She would persevere

chapter 9

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Maybe we're a little different
There's no need to be ashamed
You've got the light to fight the shadows
So stop hiding it away

After being locked up for a week, I was finally allowed to go back to my apartment. The detectives had come by a few days ago with the news that Candace was arrested and was awaiting the trial that would surely come soon. But until that moment, I was free to go and do as I please.

Ezekiel had not left my side the entire week. Even though his fellow had already gone back to L.A. Ezekiel stayed with me and got some extra days off until he knew what he was going to do. I wondered whether or not he was staying in Miami or would go back to L.A.

I wouldn't mind if he stayed. We had grown close again over the last week.

He even grew close to maman. I loved it all.

Getting out of the hospital room was amazing, except for one thing.

"I got shot in the stomach, I am not invalid." I stated.

"And in the chest, don't argue with me Cherie, get in the chair. Maintenant!" Maman argued.

After grumbling I got in the wheelchair knowing I wouldn't win the argument.

Signing out of the hospital and giving Nurse Joan a big juicy hug, we got in the car and maman started driving.

Aubrey and I were chatting and laughing in the backseat as if the things that transpired over the last week were but distant old memories.

We were laughing so hard that I didn't see it at first. It wasn't until maman turned off the car that I looked up and outside.

I was shocked, wide eyed, frozen.

In front of me was my entire class. With drinks, flowers and treats.

But it wasn't that that made me freeze.

It was the sign on the building.

WELCOME HOME NORTH!

Home. I never thought of it after that night. Never dared to call a place home again. To me this was my apartment. A place I came back to everyday. A place I could stay in a whole week without leaving and still feel as comfortable. Home.

This place. This City had become my home, without me even realizing it.

I sported a big smile on my face as I walked up to everyone shouting. "HONEY! I'M HOME!"

That felt so good.

A few hours later, Mr Parker and Gerald, our portier and one of the residents, set up the bbq. Everyone started making food, pouring drinks and putting on music whilst talking and laughing. All this was for me. All of this was done for me. I started getting emotional and Kiel could see it.

"Why don't we go inside so you can get cleaned up and put some other clothes on." I nodded and told others I would be right back.

Taking Kiel's hand, I dragged him up to my apartment, my home. Luckily maman had another key as the last time I left via de fire escape.

Opening up my door and going in, I saw that maman had cleaned. Thank you!

"Welcome to my home."

Kiel looked around with big eyes and a smile.

"This place is amazing. And so you! How long have you lived here?"

"Ever since I came to Miami three and a half years ago."

Kiel looked back at me. "Why did you never come back to us?"

"I did." I looked at him and gestured to the couch. "The first place I went to was L.A. I took a bus all the way from Candace's house to yours. I arrived the night of my birthday. But then I saw you all happy and laughing while celebrating Adaline's thirteenth and it just made me feel like an outsider.

You weren't there that night, but everyone else was. I simply felt like I didn't want to disturb the happy bubble everyone was in, so I left. My mind also reminded me of the phone call I had with our father when I was ten, so I figured I should start fresh. Where were you that night actually?"

"I always worked on your birthdays, because it didn't sit right with me to celebrate addie's but not yours. What kind of conversation did you have with dad?"

"It was my tenth birthday. I called him up crying, because I wanted to go home. I knew Uncle Tommy was going to be coming over. He was already downstairs when I called. I begged him to pick me up, but instead he told me that as long as I didn't learn my lesson, I was not going anywhere. But he wasn't really paying a lot of attention on the phone. I felt like he didn't care that I was crying, that I felt scared. And he completely ignored me as soon as Adaline came into his view. He just hung up on me."

We sat there in silence for a few minutes. Simply just appreciating each other's presence. I didn't need Kiel to say something to what I had just told him. I didn't need him to justify our dad's actions or to tell me his own thoughts on the matter. Simply having him here was enough.

"I should go and change as well. I'll come back later for the food and stuff and maybe we can have a longer chat."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to my hotel room."

"Why not stay here? If you want, I have enough room. There are four spare bedrooms that you can use."

"I would love to stay here with you, thanks." He said whilst smiling at me. "By the way, How do you afford such a big apartment? This place is huge, and must cost a lot."

I started laughing at his question.

"Well, as intelligent as I am," I said whilst flipping my hair. "I started buying and selling stock at the tender age of nine. Right after I learned how the internet worked. And now-a-days I do some simple administration or slight hacking for different mafia's." I said smugly. Yes, I had been hired by different mafia's over the years to search for people or to check their accounting books for a simple fee. With my memory span being on overdrive compared to others, I could do it in a few hours where others would take weeks to do.

Kiel slightly choked on his own breath. "Maf-Mafias?"

"Yes, Kiel. Mafias. Like our own family is. I just never accepted a job from  our own mafia. I mostly do some laid back stuff for the Russians, Americans and Greeks."

"So you know about our family business?"

"Yeah. Don't tell any of them about it. They would automatically think I would do their shit with a family discount. I don't do discounts." We laughed at this notion.

"Why don't we freshen up, there is still a party downstairs in your honor."

"Perfect idea!" I beamed at him.

A good old fashion BBQ is something you might just need sometimes, you know.
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Till next time,

Love Sarah