For Better or for Worse

Chapter 4: Grey Skies Onward

Hey Guys, TheMangoMoocher here.. We are so sorry that we haven't updated.. Due to schoolwork and exams so yeah.. The good news is we have our sembreak which is three weeks. So we can update!!... Anyways here'e a new chapter hope you like it and ENJOY

Night time fell as the McCarthy family settled in their living room; Hadley sat next to her grandmother Andrea, her face gloomy and down. Her grandma had given her a bath after they had gone back. Even though she had said nothing after the accident her grandmother kept on telling her…

“It’s not your fault sweetie…”

Hadley knew that it was her fault, she knew too well.

Looking up she wandered her gaze to her father who was busy talking with someone on the phone. Her mother kept on waiting beside him, as if waiting for something. She had an expression of regret, fear and sometimes when she’d look at her, loathing.

She didn’t want that, but she knows she deserved it. After her father had finish talking and put the phone down, he turned to them in disappointment.

“The police had caught the two men; apparently they were teenagers, drunk. The coastguard also informed me… informed me that…” his voice was shaking.

“Informed you what, Henry?!” her mother screamed at him. She pulled at his shirt, shaking him like a maniac.

“They found blood on a stone near where we found Hadley; they said that the current must’ve smashed him hard enough that….” Hadley looked at her father, tears about to fall again. “There were no traces of a body but they said we should just give up since it’s unlikely he—”

“NO! Shut up! Shut up! Harry’s alive I know it, those worthless people just don’t look for him properly!!! My son is alive!!” Hadley closed her eyes, unable to watch her mother at her current state.

“Abigail!” her father screamed at her mom, which caused Hadley to flinch. She never heard her dad scream at her mom like that before.                                                                                                                                                               

“What? Don’t tell me you’ve given up too?!” she screamed back at him.

“I’m not, but at the moment we should just think of the possibilities. Right now let’s just be thankful that Hadley is okay.” Her father and mother looked at in her direction; she saw the same expression that she dreaded to see.

“I better take the kids to their bedroom.” Grandma Andrea butted in. She held Hadley’s hand and pulled her away.

“That’s a good idea.” Henry said, as he kneeled down to console her mother.

Hadley felt numb all over, like there was no energy left in her body. She had said nothing after that, following her grandmother they went up the stairs, passing by the twin’s room and finally arriving at hers.

The moment she stepped inside, the upper left part of her lips started to twitched downwards as she tried not to cry. Her grandmother, upon seeing this, pulled her granddaughter towards her and made a rocking motion as Hadley put her arms around her grandma’s neck and started to let her emotions flow out.

“I’m so sorry grandma, please forgive me.” Hadley whispered in her ear.

In response, her grandma Andrea hugged her even tighter, stroking her hair, she lifted her up and laying her on the small child-sized bed. Hadley had stop crying and her vision started to feel a little blurry. She gave out a yawn as she could feel her grandmother singing a low hum while caressing her head. She closed her eyes for minute, trying to calm her mind and then she finally dozed off.

Andrea stood up from the stool that was placed beside her granddaughter’s bed. She had stopped humming and gave Hadley a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving the room. Andrea was about to go to her room when she heard someone sobbing downstairs.

Stepping towards the living room, Andrea saw her son silently sobbing on the couch with his hands covering his face. She started walking towards him, not knowing what to do.  Her son must’ve heard her since he raised his head, to see who it was.

“Mom…?” he said in a cracking tone. His eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. She felt a slight pain in her chest, saddened by her son’s current state.

“Mom, what are you doing here? Did you put Hadley to bed already?” he continued, wiping the tears with the back of his hand.

“Yeah I did what about you? Not feeling sleepy yet?” Andrea asked as she sat beside him.

“No, not yet, where’s dad?”

“He’s asleep too. Henry I —”

“I’m a horrible person.” He cut her off mid-sentence. “If only I stayed, if only I hadn’t left them by themselves.”

“Oh Henry no you’re not!” she moved a little closer, just like Hadley she gave him a hug. Consoling her son, she allowed him to cry. And he did, he needed someone to comfort him at the moment. Thinking about his wife, she too must be crying on her own right now but he cared to little about her at the moment.

After a few minutes of being comforted by her mother Henry stood up, wiped his tears and said

“Mom I’m going to bed right now” while kissing his mother’s cheek. He left the room and went upstairs

He was about to enter their room but he heard someone crying after a few minutes of wondering where that sound came from he realized that the sound was coming from Hadley’s room. He immediately ran to her room. What he saw broke him seeing her daughter crying loudly, who was having a nightmare. She kept on whimpering “Harry” and “No, Don’t.”

“I’m a horrible father.” Henry said to himself as he closed Hadley’s door behind him. Feeling depressed he wandered through the dark hallways, dragging his body. “I couldn’t even take care of my children properly.”

Before he could even make it back to his room, his body dropped to the floor as the back of his head hit the wall behind him. He couldn’t take it, his daughters suffering, and the pain she’ll be bearing until the day she dies if they don’t find Harry.

“Harry, please be safe. Please be safe for Hadley…” a little prayer his kept on whispering as he drowsed himself to sleep.

It was a cold morning; Hadley had already woken up even before the sun had risen. The sound of the waves mostly kept her awake, the memory flashing through the back of her mind. She didn’t plan on leaving her bed until she heard the clamour of footsteps outside her bedroom.

Standing up from her sheets, the door swung open, as if she didn’t mind the sudden intrusion.

“Hey there kiddo! Rise and shine, get ready ‘cause we’re going home.” Her grandfather chimed in, he gave her a weak smile before leaving, the door still wide open.

Leaving? What about Harry…?

She looked out the window before deciding to finally leave her bed. As she finished fixing her hair and changing to a new set of clothes, she hesitantly left her bedroom and proceeded to going downstairs. While walking pass the hallway, she could clearly see her grandmother outside with her twin sisters. Grandma Andrea was getting the car ready and after a few moments she saw her grandfather walking towards them.

Odd, where was her parents?

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Revised and Edited

A/N Hope you like it just message me if you have any questions.. Don't forget to comment and vote... Until the next Chapter!!