A Car Ride Home

S H A K E N

Previously...

Lilly turned to face her father. "I have you, baby girl. I told you. I would always have you. All you have to do is let go."

Lilly breathed deeply has the memory faded and she felt strong hands holding on to her.

She let go.

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A l  h e l d   L i l l y ' s   s h a k e n  form in his arms, she clung to him surprisingly hard, as he maneuvered down the ladder to the ground. "You're okay," he repeated, trying to calm her nerves. He has seen the look of fear before. He has felt it himself, but he wasn't expecting to see it on the face of his angel.

"I'm okay," Lilly stated finally getting a hold of herself. She tried to stand, but Al held her close until they were inside her house. He placed her feet carefully on the carpeted ground before letting her go. "I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me." Lilly found herself looking down at her hands, suddenly nervous around Al.

"It's fine," Al whispered. He knows there is something more to Lilly and the incident on the ladder only made that more clear. Just then her dog ran in barking and running around in circles.

"Is it time for breakfast?" Al watched Lilly ask the boxer, a smile spreading across her face, as her voice became higher. The dogs nubbed tail moved a thousand miles an hour, and he ran into the kitchen. Lilly walked in after him and collected his bowl filling it with his kibble. Al sat on the stool watching her and the dog together, he couldn't help the smile. "What?" She asked, catching him.

Lilly had been feeling Al's eyes on her, so finally gained the courage to call him on it, and watched as his ears turned red. She hadn't meant to embarrass him. "Nothing. Sorry. I should go," he began, but Lilly shook her head stopping him.

"Where will you go, Al? Please, think for a moment. I can't in good conscious let you leave without knowing you will be okay," Lilly urges, placing Brody's food on the ground, before focusing on Al.

"I'll be fine," he smiled. Fine, she thought to herself. It's fine. Everything's fine, but that's a lie. Nothing is fine.

"But, I think you should stay. There's an extra mattress in the garage, and if you help me, we can clean out one of these rooms, and you could stay there. At least until you stand on your feet," Lilly added, getting slightly excited by the idea of having another person around her house.

Al couldn't help but love the idea of having his own room, and a place to stay, but he couldn't do that to Lilly, the burden he would be. No, he wouldn't have another person taking care of him like he was their problem. He needs to do this on his own.

"Lilly, thank you for the offer, but I-"

"It's not an offer it's a business proposition," she rushed out. Only to receive a cocked brow from Al. "Yes, you fix the house as rent, and when you get a job and are making money, you can decide if you want to leave or not."

It sounds too good, but I have to say no.

Al open's his mouth to say no, but she just shakes her head. "Al, don't be prideful, take the damn deal, please." It was the please at the end that changed his mind quickly.

"I'll stay. Lilly, thank you," he adds.

A smile finds it's way to her face, "Well, let's have breakfast and start on a room. Do you want to decide which one you want, while I make some bagels and cream cheese?"

"Um-sure?" Al stumbled still feeling strange about the deal.

Al walked down the hall, and opened the first door, guessing it's one of the rooms. There are boxes everywhere, and pictures of a younger Lilly and a girl that looks as though she could be her sister. The boxes say Rose's clothes, Rose's memories, Rose's books, etc. It must have been Rose's room before she moved out. The room is decorated with roses on the wall, so that makes sense. Al closes the door. Not wanting to be surrounded by roses. He heads to the next room, which is an office of sorts. It too has boxes everywhere but seems less eerie, so Al decides this is the room.

Lilly finds Al in the old office, secretly thanking God he didn't choose Rose's old room. She still couldn't get herself to go through those boxes like her dad had wanted her to do. After they ate their bagels, the two of them began moving the boxes from the room to the garage and exchanging some of the office furniture for bedroom sets she had in the garage. By dinner time Al had a room.

Lilly laid across the new bed excited, "We did it," she exclaimed. Al laughed watching her and found himself joining her, falling back on the bed. He was over the moon with the thought that this was his room before he could say anything, Brody came in holding his leash in his mouth. "Okay, sweet boy. Let's go on a walk." Lilly said, getting up from the bed, and looking at Al.

"Your dog tells you when it's time?" Al asks, stunned.

"My baby is filled with many tricks. Isn't that right?" Lilly asks Brody her voice taking on that same high pitch. She slips on his leash and Al decided to go with her.

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To be continued...