One More Fight [EDITING]

20: ADELAIDE

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There's always been one word to describe Harrison even after he left for Australia at eighteen, and that's reliable. No matter what the hell was going on, I always knew if I phoned, called him on FaceTime, or whatever, he would pick up. Once, he didn't answer because he got rushed into the hospital. But I knew something wasn't right because he always picks up. I suppose it has something to do with us being in tandem all the time; I know what the time is there and what he's doing and when, and vice versa.

The fact he hasn't picked up since I got out of the bank is worrying me. I've tried his neighbours and friends, but everyone says he's not at work or anything. The last I heard was Tom, his neighbour, said he was going travelling and asked him to keep an eye on his house, but he didn't know what or where. It's bugging the fuck out of me because I need him right now.

My dad pulls up outside my house, and immediately I shrink back in his car.

"I'm here, Pumpkin, okay? If you want me to come in and stay with you, I will," Dad says. He runs a hand through his greying hair. "After everything with Sophia, and now this... you're bound to be scared—"

"I'm not scared," I whisper.

"It's okay to admit it, too." He grabs my hand and he kisses the back, just like he used to. He did this exact thing when I told him I was bisexual, when I brought Sophia home, and when she died.

I sigh. "Okay... honestly, I just... don't want to be on my own. The image of the guy dying... it's just on a loop in my head, and I just... Dad... I'm scared. It was Fletcher's brother. He did all that because of me—" A sob stops me from saying anything more.

My dad undoes his seatbelt, turns off the car, and leans into me for a hug. "Don't do that, do you hear me? Adelaide... you made some pretty bad choices in the past, but did Fletcher and so did Sam. Everyone on this planet makes mistakes, you hear me? I made mistakes, and so did your mother. Everyone does."

Tears fall from my eyes and into his jacket.

"Dad... I did this. My choices led to this."

He leans back and moves my chin until I'm looking at him in the eyes. "Adelaide Barnes... I did not raise a bad woman. Did you hold up that bank? Steal money, kill someone or traumatise those people in there?"

"No."

"So you're not the one who did this. Sam Ward did this, no one else."

I stay silent. "You must be so ashamed of me, after everything I told the police in there." Dad stayed with me during my interview as, with the medical shock they diagnosed me with, I was allowed an appropriate 'adult' with me, despite me being an adult, plus he knows about the law working with it, so it worked on all kinds of levels.