like real people do./ arvin russell

2.0

arvin came home around 7:30pm, i was sat with henry in the living room, he had fallen asleep on me after crying for what seemed like forever. arvin looked exhausted but he pushed it all away when he saw me crying on the couch.

"doll, what happened..?"

"lenora never called.."

she didn't, she had left our house around 9:35 ish and i assumed she'd call around 12 or 1, and when she didn't i brushed it off, she told me she'd call around 6 or 7 when arvin got home so i just waited until then, but she never did.

arvin took his hat and shoes off, taking a seat next to me and pulling me into his side, i tried to hold back the tears but i couldn't, so i just cried into his chest, holding onto henry like my life depended on it.

"i'm sure she just forgot hun...i'll call grandma and see if she's heard from her alright? but for now, let's get some food into your system, i can go run and grab mcdonalds?"

i only nodded, arvin got off the couch and grabbed his keys, and left. i got up off the couch and brought henry into his room, it was decent sized for one kid, i always thought that this would be a perfect starter home for a family with a kid, maybe two if they're down to share a room. i shook off the thought though as i heard arvin coming to the house, i closed henry's door and walked out to the living room to see arvins face in a bag of mcdonalds.

"well look how classy you are mr.russell"

arvin looked up from the bag, a fry falling out of his mouth, i tried my hardest not to laugh at him but he was practically asking for me too.

"hey you're the one who's deciding to marry me so i wouldn't be talking.."

this kid i swear. i rolled my eyes, and walked over to where he was sitting, he put the bag he was holding to the side and grabbed my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"she still hasn't called has she?"

i shook my head, pulling away from arvin slowly, i was started to get worried, but there was nothing i could do, the police wouldn't do anything and i sure as hell wasn't gonna let arvin go wondering to find them.

"i had this feeling, that i shouldn't have let her go...it all seemed so fishy but she's a new mom and she needed a break so i pushed the thought away because she was finally getting the life she always dreamed off, and after everything that happened with her parents i couldn't just stop her, i couldn't tell her no...and now here we are with her child and no phone call, no nothing..."

arvin didn't say much, just let me continue to rant about this and that, hopping that the phone would ring and cut me off. but it never did.

around 11:30pm, arvin finally decided that we should get some sleep, knowing henry would wake us up in the middle of the night, i agreed and threw away our dinner trash silently, the thoughts that had been in my head since lenora left this morning getting louder as i walked towards the bedroom.

when i walked into our room, arvin was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, keeping quiet and just trying to get ready for bed. he knew how much it scared me to have anyone i care about get hurt or not give me any calls after what happened to harry. sometimes arvin called me in the middle of work knowing that i was sitting in our kitchen or at my desk contemplating whether or not i should call him. i just couldn't bare to lose anyone else.

"doll, you gotta stop thinking so much...you're crying..."

i was, tears dripped down my cheek, all the way to my lap, i chuckled and shrugged before wiping my face clean. arvin sat behind me, rubbing my back and placing kisses to the back of my neck.

"you just need some sleep that's all...everything will be okay in the morning.."

everything will be okay in the morning.

around 2:30am henry was crying, and there were multiple knocks on our door. i rushed out of the room to go grab henry and arvin ran to the door to see who was there. i picked up henry and held him close to me, leaving the room to see who was at the door.

2 police officers stood in my living room, arvin shaking his head. the world stopped for a moment when i saw it, a single boot, but not just any boot, the boot that i had gotten lenora for christmas, she wanted to start a collection so i helped her out as much as i could, the one the police officer was holding was her favorite. she only ever wore them for special occasions.

"arvin..."

he had tears rushing down his face, the officers looking down to the floor when they saw me come out with henry, everyone around coal creek and knockemstiff knew lenora and arvin and all of what happened when they were kids. it was like history was repeating itself.

arvin walked up to me, placing his hands on my shoulders and kissing my head softly. his lip quivered as he placed a kiss to henry's head, rubbing the poor child's back.

i tried to get answers but no one spoke, arvin just cried, hitting his fist to the wall and the officers just stood, looking like they were at a funeral for someone who wasn't supposed to be dead, it had hit me all at once, when the world finally came to a holt and the pieces of the puzzle all clicked together in my mind. there was a reason no one was talking.

"arvin...no..."

he looked up at me, his eyes puffy, he looked so confused and broken, i could feel hot tears leaving my eyes as he kept shaking his head, choking back sobs, never breaking eye contact. it couldn't be true.

"i'm sorry nat..."

lenora was dead.

...
A/N:

aha aha...yeah- the books ending soon, and i'm honestly so sad but so pumped at the same time cause this is gonna be the first book ive completed in two years :,)