Family is Forever (Sequel to Running on Insulin)

Chapter 31

Tyler POV

Samantha's letter both broke and warmed my heart. But the best part of the day was when she spoke. Hearing her voice after three weeks of silence was, in a word, amazing.

At three the doorbell rang and Josh went to answer it. Jill and her family came in. Erin went straight to the kitchen with a huge bowl.

"I made a dessert for everyone, but I also brought some sugar free treats for the diabetics among us," she said to Jenna. "How's Samantha?"

"Much better," Jenna said.

Jill had followed her mom into the kitchen.  I called Samantha into the kitchen.

"Hi Samantha," Jill said. "Merry Christmas."

"Hi Jill. Merry Christmas to you too," Samantha smiled.

"You're talking again!!!" Jill cried out.

Samantha grinned and nodded. Jill jumped on Samantha and hugged her.

"When did this happen?" Erin asked, smiling.

"This morning. It was our Christmas gift from Samantha," Jenna said.

"Merry Christmas, Samantha," Erin said.

"You too," Samantha smiled.

Erin introduced us to her husband and their son. Samantha took Jill upstairs and that left her brother kind of hanging around.

"Kyle, Brendon and Josh are in the living room. They'll set up a video game for you if you want," I said.

He shrugged and went into the living room with his dad.

I could hear Samantha laughing upstairs with Jill. It was music to my ears.

"It's so nice to hear her laughing, and speaking," Erin said. "You must be so relieved."

"We are," I said. "I think we still have work to do, but she's so much better."

"Has she said anything about the time she was missing?"

"She did. The detective, Jake, he was here this morning and she told him everything. She remembered quite a lot. But she told us, and she told him, and she did pretty well. She says knowing her dad is actually gone has helped."

"You told her?" Erin asked.

"I showed her the article about it. I had to. We had a photographer in the back woods and in needed her to know that her birth father can't hurt her anymore," I said.

"I can't imagine what this has all been like. Jill was upset after visiting that Sam wasn't speaking, but she understood why. She was upset for Samantha," Erin said.

"She's been a good friend to Samantha," Jenna said. "Samantha needs good friends around her."

"Jill, she just gravitated to Samantha. She just loves her. There's something between those two that, I don't know.  I can't explain."

"I have to admit it, Samantha really hasn't said much about Jill. She had, before everything, told us she was her first friend at school, and when she would talk about school, it was usually more about Jill than school, so I guess there's something there," I shrugged.  "Samantha isn't exactly a kid who opens up much. And it's not entirely surprising, given that her birth father would probably either have never cared or berated her."

"I know this is horrible to say," Erin said. "But I was happy to hear he's gone. I know his only victim was Sam, but I feel safer knowing he's not in the world anymore." 

"I know what you mean," Jenna said.  "We're all very relieved."

"What about the guy who actually took Sam? What's happened with him?"