rarely got angry or acted out of impulse. He was a calm and peaceful man.

He dropped down next to me on the living room couch. Worry lines prominent on his face. He began biting his lip and rubbing his forehead with his forefinger and thumb. That definitely proved to me that it was an important matter.

I frowned, turning my body towards him. "Dad what's wrong?"

"Nothing you need to worry about honey!" he gave me a small smile. He has never looked so old before now. Wrinkles were forming under his ocean blue eyes that have lost their light. His salt and pepper hair giving away his struggles and troubles he had to face from an early age. My mother used to say that gray hair only start to appear when the person experiences a lot of stress and tension in their life and no doubt my father has been through so much. I sighed.

"Dad you can tell me." I insisted.

"I know I can tell you anything Neveah but it is not something I can't handle." he assured.

"I know my old man can handle anything but at least tell me what he is handling." I winked.

He laughed, shaking his head. "You worry too much."

"Well that is kind of my job." I shrugged. "I mean after mom left..." my words halted as his expression turned serious. All playful mood gone. I probably shouldn't have brought it up. It was still a sensitive subject. "I am sorry dad."

"It's not your fault honey." he patted my shoulder. We were silent for a while.

"We promised each other no secrets dad. I expect you not to break it." I looked at him expectantly.

He exhaled. "There is a company that wants us to evacuate the house."

"What?" I sat up straighter. My jaw slack.

"They apparently want to build a plaza or a shopping mall, I don't know. They are making this area commercial." Frustration clear in his voice. "They want us to leave this house within three months."

"But how can they do that?" my wide eyes asking for reasons. "How can the government allow them to..."

"They have a permit from the government Neveah. They have bought the area from them." he rubbed his eyes. They were getting bloodshot. "They are going to demolish the housing in the area and do their construction. I don't think there is much we can do. I mean I have already tried to talk to them, convince them but they..." he shook his head.

I was disoriented for a little while. My mind trying to grasp what my father just revealed. We had to leave this house. The house my parents bought after a year they got married and worked hard for. The house I was born and grew up in. The house that held all my our memories good and bad. And the house that my mother left selfishly when she abandoned both of us. Of all the things worse, this was not what I expected him to say.

"How long have you known about this?" I began biting my lip now. A nervous habit I picked up from him.

"Three months ago we got the first notice." he spoke hesitantly, aware of the disapproving expression I wore. "This was the second one as a reminder."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I crossed my arms at my chest, giving him one of my glares.

"Hey don't look at me like that." I raised my eye brows. "I was trying to find a way without wanting to worry you. I thought if I have a solution, there will be no need to tell you and..."

"You have to stop trying to keep me in the dark you know. Look how that turned out before." I reminded him.

"I know honey." he closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I am sorry."

I scooted closer to him and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around me. "Isn't there another way?"

"I have tried everything honey, but there seems to be nothing I can do." he said downheartedly. "I mean with the divorce settlement, your mother takes a lot out of my savings and..."

I huffed as I separated from him. He knows I hate it when he brings her up, especially their divorce settlement. He works hard as an insurance agent day and night and she takes everything with a stupid divorce settlement. She is enjoying her life, going on vacations with her new lover with my father's money without a care in a world. She doesn't care about him or even me, she always only cared about herself. She doesn't even move in or live with her current boyfriend so that my father can continue to send her the maintenance. She is a liar and a cheater and...

"I know what you are thinking Neveah." he grabbed my chin and turned my face towards him. He shook his head. "Don't think like that."

"I can't believe you are still taking her side." My eyes became moist. "She hurt you the most dad." I sniffed.

"I know honey!" he brought me to his chest again. "But I can't hold that against her for forever. It has already been a year." he kissed the top of my head.

I wiped the corners of my eyes. "Where will we go when we have to leave?"

"I'll try one more time Neveah, see if I can do anything." he ruffled my hair lightly. "Trust me."

"But why do they want to make a mall or whatever in Brooklyn. It doesn't make sense. I mean don't we have enough!" I frowned.

"I don't know honey. I guess they don't care to inform the people they are sending these notices to. They just want to get rid of us." he kissed my temple and got up. "Now don't think of it too much. I don't want your hair turning gray early." he winked.

I chuckled.

