This Town

TWM- 4

Nia's POV
"Dad? Eli? Derek?" I shout as the front door opens.

Talia is back in my bed, fast asleep it's late.

I rush to the door where only Eli and dad is.

Where's Derek?

"Where's Derek?" I ask as I hug them both individually.

Eli looks from my dad to me shaking his head.

"What is it? Where is he?" I ask.

"He didn't make it, Nia." Dad tells me.

I scoff, how many times has he done this to me? To bloody many.

"Yeah whatever." I shake my head as I head into the kitchen to make them something to eat.

"Mom?" Eli cries as he comes into the kitchen.

"Hey, it's okay." I tell him as I wrap him in a hug.

Derek isn't dead. He can't be.

The one time I genuinely need him so he's not dying, not this time.

I'm not raising two werewolves on my own, how do I do that? I need Derek.

"He went up in flames." Eli says and I shake my head.

No he's not dead.

"It's okay." I say leading him back into the living room.

"Nia please listen." Dad says and I scoff.

"I'm listening. I just don't believe it." I say.

Eli's sobs were heartbreaking and I just hated it.

"Mom?" Talia comes down stairs rubbing her eyes.

"Eli!" She rushes over and hugs him and then grandpa.

"Where's daddy?" She asks as she sits with Eli and wipes his tears.

Dad looks at me and gives me a stern look that says 'tell her'.

From the looks dads been sending me and Eli's sobs I know they can't be lying.

I should tell her and get it out of the way? But is it fair to do that whilst I'm in denial?

"Come here Talibear." I nearly choke on the word. What started as a nickname for Derek spread through the family and now he's dead.

"Daddy was in a fire and unfortunately..." I look from dad to Eli. Dad gives me an encouraging nod.

"Daddy isn't going to make it. He passed away. He's sleeping forever." I tell her and she begins to cry.
****
"I know baby, I know." I stroke her hair as she cries into my chest.

She just cries and cries and cries until she falls asleep. We're lying in my old bed, in my old bedroom and I hold her to my chest as she sobbed about the death of her father.

Eli is the same age I was when I lost my mother. So I know exactly what he's going through.

The second I told Talia about Derek he shut up and hadn't cried since and it breaks my heart.

He saw the death of his father, he's allowed to feel whatever emotion passes through him.

Talia snores lightly against my chest.

The door creaks open and Eli steps in.

"Mom?" He whispers.

"I'm awake. I'm just staying with her." I tell him.

I crane my neck to him and once I do he starts to cry again.

My baby.

"Come here." I say turning on to my back and letting Talia fall onto my stomach.