The Love of Ace

Chapter 19

Madeline Love

As December drew in I'd never felt more lost. People had been packing up his house in preparation and my window was closing.

The trip to Italy was coming and I hadn't packed a thing. I stated how I was staying in New York, my life was in the states and he didn't argue, but he didn't listen either.

Thanksgiving went weirdly well. I hated how everyone just morphed into him, they all liked him. My mother even told me she approved but dad had minimal words. He hated my dad, but I don't blame him at all.

Dad sucked

He sucked when we got there, he sucked through the duration of the holiday and when I left he didn't even say goodbye. On the way home Ace told me not to apologize but that was the only thing I knew to do.

But now I sat in the room designated as my own a week and a half later with a black suitcase I could fit my whole body into beside me waiting to be filled.

A knock came at the door and then it opened to him. He came in with a matching black suitcase rolling in placing it by the door "packed your bag we're leaving soon" I looked at it and then back to the one beside me

"But-"

"I just bought you new clothes if you're going to be so defiant about this. It's just for a week and the move will be later, it's my mothers birthday you will be on your best behavior with my family" he dragged me out of bed standing me straight

"You need to eat" he stared at me as I stood slender and feeble "you haven't been coming down for meals"

"I'm not hungry, I'm caged in this house and lack of vitamin D is making me sick" he turned my body towards the shower

"Shower before I do it for you, you can eat breakfast on the way to the airport" the airport was what I feared, mostly security detectors

"I'll send Gwenyth in to check in before we head out to make sure your really getting ready" he left the room shutting the door and I walked into the shower

I scrubbed my soul out. I was nervous for the flight, I've only flown once before. We never traveled but my mom never allowed me to go on planes, only once and that was enough.

I was never allowed to do sports besides track. Nothing fun or 'aggressive' she was so protective over me. But I don't blame her, when you have a sick kid you have to be.

I couldn't get on a plane, I was trained to be scared and wary of them. Nobody ever told us I couldn't go on a plane

FLASHBACK

My eyes opened to a bright light above me that burned my eyelids. I didn't know why I was here but the echoes of Sloan frantic in the corner filled my ears. She seemed scared for me in a way I recognized, in a way my mom once was

Opening my eyes slowly I looked to see the IV in my arm, oxygen strapped to me and machines attached to my chest. Then I knew where I was, the hospital. The place that held the hardest moments of my childhood. I wasn't going to die the doctors assured, only if I took care of myself

But I let finals and the stress of life carry me whole "Lila!" She noticed my conscientiousness and came to me squeezing my hand.