Hero

Chapter 19 - "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

[[Yes, I know I just uploaded and yes, I know this is a fairly short chapter, but I had to upload this because it just felt cruel keeping this to myself! Plus, I've been waiting for this moment far too long. See, I've been planning this all along - you just didn't see it coming, did you? Anyway, you can thank Stephanie Meyer for these past two chapters. After reading Twlight - like the teenage Twi-hard girl I am (not really) - for 9 straight hours and getting through over half the book, I've managed to start talking like an English person - for no reason what-so-ever - and now sound like a high educated Austin Powers. Groovy, baby.

Anyway, enjoy your chapters. I'm going to find a speech coach now to help me get rid of this Austin-Powers-disorder. Wish me luck.]]

 Chapter 19 "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

My fingers gripped at my parents, holding them both tightly as I breathed in their scents, suddenly remembering everything about them. Mom was a little thinner, and Dad’s hairline was a little higher, but other than that, nothing had changed. Mom still smelled like flowers and vanilla; her signature scent, and Dad still strangely smelled like tabaco, even though he swore he didn’t smoke. Nothing had changed…

Justin stood behind me, ready to comfort at any moment, but didn’t hover. Words couldn’t describe how thankful I was for him today. He was comforting without being smothering, he was helpful, patient, and knew the perfect things to say. My heart swelled with the sight of him, knowing he was right beside me, and he wasn’t going anywhere.

Dad was the first to let go, soon followed by Mom, and all three of us were wiping our faces.

“I can’t believe it’s really you.” She shook her head. “If this is a cruel, sick dream and I wake up in a few minutes, I’m going to hurt you.” She narrowed her eyes at Dad.

“Why? I can’t control your dreams!” He whined.

I laughed and shook my head. Then, a thought occurred; why am I only seeing them now? Why had it taken so long for them to find me? Why didn’t they even come looking for me if they love me so much? I felt guilty, almost selfish for thinking it, but I couldn’t stop the thoughts. Looking down to my feet, biting my bottom lip, I worked, slowly, on gaining courage to ask.

“Why didn’t you look for me?” I asked.

The laughter stopped immediately, and Justin’s hand shot out to my lower back, ready to comfort. Mom stepped forward, putting her hand on my shoulder, a look of hurt on her face.

“Darling, of course we looked for you. We never stopped.” She whispered.

My confused eyes looked up, “What do you mean?”

Dad cut in, “Sweetheart, there were ads in the papers, we went on the news, police looked high and low for you…you were states away, in the middle of a desert, with no way to see the news that crossed the nation.” He shook his head. “We were torn, honey…we still are. We missed six years of your life, without knowing where you were, if you were okay, or if you were dead already. The other day your mother and I were watching TV…an episode of Unsolved Mysteries came on…it was yours. It cut so deep to watch.”

Selfish as it may be, my heart lifted. No, their pain didn’t make me happy, but the simple fact that they had been looking for me lifted my spirits. They had missed me, and they never stopped looking. I hadn’t noticed at the time, but Justin’s hand was gone. At first I was confused, until I realized he had good reason to let go of me.

While passing in the hallways of the prison, on my way to the yard or my shower, I had caught glimpses of doctors on their computers, their phones, or watching TV. Sometimes they were watching the news, so I knew Justin had to have seen something, and he never told me. He didn’t tell me when I was in the prison, and he never told me when we escaped. All this time I’ve been tearing myself apart, worried my parents didn’t even want me, when they were still looking for me all along? My eyes looked to him in an instant, if looks could kill…