The planets bend between us

Chapter 29

"Emily, do you see the birds on the water?" He asked as the young girl snuggled closer to him on his lap. "They are heavy but they can float on the water."

The little brunette girl wasn't interested in the birds like he was. "Big boats can float on water, too, daddy."

The older man chuckled and held his daughter tight. His smile creating lines on his face that were rarely used. "I guess you're right, Emmy. People can float on the water, too."

"But don't they sink, daddy?" Emily asked her father curiously.

"Yeah," Elijah agreed, his smile forming into a frown as he stared at the murky water. His frown showed the age to his face. He was still so young, but he looked so old. "Yeah. People sink."

"Elijah!" A voice called out from behind them. Both father and daughter turned around to find a stern woman with hands on her hips, glaring at them. "Elijah, Emily, come here right now."

Emily glanced up at her father and whispered, "I don't want to go. I want to stay with you, daddy."

"I know," He told her as he kissed her forehead. "But we don't want your mother to be angry with us, do we? Come on, Em." He helped his little girl get up. He held his daughter's hand tightly as they walked to the lake house where Elizabeth Prentiss was waiting.

Once they reached the ambassador, she commanded, "Emily, go to the car. I need to speak to your father."

"But we just got here!" Emily complained, stomping her foot dramatically. "I don't want to go to the car! I want to stay with daddy."

"Emily Elizabeth!" The cold woman yelled. "Do what I told you and go to the car. If you don't go to the car in the next five seconds I will ground you."

"NO!" Emily screamed, wrapping her little hands around her father, trying her hardest not to let go. "I love daddy! I want to stay with daddy!"

Elizabeth snarled and replied darkly, "If you don't go to the car, missy, I am going to call Jimmy so that he can grab you and take you to the car. Do you want him to do that?"

Emily's eyes darkened with fear. She shrunk back, afraid of the big man who was in charge of her mom's protection service. She shook her head.

Her dad pulled Emily's hands away from him and crouched down to look at her. "It's okay, Emily. Go to the car. You don't need Jimmy, do you?" When Emily shook her head, he continued. "I love you, Emmy. Go to the car. I'll see you soon."

With one last hug, she walked to the house. She left the door slightly open so that she could hear their conversation.

"What the hell, Elijah. I thought something bad happened to you both. You just disappeared like that. No note, nothing? You take your daughter to a different country and just don't say anything?" She heard her mom say in the angriest voice the young girl had ever heard.

"Liz... I needed to see my daughter. You've kept me away from her for so long..."

"Because you won't stop drinking!" Elizabeth yelled at him. "You gamble and cheat and snort and drink. I can't trust you with her."

"She's my daughter, too," He argued, his voice becoming deeper.

"You lost your right to say that when Emily found her father in severe withdrawal from the coke and you forgot who she was."

"That was a mistake..."

"A mistake? Elijah, what if you hurt her? I told her you were sick, but she's nine. She's not an idiot," She paused before continuing. "I know you love Emily. I have never doubted that. You love that little girl more than you love anything. And that's why she only sees you at your best. I know you're struggling, but I can't let her see you until you get some help. Just get some help, Elijah."

"No one can help me, Lizzie."

"Yes, they can. Do it for Emily. She needs a father."

Emily heard a sound so soft, she almost would have missed it. But she didn't. She knew her father was crying.

"She doesn't need me. She shouldn't love me."

Emily didn't hear what came after that. She ran to the car. The second the door closed, she put what she heard into a little box inside her head. She closed the box and pushed it away. She put her headphones on and drowned out any thoughts she could possibly have.