"Ari?" My father said as he opened the door and rubbed his eyes.
"Yes father. I'm home." I said as tears welled up in my eyes. I had missed my father and my home so much more then what I had expected to.
"I thought I lost you too." He cried as he pulled me into a hug. His hands wove around me, his grip tight as he clung to me as though he feared letting me go.
"I was on a mission. It needed immediate attention." I said as I tried to stop the tears from falling. I needed to be strong for him, he at least deserved that.
"I'm glad you're serving your country well, munchkin. I missed you so much!" He said as he stepped back and allowed me in to our house.
"I missed you too, father." I said.
Walking in to my house I did not expect a blonde haired woman to be seated on a stool near the island. She was wearing a fluffy pastel orange robe and she was busy reading a magazine her red rimmed glasses resting on her nose.
"Who's this?" I asked as I turned to my father.
"Claire Leatrekk." He said with a small smile, "My girlfriend."
"Girlfriend?" I gasped as I looked at the woman who was now awkwardly smiling at me. The magazine that was in her hand was now on the counter, it lay open on a decorating article.
"Yes dear." My dad said as he walked in, "I found a note from your mother a few weeks back. She wrote one for you too. I think she knew people were after her and that's how she wrote goodbye letters.
"But in that letter she wanted me - no begged me - to move on. To love again. I found love with Claire and I asked her to officially be my girlfriend a week ago." He smiled, the wrinkles near his dark brown eyes crinkled.
I sighed as more tears filled my eyes, "I'm so happy you're happy dad." I said as I pulled him into another hug, "But I don't know if I'm ready to call her mom yet." I added on a little quieter so Claire couldn't hear me.
My dad smiled, "She doesn't expect to replace your mother. Your mother is irreplaceable, she had a special space in my heart, as do you munchkin. I love you." He said and ruffled my hair.
"I love you too, dad."
Stepping into my old bedroom brought back many memories of my childhood. I hadn't exactly lived here as I had to live in the dorms the FBI provided for us. We didn't have much of a choice for our living space.
The walls were still a turquoise color with different exotic fish painted on. Pictures of me and my high school friends, primary school friends, of my family, of most events that went on in my life were documented by means of photographs which were evidence that would last forever.
The few stuffed animals I kept were sitting in a white fake straw box in the corner or my room near my vanity.
Now that I was semi sure I lost my job as an agent I was able to come back home and spend time with my father... and his girlfriend.
I was happy for him. I really was. I just couldn't stomach the thought that he was replacing mom. I knew he wasn't, I knew it was his right to move on and be happy with someone new but that was how I felt.
I turned around to my night stand and grabbed the picture of the four of us together. I had a row of metal braces and my sister had dyed her hair pink. She had always hated the red hair and eccentric blue eyes we blth had inherited from my mother. My mothers red hair was curly in the picture, her eyes bright and filled with happiness. Her neck was adorned by a jewel necklace my father had bought for her on the third year anniversary. My dad had a smile on, his brown hair brushed to the side his dark brown eyes twinkling in the light.
We all looked so happy. We looked so happy together. So very happy. Then we lost all that happiness in a short time span. Two people in this picture were now mere images on a wall, a mere memory and a mere thought. They weren't here and I hoped that they were a better place, that was the only thought that kept me going. That kept me on my feet.
I put the picture back into place and stared up at the ceiling. The glow-in-the-dark stars were still stuck on. As a child and a teenager, I had a crazy obsession with zodiac signs and the stars themselves. I found beauty in their midst.
I fell asleep with the thought of stars on my mind that night.
Hey Guys!
Sorry this one was a bit short but I wanted to put something up and I also thought the ending was rather appropriate too.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to click on the star below to vote and always leave your thoughts in the comments section 💖
Xoxo
Perla
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Reds' Mafia Leader ✔
रोमांस× Book One Of The Red Mafia Series × "I don't understand how you could do that to me. I trusted you." I whimpered. "That's your fault." "I hate you." "I don't care." He shrugged walking off leaving me alone to face everyone else alone. ××× On the v...
