Stealing Kisses

Chapter 28

Tim POV: 

I walk slowly around riverside park, knowing damn well that Rob would murder me if he knew I was out here this late. He doesn't know that I sneak out every once in a while to sit down here. Sometimes I just need to breathe, and for whatever reason, I find clarity here. 

A drunk guy stumbles around the park, as his girlfriend laughs from behind him, helping guide him home. I watch them, before walking up to the water's edge. I grab a stone, intending to skip it. I watch a stone skip a few times across the water, although I never threw it. 

I turn, seeing Faith standing a few yards away. She doesn't look toward me, but she knows I'm here. 

"Sleepless night?" She releases, reaching down for another rock. She lines up to throw it, somehow getting five skips. She looks my way, our eyes locking for the first time in years. I remain speechless, unsure how she found me. "I couldn't sleep either." She admits, despite my silence. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask quietly, as she looks down at her feet. She bites her lip, before looking at the water. Her eyes drift toward me as she shrugs. She shuts her eyes for a moment. 

"I have been seeing things for the last five years... I mean, worse than the years before." She says, hugging herself a moment. She looks down at the rocks under us like they are a script. "I thought not seeing you would fix whatever this is, and it didn't. If anything, it made it so much worse." She confesses, looking into my eyes. "Without you, I can't..." She releases, seeming frazzled. I'm tempted to step toward her, but given our last interaction, I'm scared. "I can't think straight. The things I'm seeing are terrifying, and the only person I want to call is you." She continues, tilting her head slightly. "Tim, I'm--" She starts, reaching out for my hand. The moment her hand touches my skin, I'm launched into what feels like another memory. 

"...I took one fucking night to try and get my head in order so I didn't hang myself from our goddamn ceiling fan, Faith." I scream, as tears start to roll down her cheeks. She covers her mouth, seeming to be in a complete state of shock. "I'm... I didn't mean..." I excuse, before sighing and rubbing my forehead. "Baby, I'm okay." I reassure her, as I hear her start to weep quietly. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't –" I start, before the alarm goes off. She glances toward the door, as I lean my head back, knowing it's probably one of the girls. I open the bedroom door, before freezing as I notice all three of them coming out of their own rooms. Faith emerges behind me. 

"Dad?" Maggie lets out, sounding worried. I look back at Faith as she quickly pulls herself together. I walk toward the end of the hall, before hearing glass breaking downstairs. I look at the girls motioning toward Faith. 

"Lock yourselves in the master bath." I whisper, as Faith quickly gathers them. I peer around the corner toward the stairs, trying to listen closely. The alarm's siren is making it nearly impossible to hear if there's someone walking downstairs. I cautiously start down the stairs, before seeing a shattered glass on the floor. The cupboard is popped open slightly, like it may have fallen out. I catch my breath, wondering if the alarm was possibly a mistake. I walk over to the control panel, shutting off the siren and checking what set it off. It says the garage door is setting it off, but it's completely fine. I walk over toward it, open it up and notice the sensors are slightly off. I shut my eyes, feeling myself be at ease once more. I start upstairs once more. I stagger toward our room, trying to prepare myself to re-enter our nuclear argument, before I hear something that makes me pause. 

"No..." Faith whispers, as I look at our door. The door is splintered by the handle, as if it were pried open. I start to back up, knowing I keep a gun in my office, but I feel someone press the barrel of one into my back.