Nightmare

Chapter 40

..Ruths POV..

"We're here" the taxi driver announces, I look out the window and see little Amber standing outside with a sign that reads 'Welcome Blake and Auntie Ruth!!" with hearts, flowers, and cars drawn on it. I smile looking at her, "thank you" I hear Blake tell the driver before handing him a ten-dollar bill.

I open the taxi door and Amber starts jumping with excitement, her little self runs down the steps and tackles me into a hug. "Auntie you're here!!" she shouts.

I close the car door before picking her up, "god kiddo I've missed you" I tell her. I spin her around in my arms kissing the side of her head repeatedly."How are you kiddo?" I ask her while placing her down so I could help Blake with the suitcases. "I'm okay, I miss mommy" I hear Amber say. I place my suitcase on the sidewalk and kneel down placing my hands on Amber's shoulders.

"I do to baby, but you know what. She's still here, mommy's right by your side watching over her beautiful baby" I whisper in a soft voice, Amber smiles before running to Blake. He picks her up and they both laugh.
"Hey Kevin" I say while grabbing my suitcase. Kevin was Jenna's husband, they were married for four years but then got divorced.

He's been taking care of Amber since Jenna passed away. "Hi Ruth, how are you holding up?" he asks while placing a hand on my shoulder."I'm hanging in there, how about you?" I ask him, "hanging in there as well" he says, "Come on let's go inside I want you to see my room!" Amber shouts with excitement as she grabs my pinky and starts leading me inside.

I'm upstairs with Amber, and Blake is downstairs with Kevin. "I drew this for you" Amber says before handing me a paper. I turn the paper around and see it's a drawing with four stick figures, "that's mom, you, me, Blake, and Milo right there" she says while pointing to a cute drawing of a cat right below my feet.

"This is adorable Amber, thank you" I say before picking her up and sitting her on my lap. "kiddo does your dad take good care of you?" I ask Amber, I don't really trust Kevin. You can say he looks like a good man but in reality, he really isn't.

"Dad's barely home so Susana takes care of me" I look at Amber with a questioning look, "who's Susana?" I ask her. "My nanny, she's really nice" Amber says while playing with her doll. I don't say anything after that, "Hey" I look up and see Blake standing by the door. "Hi" I say with a smile.

Amber gets off my lap and walks towards her dollhouse. "Hey, you okay?" I meet Blake's gaze and he looks concerned, "yeah I'm okay" I tell him, and he nods before giving my hand a squeeze. "So Amber what do you want to do today?" I hear Blake ask, I don't pay attention to their conversation and instead question myself why does Amber have a nanny? Why is Kevin rarely home?

I walk down the hall and see Kevin in the kitchen, "do you miss her?" I ask out of nowhere, he turns around a bit startled by my appearance. "Who?" he asks, "Jenna" I tell him, "Yeah I miss her" he says, I look at him, but he turns around and opens the cabinet door.

"Does Amber talk about her?" I ask him, I also want to ask him Are you there for Amber when she misses her mom? But I don't say it because I feel like it'll be rude of me. "She does talk about Jenna, misses her dearly" Kevin says pouring some lemonade into two cups.

Where do you go? Why aren't you with your little girl? You're supposed to be home taking care of her! Not leave some stranger with her! I wish I could also tell him this. But again I don't, maybe he's not here because of work. "Ruth?" I snap out of my thoughts, I take the cup he's holding out for me and take a sip.

"Blake and I are gonna take Amber out, is that okay?" I ask him, and he nods "yeah, she could use some time away from home" he says, what does that mean? Does he not take her out? Spend time with his daughter? I place the cup down and walk away, I'm walking down the hall when I stop in front of her room.

Jenna's room, my aunt's room, the woman who was more like a mother to me than my own so-called mother. I hesitate before opening the door, and the scent of roses hits my nose. It smells like her, the smell of her favorite rose perfumes still flowing around in the air.

I step inside and close the door behind me, I walk further into the room and see books on a wooden bookshelf, and paintings hanging on the wall. There's a painting of Amber, Jenna loved painting. She once told me it was the only way she could express how she felt, I sit on the edge of her bed and see a picture in a frame placed on her bedside table.

It's a picture of Amber, Jenna, and me on Christmas morning. I turn the picture around and see her writing "I love my two beautiful girls" tears prickling the rim of my eye. "I miss you Jenna.." I whisper, I place the picture back down and look up hoping the tears will go away.

I don't want to cry, I really don't want to. I sit there trying to hold myself together but I break, I'm not strong enough to keep myself together. I jump a bit startled when someone pulls me into their chest, It's Blake, I recognize his cologne scent when I breathe in. "It's okay baby, I got you" I hear him whisper near my ear.

I hug him tighter, I just need someone to hold me, and he's the only person I feel safe with. After I'm calmed down, I wipe my face and look at Blake. "You okay?" he asks, I nod slightly with half a smile on my face.

He intertwines our fingers and I feel better now, "Did Amber tell you what she wants to do?" I ask, "yeah, that kid wants to do so much today" he says before a chuckle escapes his lips.

"What does she want to do?" I ask him, "well first she wants to eat at her favorite pizza place, then go shopping for princess dresses and tiaras, then get ice cream and go to her favorite park so she can feed the ducks in the pond, and finally, she wants to come home watch a Disney movie while eating popcorns"

I stand up still holding Blake's hand, "well let's go do that" I tell him he smiles up at me before standing up. We walk out of Jenna's room and make our way to Amber's room.

~*~

Im so sorry for taking extremely long with updating this story. I say im going to update but I forget and im truly sorry. I hope you all liked/enjoyed this chapter.

I will start writing the next two or so chapters so I can update soon. I love you all take care 🫶