Fighting For What's Missing

46.

Turning in my seat, attempting to get comfortable, I groan loudly. My body's sore and I'm fucking exhausted. Last night, I couldn't get what Lena said out of my mind, that whole shit not being Agnes' "legal" father was haunting. It kept me. I stayed up for half the night, tossing and turning in bed until I got up, wandered into Agnes' room, and settled down by her bedroom door. I had somehow fallen asleep-it must've been for an hour, if I'm lucky-but when I woke up, I thought Agnes was there.

"You look like shit," Robbie says.

I give him a thumbs up. "Thanks for the reminder. And watch your language, Agnes should be here any second."

My phone beeps, but I ignore it and sink to my seat. It beeps again. Then again. And Again.

"Jesus, Will, answer it," Robbie says, clearly annoyed. I open my eyes then roll them as I fish out my phone from my back pocket.

I read my screen... "It's...from you," I peer up at Robbie.

"I got my phone," he smiles, waving his phone at me.

"You didn't have it before?"

"I did, but every time I tried unlocking it, my fingers were...I dunno, numbed or something and it didn't work."

"Oh." I sit up.

"Anyway..." he pauses. "Look, I'm just going to say it, Agnes heard you last night, not everything, but..." he smiles at me. "Thank you for calling me her uncle. It meant a lot to me."

I had a feeling Agnes was listening, she loves to linger.

"More than me calling you my family and my little brother?" I ask, returning my attention to Robbie again.

"No! It's just...now Agnes has something to call me. And I want to thank you for that, for everything. I mean I was just an annoying kid following you around, and I'm sure all you wanted was to get rid of me, yet you didn't hesitate to ask me to go with you. Thank you," he says meaningfully.

I try to match his life-changing smile. I had no reason to invite him and he had no reason to come with me, but I did ask him and he did say yes. And he was right about hesitation because it just felt right.

"Yes, you were annoying, but even though I didn't know it at the time you did save me from beating Marcus." It was a few months ago, but I remember Marcus was talking shit about me working my ass off to provide Agnes with enough money to live her best life-I'm still working myself silly-and I, being the impulsive idiot that I am, almost beat him up. But somehow, Robbie stopped me. He didn't try though, that's the strange part. "With my history, I was already on probation. Beating him up, it would've cost me my license."

Robbie opens his mouth to speak when the door opens and Agnes runs in.

"Robbie," she runs to the bed but makes sure to keeps a distance. "How are you feeling?" She asks him then waved at me, excitedly. She practically vibrating with life.

"I'm fine, A." Robbie smiles at Agnes, a bright gleam in his eyes.

I rise to my feet. I'm halfway around the bed, moving towards Agnes when the door opens again, but this time to a woman, full-on panic in her features. Her eyes settle on Agnes and instantly she relaxes, her shoulders dropping. "Agnes, do not run away like that."

"And who are you?" I snarl.

She finally notices me standing there, and her eyes go wide again. But not from worry, but from shook. "I know you..."

I turn to Agnes. "Who is she?"

"She helps around at the group home," Agnes explains. "Lena wanted her to come instead of Ms. Spencer."

"Will," the little helper says. But the way she says my name is like she knows me. I snap my head at her, eyes narrowed. "I know you." She steps closer. "You're Julia's boyfriend."

Fuck.

"We're not together," I say. "We haven't been for months."

And then, staring at Little Helper pretty damn hard, I realize I've seen her before. It must've been almost two years ago when Julia had met some girl who was so innocent, she looked away whenever a couple would give each other a peck or covered her ears when someone ever said something dirty or mean. But every innocent girl secretly wants something bad, and that's where Julia came in. Little helper was looking for drugs, but being too much of a pussy, she stuck with alcohol. I talked to her a few times before, but I was so wasted that I'm not a hundred percent it was her or a chair.

"Who are you?" I ask her again.

"Gabriella. We met-"

"I know how." Or, more truthfully, I have more of an idea of it.

"Daddy." I glance over to see Agnes reaching for me. I step closer and pick her up.

Agnes
A few hours later...

Gabriella doesn't even try to hide the fact that she's can't take her eyes off daddy. It's sort of weird, not because he noticed too, but because after what happened with Gloria, I can't see daddy with anyone.

"Visiting hours are almost up," daddy says, getting up from his seat. He walks over to where I'm sitting on the bed and kisses the top of my head. "Are you alright?" I nod.

It took me three hours to sit on the bed. I was just so scared of hurting Robbie, I kept overthinking it and kept my distance. But when Robbie asked me to sit with him, I couldn't say no. Turns out the hospital bed is bigger than I thought.

"Here, you can have my ice cream," Robbie smiles, handing me his cup. It's really hot outside, and I don't hesitate to take it.

"Does it get creepy at night?" I ask him after taking a few spoons full.

He shrugs. "I keep the tv on all night. If it was bigger, I swear it would've been like staying at a hotel."

"With a broken leg," daddy mumbles.

"Agnes, we should go," Gabriella says.

I turn to her. "Can daddy do my hair before we go?"

"Um, sure."

Daddy's gotten so good at braiding hair that Robbie once asked him if he could do his hair. They looked so good on Robbie. At the time, Robbie's hair was a bit overgrown and was perfect for braiding, but now it's short, too short for daddy to braid.

Daddy does two Dutch braids on me and ties them at the end of my neck, letting the bottom of my hair run freely. When he finishes, as always, he kisses the top of my head.

"Agnes," Gabriella says softly. "We have to go."

"I'll walk you to your car," daddy rushes out.

"We Ubered here."

"What?" Daddy snaps. "You put my daughter in a Uber?!"

"Daddy," I say below a whisper. He is FURIOUS. And I know it's out of the kindness of his heart because he loves me, but it's sometimes scary to see him like this.

"I don't have a car, and the only vehicle the group home has is a 12-passenger van. It seemed unnecessary for just Agnes and me."

"Daddy," I try again, placing my hand on his trembling fist.

Shutting his eyes and inhaling deeply, daddy shuts his eyes. His body freezes. "Do not put my daughter in a Uber," he says to Gabriella with his eyes closed. "Next time, you call me."

Gabriella nods.

I squeeze daddy's fist and turn to Robbie. "Text you later?" I mouth to him. He smiles, nodding eagerly. "Okay. I love you, R."

"I love you too, A."