The Definition Of Love (Book 1) [Gxg]

Chapter 32

Linda woke up when the unfiltered rays of the sun landed on her eyes. She looked at the clock on her bedside table, she groaned.

Honestly? 7:00? In the damn morning?

She noticed that Haley was still on her. Her hair was messed up. She looked so cute when she looked like a zombie! Linda ran her hands through Haley's soft black hair. Haley moved a bit, burying her face into Linda's chest. Linda smiled. She felt her eyelids become heavy and she gave in to the welcome darkness once again.

Haley felt Linda stroke her hair, but she was way too lazy to open her eyes. She just dove deeper into the darkness. Hoping that sleep would embrace her once again. She'd never slept this comfortably ever before. Safe, in Linda's arms. No worries. She could almost feel the small wrinkles on her face unfold.

Linda suddenly tightened her grip around her waist. After a few seconds she heard sniffling.

"Li, sweetie you okay?" Haley started getting up and waking Linda up.

Linda's eyes flew open.

It wasn't true! Just a nightmare. Linda sighed a sigh of relief and pulled Haley back down onto her, gently kissing her forehead.

"Li, what happened?"

"Nightmare..."

Haley frowned, "Are you okay now?" She asked as she brought her hands to Linda's face, stroking her cheek gently.

Linda's face scrunched up, "Eww Hals, morning breath."

Haley hit her playfully, "I'll take that as a yes then..."

Linda turned them around so that Haley was lying next to her. She turned to her side and muttered something.

"What was that," Haley asked- always the curious one.

"I said that your bed hair makes you look like a zombie."

Haley pouted, "I don't like you anymore, you're a big fat meanie."

"I get the meanie part but..." Linda took Haley's hand and placed it on her stomach, "The fat...?"

Haley blushed, "Shut up Li."

"Can we get an applause for the best comeback of the century please," Linda half-shouted in a commentator voice.

Haley giggled. Linda smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. Haley obliged but pulled back when their lips were only millimeters apart.

"Hey! What did you do that for?"

"Morning breath, idiot."

"Oh yeah," Linda grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of her head.

"Stupad!"

"I think you mean stupid."

"No I mean stupad!"

Linda laughed, "Fine fine. Come let's go grab something to eat," Linda said getting up.

"No!"

Linda raised one of her eyebrows. Haley never disagreed when it came to food. Neither of them did.

"Why?" Linda asked carefully.

Haley just smirked and pulled her back down onto her.

"Okay I'm not complaining," Linda replied.

Haley just smiled.

'Who gives a crap about morning breath?' were Haley's last thoughts before she connected her lips with Linda's.

Nick had tears rolling down his eyes, "Baby we can get through this. Baby please. Breathe baby breathe."

Inanna's eyes held sadness when she looked at her husband. "Nick, darling, it's okay. Don't cry baby. Please."

She tried to reach out but her arms didn't respond. Nick moved closer to her and took her palms and placed them on his cheeks. He wiped his tears with her fingers. He touched her as if she was the most precious being on this planet. And honestly- to him- she was. He watched as she spoke her last words, too soft but he could still catch the sound of her angelic voice.
"Nicholas Hallows, I love you."

And he watched as her eyes closed. Never to be opened again.

Lung Cancer. It took away the one person Nick treasured most.

He wouldn't cry. He couldn't cry. Because there was no one left in this world who would wipe his tears. He had to live for himself. Forget everything in his past and start over. But he couldn't forget her if he had a horrid reminder sleeping next to him everyday. An exact copy of her but in a miniature form. The angel that lit up his life, re-incarnated as this devil who existed to remind him everyday of his pain. Put him through this torture.

He watched his daughter sleep peacefully on the bed, curled up next to him without a care in the world. She was only eight months old. But he could see her features. They were exactly like Inanna's. He could hear her soft snores that he used to find endearing. Now it just disturbed his sleep. He grumbled and groaned and got out of the bed. He walked over to his balcony and placed his hands on the cool metal railing. He stared at the nighttime Washington D.C. There were little lights everywhere, lining the roads. He lived in an amazing neighborhood. After all, he was rich. He tried to clear his mind, but it remained cloudy. His wrinkles kept increasing day after day. He let out a frustrated sigh.

The demon had to go.

He ran his fingers through his hair rapidly. He changed out of his pajamas into some jeans and a black hoodie. He took out a piece of paper and started scribbling.

'I am leaving this baby girl under your care. Look after her and find her a home where she will be taken well care of. I do not think I am in a position to take care of her anymore. If she ever asks about her father and mother tell her that they are dead.'

He grabbed his phone and his car keys. He put his daughter in her blanket-laden car seat and drove her to an orphanage- far away from his house. He didn't feel any regrets as he left his sleeping daughter there all alone, left to the mercy of the night and its travelers. He felt no regret as he left the daughter that he'd raised for eight months with care and love. He felt no regrets as he knew this was the best he could do for her. The best he could do for her was get her away from him. He did not want to hurt her, he was slowly being driven insane and he did not want his daughter to be a victim. So he put her in a basket, wrapped the blankets around her tightly. And left the note at her head. But as he was walking back to his car he felt like he'd forgotten something. He frowned. Suddenly it came to him. He walked back to the small child and picked up the piece of paper. He took out a pen and wrote:

'Her name is Haley.'

Then he left the paper and walked back to his car. Not even turning back once to look at his daughter.

Haley Hallows.

Definition #32: Love is when you are able to experience and enjoy silence with them. Love doesn't know the meaning of awkward. There is no such thing as awkward. Everything happens with maximum levels of comfort.