The Final Wait

Chapter 29

Song: Miserable At Best

Artist: Mayday Parade

Chapter 29

Through the glass window, they watched Octavia and Greta share a final hug. One thing was for sure, wherever Octavia went, she connected with people. She promised she'd come back one day and introduce her to Dustin. Mainly so that her son, Joel, can teach Dustin how to make the perfect ice coffee.

'She hates me.' Frederic watched Greta pull away and speak with her index finger raised. She probably warned Octavia about the four teenage boys outside. Lochlan dropped his cigarette and crushed it with his boot. It must've been his third one.

'She doesn't hate you. Well, she'll forgive you,' He sighed and saw Octavia's smile drop when she turned to look at them. 'She hates me, she'll never forgive me.'

Reagan walked out of the bakery with Octavia's bag and put it in the trunk. She walked out with Greta leaning against the doorframe. Like watching one of her own children continue their life without her. A small smile rested on her lips and brought light to her eyes.

'I'll help with that.' Ezekiel reached out to help Octavia take off her backpack. She froze and stared at him until he dropped his hands and stepped away. Once the trunk shut, she waved to Greta who returned the gesture.

'I call shotgun.' Octavia walked to the other side of the car and jerked the door open. Greta nodded in amusement when the door slammed. Once everyone was in the Jeep and the car started, Octavia finally turned on her phone, popped her earphones in and listened to the playlist Nikolai started.

They drove out of West Fort and stopped at the first motel. Everyone was exhausted and needed proper sleep before an entire day on the road. Octavia wasn't up for another round with Lochlan or Frederic so she agreed to share a room with Reagan. He let her take the bed while he rested on the mid-century sofa. With Reagan doing most of the driving, he was drained and fell asleep in minutes. 

The sound of his snores filled the room, and Octavia's hearing. He must've been a heavy sleeper because when she tossed a pillow at him, his snores only became louder. She stepped out of the room and onto the second-floor balcony. Few cars were parked in the centre which meant the motel wasn't full. She wouldn't disturb too many people by calling her father. It was a chance since it was past midnight, and he liked to be in bed by ten. Her hand wrapped around the railing when he answered on the first ring.

'Papa, I'm so sorry.' Octavia didn't want to cry again and gripped the railing to calm herself. 'Please, Papa, forgive me. I didn't mean to run away, I just...'

'It's okay, Octavia. We'll talk about all of that when you come home. Are you okay?'

'I'm fine. H—How's Nonna?'

Mr Mora sighed into the phone, 'Not good. It's spreading fast and the doctors have detected vast physical changes. That's not a good sign. She's so weak and in so much pain. Nonno is staying with her because she's beginning to... forget. That's why you have to see her. I don't want you to walk into that room and she doesn't recognise her only granddaughter.'

'Yes, Papa, I know, we'll be back by tomorrow night. Well, tonight.'

'Good, we'll discus—'

'Were you ever going to tell me about Lochlan?' she couldn't help herself when she heard that Frederic overheard it from her father. 'How... he was the one?'

'I don't know. You became friends with him, so it became harder.'

'How could you tolerate him in our house?' she walked to the end of the corridor so she could use her inner voice. 'Papa, he... he took Nikolai away from us.'