In Omnia Paratus Book 3

Pride

"Hey I'm home." I said coming through the door with dad, he had come to pick me up and some of my stuff from university and drove me home.

"Jenna!" Violet came running down the stairs and I bent down and hugged her.

"Hey vi, I hear you finish school this week... looking forward to year 5?" I smiled.

"Yeah the school trip is residential! Like a holiday." Violet looked overjoyed. I'm actual fact she was probably going to the Isle of Wight to stay in a camp while I rained all week but I wasn't going to crush her dreams.

"Wow big girl." I nodded. "And how's Gracie?" I smiled seeing her toddling around the kitchen.

I hadn't seen grace since she had turned two, and she had a proper little personality on her now.

"Gracie come here," violet knelt down and beckoned her sister to her as Grace kind of just stood there and stared at me from the kitchen, probably wondering who I was.

Eventually grace walked over to violet and she kissed graces head and tried to lift her up much to Rachel's displeasure.

"Nice to see you Jen." Rachel said turning around from doing the dishwasher and gave me a hug.

"You too," I smiled. "Grace has gotten so big."

"She growing up too fast." Rachel moaned.

"Jen I wanted to show you something..." Dad called from the hallway so I went out there and he beckoned me up the stairs. "Is Everything ok?" He asked quietly.

"Yes, Everything is going fine. I promise dad, don't worry." I explained.

"I hope you don't mind but I told Rachel about what happened just before Christmas. With all the visits I did up to you this year she asked a lot of questions so I told her." Dad said. It was true, lily had told my dad everything and he immediately came up to visit me while I was in the unit. Then his visits and phone calls and FaceTimes became a regular thing and we talked almost everyday.

"Of course, I don't mind." I breathed. Dad and I were closer than ever.

"Okay good, how you doing while Richards been away?" He asked.

"Fine dad, he only been gone a week." I knew everyone thought I relied on Richard for everything but I can cope without him.

- - - - -

"I can't wait to see you." I smiled yawning slightly as I laid in bed.

"You're tired." Richard said.

"No I'm fine, it's only 11." I laughed. It was 6pm and he'd just finished work in New York.

"Are you sure? I don't want to keep you up. Your sleep is important." Richard reminded me.

"I'm fine, how was work?" I asked.

"Good, not too bad. I have dinner with more of these suits later and I'm back here at 7am tomorrow... I can't seem to escape." Richard sighed.

"Hold on, it won't be long until I'm there..." I smiled to myself.

"About that..." Richard said.

"Don't you dare." I snapped.

"No it's not bad, I promise I wouldn't do that. I actually managed to get a few days off so we can spend some time together," he explained.

"That's Amazing." I smiled.

"Anyway I have to run, I can see my dad beckoning me through the window..." he sighed and I could tell he was rolling his eyes.

"Love you."

"Love you too." Richard said. "Sleep well." Then he hung up.

- - - - -

"So are you going to a therapist while you're at home?" Dad asked me once I had a chance to settle in a bit the next day.

"That's the plan... I'm going to try and see Kate, remember her? She moved down here recently and I thought who better? It's only temporary until I'm back in Ashford." I explained.

"That's great, I'm glad you planned it all." Dad smiled.

"I have to," I scoffed. "Anyway I was thinking about everything that's happened this past year and I want to see mums grave again."

"Wow really? What's brought that on?" Dad asked.

Dad went to mums grave almost every month. I refused to go, I think I went once maybe twice. I don't want to think about her and just see her gravestone... I want to see her face and memory.

"I want to visit her, tell her I'm ok." I smiled.

"That's a great idea, I'm actually due to go some point this week if you fancy joining me?" Dad asked.

"That'd be great actually." I nodded.

- - - - -

"Odd question, awkward question actually but do you go to Maisie's grave?" Dad asked as we were walking through my mums grave yard.

"Not really. We try to go, Richard and I on her anniversary but otherwise I don't like going there. Richard goes, and I think his mum goes there sometimes...because she knows I don't go." I sighed.

"That's completely fair enough. Not everyone can face it you know." Dad smiled at me.

It was quite a nice day and as we approached mums grave we both placed a bouquet of flowers down at the foot of it and then stood back and stared at it for a second.

I read it again. 'Elenor (Ellie) Oswald-Coleman, Wife, mother, daughter and friend to many.' God I missed her. I always used to wonder what she would think, me moving away from home, I've changed a lot since she's gone.

I never would of moved away from home if she was here, I never would have met Richard, had a kid, had best-friends. Maybe everything does happen for a reason.

"You ok?" Dad asked as he noticed a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Yeah." I smiled. "It's a happy tear you know? Remembering everything we did..." I said to dad.

"Yeah," He said placing an arm around me and stroking my arm. "Your mum would be so so proud of everything you've done and accomplished these last few years."

"Thanks dad."

"I'm proud too you know." Dad smiled.

"Really? Because I seem to just keep screwing up..." I sighed.

"Look at what you've managed to do... the jenna I knew back when your mum was still here wouldn't have moved away to go to school, she wouldn't have had a beautiful baby, she wouldn't be able to get over the loss of her kid, she wouldn't of been able to bounce back from attempted suicide... Look at everything you've overcome. You're still here!" He squeezed me gently.

"I know." I smiled up at him.

"Be proud of yourself Jen." He smiled. "Because I know I am."