When the Past Returns

Haley

2000

After numerous dates and being together for 2 years with Jacob and meeting his family, he's moved in. Not only that, but he recently proposed to me and we plan to get married soon. He loves the kids and they love him.

I call the mental institute my father stays in and asks if I can visit. After finding out I can, I try to set up things for the trip. "Jake, I need to visit my dad. Tell him about you. Let him meet you and the kids. Can we go? We have the money." I say. "Yeah. Of course we can. I'd love to meet him. Let's go now. I can take my vacation days." He says, holding my hand and smiling. "Really?" I ask. He nods and kisses my cheek. "Thank you." I kiss him and tell the kids to pack their clothes up. "Where are we going, momma?" Juniper asks. "You're gonna meet grandpa. Robert." I say. "What about grandma?" She asks. "Oh. Uh, June, sweetie, she died when I was 17. But look. I got this tattoo of her when I turned 27." I say, pointing at my arm to the portrait of my mother. "She's pretty. You look like her." She says, tracing the black lines of the art.

I wipe the tears from my eyes, smile, and kiss June's cheek. "Alright, go pack." I say. She runs off and I check on Ashtyn. "Mommy, I'm done." His suitcase is filled with toys. I laugh and hug him. "You have to pack clothes, Ash, not toys." I say, taking the toys out and putting clothes in. "You have visitors, Abbs." Jake says. "Guys!!" I shout and hug them. Vince, Tommy, Mick, Nikki, and Donna sit on the floor and Ash sits on Nikki's lap. "What are your plans?" Donna asks, motioning towards the case. "We're going to see my dad. Then before we marry we'll be living in Japan." I say, watching Nikki and Ash. They look so much alike. It's crazy. "Uncles and Aunt Donna!!!" June says, yelling and jumping on Vince. "Kiddo, calm down." Jake says. "No!" She yells. "Juniper, be nice." I say. "I don't want to listen to Jacob. He isn't my father. I don't like him! I hate him! I wish you wouldn't marry him. I don't want you to marry him! I hate him!" Juniper yells. Vince holds her close as she starts to cry. I hate seeing my babies cry. "June, honey, I'm so-" "No. Leave me alone!" She runs off.

It was a silent car ride to the institution in a small town in Georgia. Ash didn't want to leave Nikki's side and June didn't want to leave the house because Jacob was going with us. Jacob was pissed because my daughter didn't like him because she caught him with another girl. We pull into the parking lot of the institute and I get out, ready to see my dad again. After everybody was out of the car, we head to the office. "Hello, how can I help you?" The woman at the front desk asks. "I'm here to see Cobb. Robert Cobb." I say, nervously. She looks at something behind her desk for a few minutes before saying, "He already has a visitor. Maybe come back a few more. Oh never mind. There she is. Go on ahead." A young woman with bleach blonde hair and baby blue eyes walk out of the double doors. "Who is that?" I ask the receptionist. "His daughter, Haley. She's a real sweetheart. Her sister's a real nut job." She whispers. "Thanks, bitch." I narrow my eyes at her and walk through the doors. I look for the room number to my father's room and gently knock on the door when I find it. "Who is it?" The deep voice on the other side asks. "Daddy, it's me. It's Abigail." I say through the door.

"Abigail? Abigail...my Abigail. My sweet little Abigail." He says. The door opens and I walk in with Jake and the kids following. "Hey daddy. I've missed you so much." I say, hugging him. He hugs me tight and kisses my cheek. "Where have you been?" He asks, his voice shaky. "I've been away. Living a life you wish I didn't." I say, holding his hands. "What do you mean?" He sits on the bed. "Daddy, I married the man you wanted me to, but we divorced. I cheated on him and my last boyfriend. I shot up heroin. I snorted cocaine. I got pregnant with a guy's kids who I have never really been in a relationship with. But now I turned it all around. I'm all good. Daddy, I'm safe. I'm getting married to this wonderful guy, Jacob and he's so wonderful to my kids, your grandchildren." I say I pull Jake and the kids to my side. "Abigail, I'm glad you've learned your lesson. Jacob, welcome to the family. Now who are they? These are my grandbabies?" He says. "This is Juniper and Ashtyn. Go say hi. That's your grandfather." I say, pushing them towards him for encouragement. They hug him and he starts crying. Ashtyn hands him the stuffed animal he held in his hands. "Here, grandpa. I love you." Ashtyn says, then hugs him again.

We stay for a few days before Jacob's work calls for him. That causes a fight.

"Abigail, get up. We need to leave now. My boss called and said they need me." Jake says, throwing a jacket at me. "What the fuck? Calm down. Why didn't you tell him that you have one more day?" I ask, realizing we did have exactly one more day here before we had to go back. "Because they need me. Just get up." He says, throwing stuff into the suit case. "Jacob, calm down. You can call them and tell them that you have one more day till our vacation is up. Now." I demand. This is the one time that I have ever been demanding. The ONLY TIME. "I can't call them and cancel." He says, throwing down the suitcase. "Jacob George Kingsley, calm the fuck down. I wanted to come down here because of my father. He needed to meet you and his grand kids. I needed to see him before I got married. Why is it okay for us to meet and stay at your family's house for half a year but we can't stay here for a week to meet my dad?" I ask. "My father isn't in a nuthouse." He says.

"That does not make it okay. You're family is as crazy as my family was. They just haven't been committed." I yell. I get out of bed and check on the kids. I dress and leave. I take the car to the institute.

"So you're my sister? I don't remember you. Our grandparents showed me pictures of you but I don't remember. Tell me about yourself then." Haley says, stirring the sugar into her coffee. "I have two kids, Juniper and Ashtyn. I'm getting married. I love in California. Japan before the wedding." I say. "What about all of those?"she asks, pointing to my tattoos. "All depends on which you're asking about." I sip my tea. "The girl. Who is that?" She asks. "That's our mom, Mary. She died in the car accident that sent dad to the nuthouse." I say. She nods, points at a few mores, and listens to me explain. "What about you?" I ask. "I'm a nurse. My boyfriend just broke up with me. I got the house and dogs though." She laughs. She has her life together. I don't. We talk for two more hours before I leave. "I'll see you later. Bye Haley." I say.

I get to the hotel and find that Jacob took the kids and left, returning back to Los Angeles.