His Mission

The family wedding.

"Emily? Are you awake?" Mom calls out from behind my bedroom door. I groan before burying my face in my pillow. I'd finally managed to fall asleep, and now I'm being woken to attend a family wedding. I have no desire to go. I don't want to play happy families with Mom and Trevor. We couldn't be further away from the picturesque perfect family if we tried. I can feel Mom's presence lingering behind my bedroom door before her footsteps begin to retreat. "We're leaving in thirty minutes!" Mom yells.

I flip my finger at the door before muttering under my breath. "Screw you." I know she can't see me, but I earn a sense of satisfaction from doing it anyway. I check my phone to find Trish questioning me over my weird encounter with Jake in the cafeteria. She's been desperate to know all of the juicy gossip, but I have no idea what to tell her. I bite down on my bottom lip when I think about him. How is he spending his Saturday morning? According to the rumors surrounding him, he's probably out doing something illegal.

My gaze lands on the pale blue dress hanging up on the front of my wardrobe. I'd purchased it after school yesterday before using the leftover money to buy myself three buckets of ice cream. I deserve it. The thought of seeing my extended family causes nerves to bubble inside of me. I haven't seen anyone since my father died. Life became incredibly lonely, and it's remained like that for a long time.

I slowly climb out of bed before beginning the process of getting ready for the wedding. Once I'm done, I grab my phone off my bed and tuck it into a small white shoulder bag. I slip on a pair of low wedge heels before exhaling a deep breath. I'm going to need to demonstrate patience and ignorance if I have any chance of getting through the wedding.

*

The wedding ceremony is incredibly boring. I greet aunts, uncles and cousins I didn't even know existed. The vows seem to drag on forever. I feel a wave of exhaustion wash over me, and my eyes begin to flutter closed. A sharp jab to my ribs causes me to sit up straight. I spin my head around to glare at Trevor. His dark eyes burn holes through me, and I know he's silently threatening me to behave. I release a sigh before sitting up straighter to please him. He's dressed in a navy suit, and he looks like he's ready to pop out of the material. The collar is too tight on him, but he insisted on wearing a suit that matched the color of Mom's dress.

Aunt Mandy looks beautiful in a crisp white floor length wedding dress. I smile when I watch her recite her vows for her husband. She looks exactly as I remember her as a child. A fond memory of my grandparents and Aunt Mandy spring to mind. I hold my breath before turning around to search for my grandfather. He's the man I love and adored the most after my father. I haven't seen him in so long, and I'm ashamed to say I don't even know if he's still alive. My search for him is quickly put to an end when Trevor jabs me in the ribs for a second time. I hiss with discomfort when his elbow digs into a tender bruise.

"Sit up straight and look ahead!" Trevor hisses at me. I clench my jaw with frustration before doing as he says. I'll have to look for my grandfather after the ceremony is over.

I'm watching everybody dance, drink and celebrate the newly wed couple. I don't feel like celebrating so I take a seat in the far back, hidden away from everybody in the shadows. I'm scrolling through my phone when I notice a dark shadow from the corner of my eye. My heart instantly thuds faster with fear until I hear a familiar voice.

"Emily? Is that you?"

I spin around at the sound of my name, and my eyes connect with my favorite person ever.

"Grandpa!" I yell out with joy. I immediately lunge out of my chair and throw myself at him. My eyes fill with tears of relief as he embraces me tightly. I bury my face into his chest and notice he smells exactly the same as I remember him. He chuckles quietly before running a hand over the back of my hair. The loving action catches me off guard, and I suddenly begin bawling my eyes out. Years of pent up emotions come flooding out of me, and I pull back with an embarrassed look on my face. His crisp white shirt is stained with my makeup, but he doesn't seem to care. Grandpa is much older than I remember him, and he's lost a couple of inches in height. He takes hold of my hands before looking right at me.

His own eyes mirror mine. We're both happy to be reunited but heartbroken for all of the time we've missed.

"Wow, look at you. You're so grown now, Elly." Grandpa smiles with a deep sadness filling his eyes. I haven't heard his nickname for me since before my father died. I release a bittersweet laugh before dabbing at my eyes. I gently squeeze his hand before guiding him toward a set of chairs. We both take a seat beside each other, and I release a shaky breath of emotion.

"I've missed you. It's been so long." I whisper while fighting back tears. Grandpa nods his head in agreement before running his hand back and forth over mine.

"I asked to see you, but your Mom..." His voice drifts off sadly. His eyes flicker over to Trevor who's dancing drunkenly with Mom on the dancefloor. I feel a ball of anger growing in the pit of my stomach. I knew Trevor would be the reason Mom kept me away from my family. I believe she feared I'd accidentally tell them about Trevor. Now that I'm older, she doesn't need to worry about me keeping her dirty secret.

"Everything is going to be okay, Elly. I'll make sure of it," Grandpa tells me with a distant look in his eyes. I hold onto his words because he's my only hope of having a loving family. I spent the rest of the wedding glued to my Grandpa's side. We speak of my father, my childhood memories and my sweet Grandma. The trip down memory lane sparks a new breath of life inside me. If anything positive came from playing happy families with Mom and Trevor, it's rekindling my relationship with Pops. He silently handed me his phone at the end of the night, and I inputted my number into his contacts. I won't allow Mom or Trevor to take him away from me for a second time.

"Can I ask you something, Pops?" I ask him quietly just before I have to say goodbye to him. He nods his head before shuffling closer to me. I lower my voice in case Trevor or Mom overhear my request.

"Do you think I could come live with you when I turn eighteen?" I whisper in a trembling voice. I'm terrified of being rejected by him, but I shouldn't have worried. Grandpa doesn't hesitate with his answer. He nods his head repeatedly before pressing a firm kiss to my cheeks. "I would love that, Elly." Grandpa says with a knowing tone to his voice. My heart fills with light and hope for the first time in a long time. Saying goodbye to him is painful, but I know my relationship with him is only just rekindling.

*

I'm changing out of my dress when I catch sight of my body. Ugly dark bruises stare back at me. Old bruises and new bruises stain my skin. My eyes fill with tears, but I take deep breaths to blink them away. The pain inside my body doesn't appear to be healing which concerns me. My body is a portfolio of Trevor's work, and the sight of it repulses me. I can't remember the last time I looked at my body and thought positively about it. I should love my appearance, but I don't. When I look into the reflection of my eyes, I see a broken girl who isn't strong enough to stand up for herself.

I quickly change into pajamas before sitting cross legged on top of my bed. It's a Saturday night, and I should be out having a good time with friends. I'm never allowed to leave the house unless it's for school, or if I'm with Mom.

I reach for my cell phone before calling Trish.

"Hello?" She giggles on the other end while sounding breathless.

"Trish? Are you okay?"

She giggles again, and I faintly hear a male voice in the background instructing her to hang up. I gasp with realization — "Trisha Louise Lockwood, do you have a boy with you? You naughty minx."

I say goodbye to her before ending the phone call. The smile is quickly wiped from my face when I realize I'm missing out on first time experiences like everyone else my age. I should be out there, partying and making out with people I'm attracted to. My life feels boring and mundane compared to everyone around me. I drop back against my pillows before releasing a deep sigh. I dream of a life with freedom, laughter and fun.

Before I know it, I'm going to be the oldest virgin alive with nothing but animals to keep me company.