The One (Jaylor)

The One Part 96

 Joe POV:

I paced around the guest room in Karlie's house trying to figure out how to explain what had happened to the kids. This is why I like acting, I could just recite lines and not make them up. I bit on my nail as I heard a knock on the door, halting and turning around.

"Come in."

The doorknob turned and Karlie appeared but didn't dare come in. "Hey." , she said.

I sighed but didn't want to be rude. "Hey." , I mumbled continuing to pace.

"I can talk to your kids if you want?"

"About what?" , I stopped. "What would you say? They hate me enough and I doubt you would be any different."

"Well, we have to try something."

"We? We. There is no we in this there's just me. You've done enough. And don't worry. I've been looking at houses. We'll have one in about a week."

"Sorry." , she said and I could tell I hurt her feelings. Seh was only trying to help.

"No.", I said quickly. "I didn't mean to...sy that. Well, at least not the waI idd. I'm just really frustrated."

Karlie smiled but didn't move any closer. "I get it. Just know if you ever need a friend, I'm here. And do yourself a favor, if not for you, for the kids. Stay here. I promise you and you're kids will never bump into me in the house of anything. It would be as if this was your house."

"You don't have to do-"

"It's the only way it'll work. Trust me."

I nodded. "Thanks."

After about another hour or so of pacing and thinking and wishing, I had a perfect script of what to say I finally decided to gather up the kids and explain what happened to them and how sorry I was. They all sat on the floor staring at me, Patricia looked the maddest and the rest of them mimicked her, she taught them well. Sighing, I sat on the floor in front of them.

"You can't tell us anything that will make us change our minds." , Patricia exclaimed.

"Yeah!" , Lily who was sitting next to her added.

"I agree." , I began. "I just wanted to tell all of you what you saw happen wasn't right. It should never have happened whether you all saw it or not. I love your mom a lot and I'm really sorry."

Almost too easy, Lily ran from Patricia to me. "I forgive you." , she said giving me a hug.

"Lily!" , Patricia hissed.

She looked back innocently realizing what she had just done. "Sorry." , she whined but didn't move from me.

"How about the rest of you?" , I asked quite awkwardly looking mostly at the triplets.

The triplets looked at each other and exchanged glances I guess only triplets could do.

"Yeah." , David said. "I forgive you and god mommy."

Jack and Daisy chimed in both giving me hugs before going out to play. I guess they were getting a little bore just sitting around and doing nothing. Now only Patricia was left. She wasn't looking at me and I didn't know what to do.

"Patricia, are you alright?" , I asked.

She shrugged and I was starting to realize this might be a little more than seeing Karlie and I kiss.

"What's wrong?"

She sniffed. "I dunno. It's just Mom said one of the only reasons we moved here was because there were bad people at our old house. And now we move here and Mom does get kidnapped or whatever. She told me we were safe here!"

Taylor never told me that. "Come here." , I said opening my arms as she climbed into my lap crying. "Mom's fine. You'll see."

"How do you know?"

"I don't. But your mom is so strong and brave. It would take a lot to hurt her. You know that. You're more like her then you are like me."

I could feel Patricia nod as she sniffed again. "So when will she come home?"

I sighed. "That, I don't know."

Taylor POV:

Within a few hours, we were home. Adam would be staying nearby. After getting back to our town he drove me back home. On the road, I saw missing people signs. I was on one of them and there was a 500,000 dollar reward.

Once we were there, I gasped in shock. My house was no longer standing and replacing it was a pile of rubble. I basically jumped out of Adam's slow-moving car to see. This couldn't be right and for a moment I considered that I was just on the wrong street.

Adam pulled over quickly and came over to me as I stared at my house. At first, I could assume people were wondering if I was alive, but now it was the other way around. My family couldn't be dead, right?

"Where...? What...? When did...."

"Do you want to try and call them on my phone?" , Adam asked offering his phone to me.

I looked up at him as if he was stupid. "Are you serious?" , I asked. "If I call them from your phone then Joe will know I was with you."

"Oh...right." , Adam mumbled sliding his phone back in his pocket. "Do you have any friends in this town? Maybe they'll know something."

I nodded, thinking. "My friend Karlie lives a few miles away. She might know."

"Alright. What's her address?"

By the time we got there, it was already 9:00. Her house looked no different than the last time I had been there a few years ago and I got out of the car as Adam drove around the curb so he couldn't be spotted. It was safest that way. I knocked on the door and waiting for a response. I could see her car parked in front of her house so I knew she was home.

A few seconds later the door flung open revealing Karlie. Her eyes lit up when she saw.

"Taylor! Oh my gosh, I've missed you! Are you alright? What happened. Wait. Before you said anything...the rest of your family is here!" , she exclaimed giving me a huge hug.

"The...the rest of my family is here? Joe? The kids? They're alive?" , I asked tears filling my eyes.

"Why would they be dead?"

"I went to my house thinking everyone would be there and when they weren't...I guess I just assumed-"

"Hey. I heard some commotion and- Taylor!" , Joe shouted from upstairs, running back down to lift me in his arms. "I've missed you so much. I'm never letting you out of my sigh again." , he mumbled into my shoulders. "I'm so happy you're alive. Are you okay?"

I nodded as he placed me back on the floor but didn't let go. "I'm fine. Now, where are the kids?"

"Well, the triplets and Lily are already asleep, but Patricia awake. I'll get her."

A minute later Patricia ran down the steps and jumped into my arms cyring, I was so happy she was okay, happy everyone was okay.

"Mommy, I missed you so much." , Patricia cried.

She never called me 'Mommy' anymore so I knew how much she had missed me. "Aww. I've missed you too honey."

"Will your kidnapper or whoever go to jail now?" , she asked innocently as I paced her on the ground gently. "Are we safe now?"

"Yes Patricia." , I lied. "we're safe here. And I'm okay. You'll never have to worry again."