Never Ending Change

Chapter 43

Sorry for uploading late. Hope you likey it :)

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Chapter forty-three

 I walked back into the room and sat on the bed. “What did he want to talk to you about?” dad asked.

“Nothing,” I mumbled and looked in front. The children movie was still going on.

“He said he wanted to talk privately. I think I would like to know why he wanted to talk to you in private,” dad stated. So he was bothered about me being alone with Benjamin.

“It’s a secret. He made me promise him that it would stay between me and him. I'm not going to break that promise. Drop it!” I told him. I promised Ben I wouldn't tell dad and I'm not going to break that promise.

“Shh!” Shania exclaimed and continued to stare at the screen. That must be a really good movie.

He sighed in defeat, "all right," he said.

After watching him flip over 12 channels in a minute I asked, “Dad? How long are we going to be here for?”

“For however long you want, till your school begins,” dad whispered to me. He smiled at me. It was a reassuring smile telling me that he would take care of things. I didn't want him to take care of me all the time. I'm 18, I can take care of myself. Well... except if I get kidnapped.

“Can we leave tomorrow?” I asked him. I didn’t want to waste away all his hard-earned money on a hotel room.

“Tomorrow?” he asked shocked.

“Yeah tomorrow. Maybe in the night,” I suggested, “okay, maybe not in the night.”

“Tomorrow afternoon?” he asked.

I shook my head, “no, not that soon. Maybe, it might be too late but tomorrow is too early. It's dangerous at night," I blabbered.

He sighed, "Stacey, do you want to go back home? You still have your fear."

Shaking off all of my instincts I said, "yes, we can't stay here forever we can leave in two days, in the afternoon.”

“Are you sure?” dad asked.

“I’m kinda sure,” I said and looked at my hands. I rested my head on his shoulders.

Shane punched my ankle to get my attention. I looked at him confused. "I'm watchin movie, don't talk," he yelled and turned back to look at the screen.

I'm trying to be strong. I'm trying to be the same independent person I was before. I'm trying to be the girl that Ben wants me to be. But I don't think I would feel safe anytime soon. I wouldn't be able to protect the twins if I couldn't protect myself. I've failed.

Dad quickly hugged me and said, "it's okay." He said that soothingly, as if he was talking to a little girl who just had a nightmare. “Okay, I’ll let the hotel manager know tomorrow,” dad smiled. I nodded.

“Dad? Does mom know we got kidnapped?” I asked him. I hope mom doesn’t find out. If she did, she might resort to drugs again and that’s not something we want right now.

“No, she won’t find out about it either,” dad stated firmly.

“How come?” I asked confused.

“Because, I’m not gonna tell her and neither are you. Got it?”

I nodded. “I hope someone else doesn’t tell her,” I prayed.

“Me too, princess. I hope you don’t hate me.”

“Why should I hate you?”

“I’m the reason why you’re traumatised,” dad said with guilt.

“I could never hate you, dad,” I smiled and hugged him.

“Thank you,” he said and kissed my cheek.

"I don't want to live here at all, but I have no choice, do I?" I asked, my voice sounded a bit hoarse.

"Not right now you don't. But I'll tell you what, why don't you graduate from school, you only have 1 month left of it anyway, and then we leave this place?" Dad suggested.

"Y-you mean, move away from here?" I asked confused. He nodded. "I guess that wouldn't be too bad," I shrugged.

"I'll look for some new projects as soon as we check out of this hotel. I forgot to bring my laptop while rushing," he said.

I smiled. "I'm going to go to sleep," I told him.

"All right, princess, sweet dreams," he smiled and patted my head as I lay myself to sleep.

I smiled and closed my eyes.

I wasn't really sleepy, I just needed some time to think. My eyes being closed was the best way to think to myself. I liked discussing with myself about what I was feeling. It was a personal therapy. Maybe this personal therapy might help me get over my harpaxophobia.

And then during all my thinking, I fell asleep.

It had been 3 days since we were living in the hotel and I decided that we should leave the hotel. As much as I didn't want to go home, the guilt of the amount of money dad was spending on the hotel per day got to me.

"All set?" Dad asked.

"Yes, dad," I replied and pulled the zip on my suitcase, closing it.

"Why are we goin’, dada?" Shania asked dad.

"We're going back home. Our mini vacation is over. Dada has work to do and he cannot do it here," dad explained to her. She still looked confused.

"Don't you miss your toys?" I asked her.

She thought about it for a while, her brown eyes looked up in thought. She looked back at me and exclaimed, "Yesh! Frankie left his comb at home!"

"I bet Frankie misses it a lot! We should leave then," I told her. She nodded.

"Should we leave now?" Dad asked me.

I pushed back the little voice in my head that kept warning me about the dangers in our house and said, "Let’s go. You can't work from here."

"That's the spirit!" He said and walked out of the room.

The bell boy put our bags on a golden trolley and he left the room too. Shania and Shane rushed out of the room too. I guess that just leaves me. I took careful steps and walked out of the room. Leaving this hotel is good, dad won't be that affected and I would get to see Benjamin again! I hope Ben will be happy when he sees me.

"What are you smiling insanely about?" Dad asked confused.

"No one," I quickly said.

"Okay," he chuckled. He took my hand and gently walked me down to the lobby. I took a look at his face. His eyes were creased with tension. Was I partly causing it?

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I almost wrote a plot twist in there. Did anyone notice? ;)