The Lost //✔️// [DEVON SEQUEL] BOOK 2 [DISCONTINUED]

• Okay, Sure •

We sat in silence. My eyes darting between Kat and Harrison.
Kat was beaming in her unhinged, crazed way and Harrison wouldn't meet my eyes. He was ashamed.

"Not even a year." I said softly and broke the silence in the room, "...you haven't even given it a year." Harrison's face bloomed bright red and she shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "-she's in a backstreet apartment complex rotting, taking abuse from her psycho neighbour whilst you-" I couldn't even finish my sentence, my voice had risen enough and Kat was pinning me with a subtle glare.

She cleared her throat, "I'm really hurt that you aren't happy for me you know, Aria." Kat squared her shoulders and her hand found her bump, "...and you talk like you're so grown up, looking down on us when you... you got all cosy with a broken girls one true love and even after she stole your fucking mother, you still let him shag you to slee-" Devon slammed his hand down on the arm of the chair.
Kat didn't even flinch. She simply dragged her eyes over to him and considered him like he was nothing but an inconvenience.

He shook his head firmly and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "It's not the time." He directed it at both of us, "Kat, congratulations, I'm sure you'll make a wonderful mother, can't wait to meet the baby." His voice was flat and emotionless, he then turned his attentions to Harrison, "...and you. Congrats to you too. I can't wait to share the news with everyone." Harrison bristled against the understanding that no matter what, Jodi was going to know about this. Kat wouldn't play along, she wouldn't hide it.

I almost laughed at the irony of it all. They're alive, Kat and Harrison are alive and...very healthy. Yet, this feels just like Jodi - it feels like another lost cause.
Kat can't go into combat, she's pregnant.
Harrison... I don't think he could face Jodi again after knowing what he's done and knowing how she's been living since he left.

He abandoned her.
They abandoned hope in each other.

"Thank you Devon. Do excuse my temper-" she giggled but it sounded almost like a sharp shriek, "-hormones." She rolled her eyes and hauled herself to her feet, strolling past me and lightly brushing her hand against my shoulder, "It is so very nice to see you two again." She purred and shut the door behind her.
Leaving me, Harrison and Devon in the room alone.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, my phone began buzzing, it was Alexis.
I groaned and excused myself - I had explaining to do that Oliver couldn't.

I answered her call and put my phone to my ear, bracing for her wrath.
"What the hell do I pay you for, Aria?" She hissed, "I certainly don't think abandoning your job, not even an hour or two into it was part of the job description!" I heard her shoes scraping along the floor, she always paces like that during confrontation.

"Listen, I have my reasons you don't-" she interrupted me.

"-you left my sick child, with my brother... for fucks sake, Ollie probably can't even raise his own dick let alone a kid!" Her voice was raw, as if she'd been shouting too much already today.

Tendrils of anger bloomed to life inside me, "Raise? What the fuck Alexis? What I did wasn't part of my job description no - and I'm sorry. But me raising YOUR son wasn't part of it either, raise your own goddamn kid. He needs you. Do better." I hissed and ended the call on her.

I was sick of it. It was the ugly truth. Going out on the lash everynight whilst your child sits at home waiting for you to get back, worrying, so much to tell you but no chance to do it.
Alexis once paid me to go to his parents evening and report back because she was "busy".
I had to take Stan out for ice cream because when I looked through the front door, clothes were scattered everywhere and an awful bumping noise was coming from upstairs.

I hated that I couldn't figure her out. I couldn't tell if she was a good mom who was broken or a broken woman who doesn't want to be a mom anymore.
And I hated that I felt an obligation to stick around regardless of how long it takes her to figure it out - because Stan needs that.

I've been there, and I was an adult - I should've had the mental strength to get over my mothers lack of interest in my emotions and her frown everytime I sat down and started to tell her about my day - but I didn't and it killed me.
But Stan is just a kid. He still needs his mom, now more than ever. I can't even imagine how he's feeling right now.

There it was again.
The thought of my mother followed by the sound of her body hitting the floor, the dull thud, the ringing in my ears, the awful choking sound that emanated from her as she took her last breath.
Her body getting smaller and smaller as I was dragged toward a car and whisked away to the middle of nowhere.
The grief that I refuse to accept exists.

The glaringly obvious grief.

I grounded myself before my breathing could become unsteady. My hands quivered slightly at my sides, but I held them firmly against myself and swallowed hard, shutting my eyes and taking a deep, calming breath. Just like my therapist had suggested.
The therapist I'd hardly seen.
It might be a good idea to go back.

I opened my eyes and screamed. Kat was standing right in front of me, staring emotionlessly into my face.
She smiled ominously after I jumped back, collecting myself.
"Sorry, couldn't resist." She shook her head and handed me a piece of folded up paper.
   I looked between her and the paper for a while before she tutted, "Don't read it until I say. That's a warning." Her hand found mine and she squeezed it until I tapped out.

   All she did was smile at me ruefully and sashay back into the living room.

   It's a warning I'll heed.

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Not much happened, I know - sorry. Just filling the chapters up for y'all!
For those of you upset about Jodi - all I can say is... stay tuned.......

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