Promise

chapter 50

"You promised you would come back, you promised"

I couldnt stop crying, I was holding his hand with my face biting in the side of the bed. He was almost gone forever. He was leaving me. I should never have opened up to him, then I would never have got hurt.  The pain was unbearable, I couldnt loose him, I just couldnt.

Matthew

We were all in the waiting room, Avery had gone in to say her goodbyes, my eyes never left her, I was scared to let her out of my sight incase something happened,  I was thankful for the glass window which although had curtains wasnt shut. I wanted to go and comfort her, it broke my heart seeing her like this but I knew she needed time alone with him.
"I'm glad shes here Matthew but please tell me you didnt break too many laws" Lydia says, she was trying to distract herself from the devastating situation.  "Apart from kidnap maybe a little assault not really" I shrug with a hard glare. I was going to do so much more to that sick bastard. "You kidnapped her" lydia exclaimed and my glare darkens. "No I kidnapped Garrows, hes in lockup" even though i couldnt see, i knew the murderous glint in my eyes was there. "Thank god" a sigh of relief was heard and I could tell she had more questions but she decided not to ask.
"We need to talk to a judge about getting full custody" I declare as I unwillingly started to accept Elijah wasnt coming back. I  still had hope but it was slowly disappearing as each second past. I wouldn't let Avery go back into the system, not again. 

She had been my first grandchild and it shocked me how different I treated her compared to Elijah, Em and Max.

Icecream for tea? Sure what flavour.
You want to go to the park? Of course let me grab my jacket.
You dont like what's on tv? Ok let's see if we can find something you like.

But with my children, icecream was only for dessert when they had been good or in summer, going to the park had to be done after homework or chores and tv was restricted to 9 hours a week. 1 hour on weekdays and 2 hours on weekends.

When she was taken our whole family changed, Elijah was focused on his work and closed off from eveyone. At the beggining he didnt even go home for at least 3 weeks, he said it was too painful not to be there without Avery. He searched day and night, using all the sources available but nothing.  Eventually we managed to convince him to be more sociable and take care of himself, it was a hard process but we did it.

When he found Avery it was like we saw our son for the first time in a long time. The smile he always forced was now real. It warmed my heart when I saw how he put her  before his work, Elijah never put anyone before his work. Even when he was angry with Avery for at least half the month they were properly together I always saw how much he cared for her, how much he loved her, he was willing to do anything for her, even when he got pissed about the drugs and left he made sure she had guards. He was a great father and yet he didnt get to spend enough time with her.

The decision on whether to tell her he was her father had been building up for a while but could I do that. Hell no. But morally I should. My mind had made up a list or pros and cons.

Pro, she will see she has a real family
Con, her father is dead for real this time.

The list continued and I became even more unsure. I had to make a decision and fast.

Avery

I cried into his side, he was going to leave me. Without  warning loud noises start to go off and I'm rushed outside the room by a nurse. No it cant be this early. I couldnt lose him. Lydia pulled me into a hug but I felt empty why did he have to leave me
He said he wouldnt and yet he did.