Tell Me No Lies

Her Perfect Life

The Walkers were in bed asleep, all except for one of the children Hailey, many people believed that she is the oldest, and so did she as she hasn't seen her older siblings for quite a few years now. The young dark blonde girl was now wide awake. She couldn't sleep knowing that at 6 am today, her dear father Cordell Walker will finally be home safe at last. He had gone undercover 10 months ago leaving Eve in charge of her younger siblings: Stella and August, along with her uncle Liam and grandparents Abeline and Bonham.

Hailey gulped nervously as she heard a distorted voice whisper into the quiet house. Her mind was going crazy, she recognized the voice that had spoken out into the darkness but at the same time, she didn't as it was early in the morning.

"Are you alright in there?" the distorted voice had spoken out, but the voice seemed gentle, and didn't sound dangerous, Hailey's mind continued to buzz with exhilaration She quickly flung her legs over the side of the bed and fumbled to find the gun her father had given her as protection many years ago.

"Who's There?" She demanded, pulling out the gun before her shaking body. It wasn't until then that she had removed the safety cover from the gun before she gasped and stumbled backward towards her bed, and once her vision cleared she was awestruck because standing there before her in the doorway was her father Cordell.

She instantly withdrew the gun and ran into his arms before glancing at the clock that hung above the cabinet containing an old family picture, the photograph was a little dusty and the photo frame was days away from falling apart.

The clock that hung above the cabinet had just struck 3:00 am. She smiled into his clothes and stayed in his embrace for a few minutes longer, eager to soak in the warmth he provided.

Reluctantly she began to pull away as he started to speak in his gentle voice, he didn't want to startle her anymore than he had done.

"Hails, darling, why are you still awake my love?" her father asked in a gentle voice. Hailey shrugged.

"Just wanted to be up to see you, must've started to fall asleep" she replied simply, now what she was saying was true, one minute she was lying on her bed awake and reading one of her favorite book series Bridgerton by Julia Quinn, and then the next minute, her eyes were closing and her father had startled her awake.

"Besides, you're like 3 hours early, never whisper like that again," she said punching him in the shoulder playfully. Her father laughed and picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

Hailey groaned, she hated when he did this, even when she was younger.  Now she was eighteen, she was the middle child along with her younger brother Sam. Her older siblings were twenty-one.

She always craved attention but always wished that one day her father will treat her like an adult like he does with her older siblings and not like how he treats the younger ones in their makeshift family, the younger ones are sixteen and fourteen.

"Sugarplum, why don't you get some sleep," Her dad asked as he turned to walk out.

Hailey sighed as she looked at her father, taking in all his features, almost like she had forgotten what he had looked like. A very tall man, around the height of 6'4 with blue eyes, a beard, and a white hat adorned his frame, and he usually laughed at his jokes but he was a passionate husband and father. Always putting his work life on hold if any of them felt unsafe.

"Can you stay with me tonight Papa?" she asked softly. He sighed before gently patting her on the head, just like when she was younger. She believed in true love as she saw it every day with her parents so she knew what his response was going to be. It took only a second for Hailey to get her father's response correct.

Cordell glanced at his daughter, a soft smile prominent on his face, he nodded before he decided to speak "let me just see your mother, and change out of these clothes. Then of course I will stay with you.." he spoke gently as he walked out.

Hailey smiled to herself, she loved hearing her mother's gasps and screams of joy and confusion upon seeing her husband's face. Sure she loved him, her whole family adored him. I mean he is in charge of the whole town of Austin. Everyone adored him, meaning everyone adored her, but she never understood why.

Hailey was fast asleep when her father approached her room. She felt the bed dip and move as he brought her into his warm arms. Lightly snoring, she unconsciously cuddled into him upon hearing him whispering "I love you my little Hails."

"I love you too father..."  she mumbled back before drifting back into a deep safe sleep, she always felt safe in her father's arms. I guess it was the protection that she had loved and longed for ever since she had broken up with her abusive boyfriend Billy, who she believed was out of her life forever, but boy was she wrong.