Seven Minutes in Heaven

I See the Light

"Jade are you sure about this?" Josh asked his sister. Jade sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I want to tell Tori how I feel but I feel like this is the first step to doing that," Jade replied leaning against the countertop. She had invited her dad over to talk. She wanted closure and she wanted to know how to not completely fuck it up. She didn't want to do that to Tori. She couldn't break Tori's heart again. It wasn't right.

"Jade I will say I am surprised you reached out to me," James West said after arriving at the home of his ex-wife and his children. Part of Jade was surprised that he showed up. James was notorious for making promises and not keeping them.

"It's purely business," Jade told him. "When did you stop loving mom?"

"What?" James asked her. "I didn't stop loving your mom. I just realized I wasn't right for her."

Jade contemplated that answer before speaking. "Do you still think I'm just like you?"

"Well yeah. You're stubborn, you're persistent and determined," James said. "Why do you ask?"

"I love a girl, dad and I'm scared I'm going to be just like you and ruin it," Jade admitted. "Everyone always tells me I'm just like you and I don't want it to be true."

"Jade I know we don't see eye to eye and I know I offended you when you first came out," James told her. "For that I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. If you're worried about ruining your relationship, that's up to you. Don't stress about what happened between your mother and me. You may be similar to me in many ways but you're also your own person. I admit I was selfish and I wasn't the best father but I'm working on it. I've started therapy and I'm trying to make the future better. I know I can't fix the past."

Jade gave him a small smile. That was the nicest thing he's said to her in years. Jade was willing to work with him on making a better future. She wasn't going to forgive him but she was willing to give him a chance. She thought about what he said. He was right, they were similar but at the end of the day, Jade was her own person. She wasn't going to make the same mistakes.

"So tell me about this girl?" James said with a smile on his face. "When can I meet her?"Jade smiled and started telling him everything she adored about Tori. James was happy that his daughter found someone. He regretted how he treated her in the past but at least now they could move forward.

At the end of the conversation, James surprised Jade by hugging her. Jade was taken by surprise. She wasn't used to people hugging her, especially not her dad. It had been years since her dad hugged her. Jade hugged him back and suddenly she felt like she was five years old again.

"Daddy I missed you," Five-year-old Jade said as she heard the door open. Her dad was finally back after what seemed like ages to the young child.

"Hi princess I missed you too," James said picking up Jade and hugging her tight.

"You're my favorite person daddy," Jade said.

"I hope it always stays that way," James told her.

Jade smiled thinking about the memory. Things finally felt okay with her dad. This was the most bonding they had done in years. It felt good and Jade would even say she loved it. She missed her dad. She needed him back in her life. She wouldn't have dared admit that a few days ago but now things were different. Everything felt right in the world again and Jade knew she was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.

"I'm not mad, just slightly disappointed," Trina told Tori. Tori had just admitted that she broke curfew the night prior and hung out with Jade. Tori hadn't planned on telling Trina anything but Tori had stupidly fallen asleep in Jade's hoodie. Trina was able to tell that it was Jade's because she knew her sister didn't listen to Paramore and that's who was featured on the hoodie. "You don't want to get hurt again."