Forget Me Not

Chapter 11

"As the years have passed,

the time has grown longer.

The sad truth is that what

I could recall in five seconds,

all too needed ten, then thirty,

then a full minutes - like shadows

lengthening at dusk. Someday,

I suppose, the shadows will be

swallowed up in darkness."

-Haruki Murakami

Ezra

I had just crossed the line that connected Long Beach and Riverside. My head bopping absentmindedly to the generic pop culture blasting through my stereo. Time passed quickly and before I knew it, I was turning into the driveway of the house Alison and I resided. I slid off my shoes like I always had when I got home late. Alison was sitting at the kitchen counter with wine being swished around the glass while she watched Marley color. They obviously hadn't heard me come in. My eyes locked with Marley's and she gave me a huge smile. Alison looked confused as to why she was smiling at the hallway but she turned her head and her gaze was hot, like I had done something unforgivable. For a split second, I wondered if she knew about where I was for almost a week and everything that was going on with Aria. I was having a mind tug-of-war, too. I wasn't sure if I should confide in Alison and tell her what I remembered.

"Daddy!" Marley jumed off of the stool and wrapped her tiny arms around me as tight as she could. "I did what you told me to do when I missed you, and everytime it wouldn't work." I picked her up and held her close to me. I didn't even respond, I just hugged her. I wasn't even aware of how much I missed her.

"I love you, Bug. I love you a lot." Her blond hair fell over her face and I brushed it away. I gave her a sweet kiss on the head. "If you go up to your room, I'll tuck you in. I just need to talk to Mommy." Her eyes twinkled and she jumped away from me, running up the stairs.

"Where've you been, Ezra? You didn't bother to call, or text or even send a damn e-mail." She took a sip of her wine and looked me in the eye. I was speechless, she really had the audacity to say something like that to me? After everything she lied about and did? I didn't even know anything about my past because of her. Plus, Aria didn't even answer my question about hurting her.

"You're really going to be the one to give me the speech about being a jerk? I get it, I should've called Marley..and I wanted to, but I wanted to avoid you as well. You didn't bother telling me about Marley's actual father, who made a random choice to show up one night! Marley may not have my eye color or my hair but she will always be my daughter. You can't take that away from me! You should've just told me instead of lying for so long." I rubbed my face in distress.

"I get it, okay? I get it. In my defense, I told you about Marley and you not being her biological father. I told you before I even gave birth to her! Wouldn't you hate me even more if I didn't tell you?" She sobbed. "I love you and I'm so tired of fighting. This is all my parents did growing up and it's all yours did. We love each other Ezra, and if we want what's best for Marley, we need to stop.." I didn't care if she was trying to manipulate me, she was right. I did love her and Marley, I was just blindsided by the first thing that connected me to my past in Rosewood. I wouldn't forget about it, but I had to tell Alison now while we were being honest with each other, maybe if I did, she would open up to me about what happened in Rosewood and things could maybe be the same...or at least go back to normal. I bit my lip, trying to concentrate on what was happening around me. Alison was just staring, waiting for me to say something. I sighed.