Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Riley
When I wake up, I realize it’s Saturday morning. Mommy always makes me pancakes on the weekends, so I jump out of bed and put on my slippers.
Taking a quick peek out the window makes me squeal with excitement because it’s snowing! That means Daddy will take me sledding or help me build a snowman.
I run down the stairs as fast as I can. “Mommy, Daddy, it’s snowing! Can I go outside after breakfast?” When I turn the corner, I see a few suitcases sitting by the front door. Are we going on a family trip?
Then I hear loud voices; they’re fighting again. When Daddy storms out of the kitchen, he looks angry until he sees me standing there.
“Riley Bear, what are you doing up so early?” He scoops me into his arms, showering my face with kisses that make me giggle.
I shrug my shoulders and tuck my thumb into my mouth.
“I have to go on a trip, so you be a good girl for mommy. I’ll call you in a couple of days.
” When I touch his cheek, it’s slick with tears.
He hugs me so tightly I can’t breathe. Then he kisses the top of my head and puts me down.
He leaves me standing there as he picks up his suitcases and walks out the door.
Running into the kitchen, I see Mommy sitting in the chair, her head resting on her arms as she cries.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?” I ask as I reach out to touch her.
She spins around in her chair, glaring at me. “It’s because of you, Riley. That’s why Daddy’s leaving, because you’ve been a bad girl and he’s never coming back!”
Feeling tears streaming down my face, I race out of the kitchen and rush upstairs. Flopping onto the bed, I cry myself to sleep. And so begins the nightmare of my life.
Waking up, I struggle to breathe as I clutch the sheets like they’re my lifeline. My body is covered in a cold sweat, and my hair is plastered to my face. My heart is pounding against my chest, as if it’s going to explode any second.
Sliding out of bed, I stumble my way to the bathroom.
I peel off my clothes and toss them on the floor.
Turning the water on as hot as I can handle, I plunge myself under the spray.
I scrub myself repeatedly until my skin feels raw.
The pain becomes unbearable as my body slumps to the floor.
Then I sit there, sobbing for the little girl who had her childhood stolen because everyone blamed her for their mistakes, and all she wanted was to be loved.
* * *
Hunter
Everyone at work has commented on how different I seem since Riley moved here.
They even told me they would cover for me if I decide to take a few days off so I can spend more time with her.
I’ve never played hooky from work since I started this job, but lately I’ve been considering taking them up on their offer.
If I could take a week off, that might give her enough driving hours to get her license.
I’ll make sure to talk to her about it next time I see her.
I’m planning something special for her on Friday night. I’m taking her to a nice dinner at a club, then ending the evening with some intimate dancing so I can hold her as close as possible. Maybe we could finish the night in the Jacuzzi before heading back to my place.
With some time to spare before work, I decide to grab a cup of Rosie’s coffee. As I open the kitchen door, I can’t help but notice the goofy grin spreading across my face.
“Hey, beautiful, we have to stop meeting like this.” Walking over, I pour a cup of coffee before glancing back at her.
Holy shit!
Riley’s sitting at the island in sweats and the shirt I gave her last night. Her hair’s pulled up in a messy twist on top of her head, but her eyes are rimmed in red, and her skin looks all red and raw.
I stride over to her, wrap my arms around her waist, and lean my head against hers. “What’s wrong, Riley?” She doesn’t answer, so I lift her chin to meet her eyes. They look vacant. I’m starting to freak the fuck out!
Running out of the kitchen, I scream, “Rosie, Scott, Paul, is anyone home?” I listen for a few seconds, but no one answers. Where the hell is everybody?
When I go back to the kitchen, she’s still sitting there, still. I pick her up in my arms and tell her I’m taking her upstairs so she can stay with me. As I hold her protectively, I realize I love this girl—she’s my forever.
I throw open the door so hard it slams against the wall. Carrying her into my bedroom, I lay her on my bed. She immediately curls up into a fetal position. I start to panic, and I desperately want to know what the fuck happened between the last time I saw her last night and now.
I hope Zoe can cover my shift on such short notice. She picks up on the second ring. “Hey Hunter, you never call this early. What’s up?”
“Zoe, I could really use your help—can you cover for me at work today and tomorrow? I went downstairs this morning and found Riley having some kind of breakdown.”
“Sure, I can. No worries. What’s going on with Riley?”
“I don’t know. She won’t talk to me; she just stares into space. Her eyes look terrible, though, like she’s been crying all night.” When I peek inside the bedroom, she’s still in the same position.
“If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.” We say goodbye as I walk into my room.
Crawling into bed, I pull her close against my chest so we’re spooning.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight.
“Please talk to me, baby. Tell me what I can do to make it better.” We stayed like that for what felt like hours; I think she finally drifted off to sleep because she looked exhausted.
I hesitate to move for fear of waking her, but I really need to use the restroom. Leaning in to kiss her on the cheek, I whisper softly, “I love you, Riley; you own my heart and soul, forever.”
Without warning, she suddenly turns around and wraps her arms around my waist while sobbing into my chest. My heart aches for her, but I can finally breathe again. Unfortunately, my bladder will have to wait a little longer.