NOW YOU SEE ME.

Chapter 43.

~ Caleb.....

I could be saying hi and asking about life right now ,but no, I'll just get straight to the point.

Throughout all these years, I've gone through the worst of things in my life, adding that incident with you and your friends or accomplices as I'd prefer calling them. I've done all I could to erase that part of my life, I've failed, failed until I could rise upon that memory and situation, I have to say thank you to Connor for that big part.

Seeing you again after so long, brought so much back , especially the fear I had each time I'd be consumed by the nightmares, looking back now, I realize that seeing you again, might have had me fearing for my life, yet finally facing my fears and past.

I don't want you to apologise anymore, I don't need that so I have a peace of mind, expressing myself this way is a start for me to look into the future. I forgive you , I'm not doing this for you but for me, I guess it has taken me this time and seeing you again to look into my life and come with this conclusion. Forgiving you doesn't mean I'm ready yet to just communicate or see you, this will take time, and I hope you can respect that.

You can move on with your life, the past doesn't have to hold you down ,just live your life and I'll live mine....

Well that's all I had to say, and don't worry about us bumping into each other, I won't run screaming or falling down staircases, I'm done hiding and being a victim.

Yours sincerely.
Bailey.......~

" So what do you think?" I ask Vicky, who's sitting next to me.

Looking at her, I notice a small smile creep up on her face. She pulls me for a side hug and nods her head. " I believe that this is good and might put a bit of ease on that boy, though I still think that we should have gone there and given him a punch or two."

I lightly push her away, giggling at her violent ways." Are you sure you're not in the mafia?"

" More like carry a black belt, maybe Patrick - ," at the mention of his name, she earns my full attention.

" Speaking of him, any hopes of a date anytime soon?"

" Well........" She taps her chin and my jaw literally drops to the floor.

She looks at me and a big smile breaks onto her face ,making me squeal like a little girl. Though I won't be for much longer.

" Oh gosh, details please, when and where?"

" Oh tonight, at 8."

" You lie!" I say, smiling like I've won the lottery.

" Nope, took him long enough, might have done it myself. " She declares, crossing her arms.

I laugh, shaking my head at her boldness. " I'm pretty sure that he was shaking in his boots."

" Funny story, he seemed confident, telling me of this being the right time and blah, blah ,blah..."

" Guess he didn't learn anything from titanic." I point out.

" Clearly not, he should make this worth the wait cause there's a long line with proposals," she says confidently.

" Right, oh please you are basically blushing like a school girl, no application or proposal can make you go gaga, like how you do for him."

" Oh hush - I'm your elder." She lightly scolds and we giggle .

Right before I can say anything, I hear my mom call me from downstairs.

" Right you go, I'll bring these down." Vicky says, referring to our plates and shooing me out the room.

I nod and walk out, right before making a kissy face at her and receiving a pillow thrown at me.

It's been a month and some days now , I guess that talk or argument cut deeper into my mom and created a change in her. We've gotten back to our normal mom and daughter relationship, and I'm loving us right now. She's been quite busy lately, cases and all, she's a lawyer by the way. Therefore with her absentism, Vicky comes by most of the time, because she has cut down on her working days, she is now focusing on making her small coffee shop a success.

As for me, I guess I've gotten back to being me or still progressing, my time is usually spent on my homeschooling work, the wedding arrangements and me in general. In the month , I've started seeing flashes of what Connor used to see, not that I'm going overboard with my acceptance of me and flaunting what I have, I guess I've come to appreciate the little things about me. I don't avoid the mirror anymore ,I can spend at least 2 or 5 minutes on it, it's a start , don't judge.

The past and the memories are still there but I don't shed tears on them anymore, I'm smiling more and actually living, though I have to thank Connor for opening that door of possibilities for me. We haven't spoken ever since my goodbye at the hospital, not to mention that attempted call. As hurtful as it was to be in that position, learning of the new changes in his life, I've accepted it and I'm fine with that.

I value myself more and love living.

Entering the living room, I notice that mom has company, Keith.

" Please come in, we won't bite," my mom says.

" Am I in trouble?" I ask, skeptically.

" As if you'd ever be." My mom says, seeming to fail in suppressing her grin.

I frown a bit. " Okay, you make me sound like a perfect doll." I state, sitting down.

" Okay okay, enough chit chat, I can't hold it in anymore," she says excitedly.

I can tell she's excited about something.

" Bailey, we know how far you've come and are doing so well, you've grown now, as you start living, we would like to give you a head start." Keith says, creating more suspense as the silence grows.

" Okay..." I say, my eyes darting between them.

My mom takes out a gift bag before placing it on the coffee table before me. " Don't freak out but I - well we couldn't help ourselves." She says ,stealing a glance at Keith.

I look at the bag , afraid of opening it for some reason." Go on ,open it." She encourages and I do, taking out a box.

Turning the box around, my eyes widen at what I'm seeing, it's a new cellphone and it looks quite expensive at that. Before I can even open it, my mom rushes to my side, sitting next to me.

" It has everything you need." She doesn't get to finish when I attack her with a hug." Oh!" She says in surprise before hugging me back.

" Thank you." I whisper in her ear, not having any words .

" You deserve it." She states, kissing my temple.

I move away from her and go on to hug Keith, who smiles at me, before I hug them both and repeatedly saying thank you over again, making them laugh.

Moving back, I see Vicky standing at the doorway with a smile on her face.

"I love this, thank you, but it isn't my birthday yet." I say.

" We know and yes, us going for a weekend getaway might seem too big for you, but you're turning 18 and I want to make it unforgettable for you." My mom says.

" Well you could help me sneak into Sean Mendez's house, that's a start."

" Young lady, are you asking me to break the law for you?" She lightly scolds.

" Nope, Vicky ,the mafia lady has it all sorted out." I say, shrugging my shoulders.

" Hey you sneaky rat!" Vicky exclaims, rushing to me but my mom, throws a pillow at me.

This soon turns into a pillow fight and we soon look like five year olds, but I don't care, moments like these are much rare in this day in age, families fight, others betray their family members and happy moments are long forgotten.

I don't want that, I've started living and them being in my life, makes it all worth it.

I'm smiling and this time, it's for real.