I Know You ~ J.Seresin

26

"Welcome back home!" Their mother says as she opens the door to her children smiling. "We've missed you," she says extending her arms and bringing them in for a huge hug. Tate and Bradley both laugh as they hug her back.

"You saw us not too long ago," Tate says giggling as they all let go. Her mother smacks her lips as the two walks into the house.

"That doesn't mean that I still can't miss my babies,"

"My sweetheart!" Tom says smiling as he stands from the couch at the sight of Tate and Bradley.

Tom's cancer had been mildly cured. It wasn't entirely gone but was treated to the point where he could finally speak again.

He went to appointments regularly to just keep an eye on it, in case it came back.

"Awe dad it's nice to hear you say that again," Tate says smiling as she enters the living room. Tom swats his hand at his daughter and opens his arms.

"I was talking to Brad," He says bringing in the mustache man standing next to her. Tate's mouth drops with shock at her father's words, but there's a slight smile on her face.

Tom looks over at his daughter's playfully hurt face as he lets go of his son. "Oh I'm kidding," he says bringing her in for a hug.

Tate was so relieved that she could hear her father's voice once again. Knowing that there was a way to keep cancer at bay sat right with her.

Sure it scared the ever-living crap outta her at the thought of her dad possibly getting it again. But, it was nice to hear his voice and to know that he was no longer in any pain.

It was the best present she and Bradley could've asked for.

"Come sit, I want you to tell us all about how Bradley nearly beat the shit out of that punk of a boyfriend you were with," Tom says as he sits back down on the couch. Tate frowns as the two sit.

"How do you know about that?" she asks confused. Their mother sits next to their father and smiles.

"Honey, Bradley tells us everything when you stop talking to us,"

Tate frowns as she looks over at Bradley sitting on the opposite side of her. He raises his hands in defense. "Look, you ignored everyone when you were with him,"

Bradley wasn't wrong.

She did ignore everyone. Her family, her friends, and herself. Tyler was so in control of her, she had lost all connection to everything. It didn't last long thankfully.

Tate didn't ignore her family when she was with Jake. He let her have time to talk to her mother and text her father. Jake never wanted to take her away from her family or her friends.

She had made the decision on her own to spend her time with Jake, yet she always had time for everyone else.

Jake let her breathe while Tyler suffocated her.

Bradley always kept their parents updated. If Tate wasn't going to talk to them, he might as well let them know that she is okay. And that she's out being a dumbass.

"Just fell off the face of the earth, didn't bother to call or text us anymore," Her mother says as she looks at her daughter. Tate purses her lips as she focuses her stare on the coffee table.

"We know how he was though, and we're really proud that you were able to get yourself away from that situation,"

Tate didn't see it as a big deal. It wasn't like Tyler was hurting her physically.