"Now I am going to start dinner. You want anything special?" he said while walking towards the kitchen.

"I'll help you." I got up and followed him.

He began boiling the spaghetti while I started working on the sauce. "They won't take our home, right dad?"

"I'll try my best honey. I have been saying no to them for three months. They even offered a large amount of money, double then they were offering the rest of the neighboring residents but I still refused." he stopped what he was doing and grabbed my shoulders. "Because I know how this house means so much to you and you never want to let it go."

"It means much more to you dad." I smiled at him. Even though he will never admit it, he still loved my mother and never wanted to get rid of the memories they created in this house together.

He squeezed my shoulders and got back to his earlier task.

"Do you want meatballs?" I glanced at him while mixing the sauce.

He looked at me shocked. "You hate meatballs." he stated.

"Well I could tolerate them for this one time." I shrugged.

"You are the best daughter in the world!" he exclaimed. I laughed and took out the frozen meatballs from the refrigerator.

All under this facade, I know he was upset and stressed. He will never show me that was for sure. He never puts his burdens on someone else or shares them, even if that someone is his own daughter. The least I could do is try to do make the house chores and work less stressful for him. I will also try to help him with the money. I needed to find a job anyway. That was all I could do to motivate and encourage him and restore him to the person he once was. If only she hadn't left! I closed my eyes and began to set the table as the dinner was almost done.

I exhaled as I looked myself in the mirror for the last time. I wore the professional attire I bought from what was left of the money I collected working in a local diner for four months. It was black skirt with a white blouse. I decided to leave my brown hair open but changed my mind just before leaving my room. I tied half of them with a hair pin. Walking down the steps carefully, trying not to trip on the stairs in the four inch black heels, I spotted my dad on the kitchen table. He was reading the newspaper while drinking coffee.

"How do I look?"

He turned towards me with a surprised look on his face. "You look beautiful Neveah!" he raised his eyebrows. "But where are you going?"

I walked to the kitchen counter, putting my handbag and the file on it and poured myself a cup of coffee. "I am going for a job interview. I told you I got a call from Randon Industries for a job interview." I joined him at the table.

"Yeah." his eyebrows furrowed. "You told me. But you just got back from college four months ago Neveah, are you sure you want to start this early..."

"Of course dad!" I gave him a pointed look. "I have been working at the diner since I came back from college so it doesn't make a difference what kind of job I have. It will still be the same hours that I had there. You won't even be able to notice the change."

"Yeah except for the clothes." he gestured towards my attire.

I rolled my eyes. "Dad I have been working so hard to have this interview, please wish me luck." I pleaded.

"Of course honey." he got up and kissed my head. "May luck always be with you." he picked our cups and went to put them in the sink. "Now I have to go and get ready myself. Do you want me to drop you off or you will go by yourself?" he halted before exiting the kitchen, waiting for my answer.

"I think I will take my Mirage out. She must have missed me." He walked off chuckling.

I got up from the chair and grabbed my bag and file where I put them at the kitchen counter. Grabbing the car keys from the table beside the front door, I called out to my father. "Bye dad."

"Bye hun!" Came his muffled voice. He was probably in the bathroom.

Closing the door behind me I walked to my blue Mitsubishi Mirage in the driveway. It had been so long since I drove that poor thing. It had been a gift from my parents for getting in University of Southern California but I did not want to take it there with me so I left it here when I went to college. Even after returning I didn't use it much as dad drove me anywhere I needed, even at the diner. But now that I was probably going to get an official job, I will have to use the car which still looked brand new. My dad took great care of it while I was gone. I smiled at the thought.

I unlocked it and got in, taking in the smell and interior. It was gorgeous and totally of my taste. I started the engine and it roared to life. I checked the side mirrors and rear view one and inhaled deeply again. Nervousness was settled deep in my stomach and my hands were literally shaking. This was a good job and if I got it, I could probably solve some of my dad problems, the sole reason for which was my mother. They would probably pay me enough to contribute in some of my mother's part of the maintenance.

Maybe dad would then be able to relax some and concentrate on saving our house.

I gazed at the two story white painted house and promised myself that no matter what, I will help my father however way I can to protect it. This house was our shelter and solace and I can't let some insensitive and unsentimental construction company destroy that.