Here To Stay

Chapter Fourteen

Heyyy,
Remember to VOTE and COMMENT!

Happy Reading :D

Love,
Sam

-x-

Leah

Several thoughts ran in my head as I finally moved to the sitting area, where the guys and Charlie had already settled. Firstly, Zach. Why did I tell him anything I did?

We did not talk. We were not friends. I did not like him because of what he did to Sandra and the twins. But-

Don't judge my decisions when you have no idea about the options I had.

I could not get what he said out of my head. What did he mean by that? There was also this part where I suddenly knew things about his life anyone probably would prefer to hold off from a perfect stranger, only because of his connection to Sandra.

I knew he left his siblings without notice a year and a half back. I knew the siblings did not share a good relationship with their parents and had lived in Asheville most of their lives. However, the details of that relationship are still not fully known to me.

I also knew he was everything to Sandra and the twins. He still is. No matter how much that 16-year-old tried to show she did not miss her older brother, her expressions revealed everything any time he was brought up. Maybe that was why it felt right to tell him about my relationship with the Martins. Not that it was a secret. My full name is Leah Martins, for one thing.

Then, there were my parents. Olivia and David Martins.

The last time I saw them was six months ago when everything changed. And now, suddenly I was supposed to show up for Thanksgiving dinner and play nice. My eyes travelled towards the wall across the entrance. A bunch of frames of all sizes hung on the wall. In the centre was a photo of a young couple on their wedding day, a little girl in the groom's hand as the bride cradled her baby bump. 

Olivia wore a simple white maxi dress with open curly chocolate brown hair as she was captured mid-laugh looking at the baby girl, or Charlie, in David's arms. He looked at his newlywed wife in adoration. I stole a glance at the pair standing in the kitchen, aged from that day. What was their story, I wondered. All I knew was that they married in court when they were nineteen. And no family member showed up.

Around this frame were others with Olivia and David at prom, younger photos of Charlie and them. One was from two years back - Charlie hugging me as I entered the Yellow Brick House for the first time. The three of them used to live there before I had to move in with Charlie. I recalled feeling overwhelmed that day. It was the second time I met my biological parents, the first being when they came to my foster parents' house to meet me.

My mind raised a question – what was their fault for what happened seven months ago?

Just as my eyes flickered to a photo taken in the hospital with a newborn, Mom – sorry, Olivia – called. "Dinner is ready! Come on kids!"

We got up and gathered around the kitchen counter to help carry the dishes and plates.

"Wait a second," David stopped us before we could move to the six-seating dinner table. "Since we don't have a proper seating space, Olivia and I set up something on the balcony. So off we go there."

"This is amazing," Cam said, stepping into the fresh air.

"Damn, I want a big balcony too," Charlie muttered.

In front of us, the area was covered with a picnic blanket for us to sit comfortably and put the hundreds of dishes between us. And then there were the fairy lights and Bluetooth speaker.