Forgotten

Chapter twenty-two

Asher

Asher was beyond nervous. He wasn't ready to have dinner with the Wallace's, especially Mr. Wallace. Abby's dad might not actually kill him but he could still make his life hell. He decided to man up and told himself all the reasons why this sit down was a good idea, but deep down he wasn't so sure. He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. After a minute or so with no answer, Asher turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Abby's voice asked.

He turned slowly and took her in. She wasn't wearing anything special, just joggers and a tank top but he had missed her so much that to him, she looked radiant. Her haircut was a bit lopsided but it still had a way of complimenting her features.

"Are you done staring?"

"Not even close," he replied under his breath. She blushed in reply and ushered him in. She closed the front door and turned to him.

"I know everything..."

"Everything... like the full story?"

"Yeah," she looked down but he still saw the hurt in her eyes. "Ashlyn came over and told me everything..."

"Oh, okay. That's good..." he said nervously. "I'm sorry -" they say at the same time.

"Let me go first," she says, "I'm sorry for not trusting you enough to wait for an explanation and letting my emotions control me. And also wrecking your car."

"Hey, it's okay," he tells her, cupping her face. "The only thing that matters is that you're alive. Plus you're not all to blame. I should have figured out what she was doing and stopped it before it got to that point."

"But I'm glad you didn't because now I know the type of person she is," she tells him firmly.

"Abby..."

"Come on, let's get settled down before my dad gets back."

He has so much to say but he allows himself to be pulled into the dining room.

...

Abby's mom left the kids in the dining room and asked them to inform her when their dad got back. Not up to ten minutes later, the front door opened and Mr. Wallace appeared.

"What. Are you. Doing. In my house," he spat out.

"Mooooooooooom!" Bianca screamed, "Dad's back!"

He was still shooting death glares at Asher when his wife walked in. "Sit down, Peter, and stop looking at the boy like that."

"What's going on?" he asked his wife, noticeably calmer.

"Abby wants to talk to all of us; she's gotten her memory back."

"Surprise." Abby said sarcastically. Her dad's face went from shocked to solemn to concerned in a matter of seconds.

"How- when...," he stood up and embraced her. With his voice choking up he said, "I'm sorry for being so absent but - but it was the only way I knew how to cope. I'm so glad you're back."

Abby looked genuinely embarrassed, "It's fine dad but I've been here all along, that's what I wanted you to realize. I was still me and wanted to be treated normally, Bianca was the only one that gave me that and you gave a hard time because of it."

"I'm sorry, Bianca. I don't know the type of father I've become for the last year, I hope you can forgive me."

"Sure, dad," Bianca replied him, her face pink. "But sit down, I'm hungry."