Love, Dahlia // B2

[42]

Dahlia's P.O.V.

"Please, don't freak out," I say, leaning off of Reggie.

"Who the hell are you?" Dad repeats.

"Hi," Reggie says, sticking his hand out. "Reggie Peters at your service."

"How did- what is-"

"Dad," I say, sticking my hands out in an attempt to calm him down. "You remember my stories, while I was in the ward? Julie's hologram band. They aren't holograms."

"He-he just appeared there," he shakes his head. "I-I-"

"I was telling the truth. All of it," I explain. "Everything I said was true. This is Reggie. He died in 1995 when he was 17. Julie and I found him and Alex and Luke, as ghosts, 'living' in the studio. Over time, we grew close to them and now, we can physically touch. And when we do, whoever witnesses it can then see the boys."

"I-" he breathes. "This is a lot."

"I know, Papa," I agree. "You weren't supposed to find out this way. Or really at all."

"I'm a big fan, Mr. Molina," Reggie says, wiping his hands on his pants. "I've been meaning to ask you about you barbecuing habits, but seeing as our conversations were always a little one sided, it was sort of difficult."

"Wha-" He doesn't get to finish his sentence, before he collapses on the ground.

"Dad!" I yell, stepping forward as Julie tries to catch him. We barely succeed at getting him on the ground safely and he still hits the ground with a thump.

"Jesus Christ Dahlia, what were you thinking?" Julie yells.

"What was I thinking?" I question. "What were you thinking? You just slapped me!"

"You have no right to criticize me for not being there when Caleb did what he did," she argues. "It is not my fault that it happened. And it is not my fault that Luke sold himself to that fucking psycho."

"And it isn't my fault that he doesn't love you the way he loves me, the same way you love him," I reply.

Julie's eyes well up with tears and she clenches her jaw. "I don't even know you anymore."

"Hi, I'm your sister," I nod, propping Dad up better. "And this is our dad, who needs our help right now."

Dad groans and rubs his eyes. "I had the craziest dream, but from the way you two are talking, I'm worried it wasn't a dream."

"It wasn't a dream, Papa," I say. "You really saw a ghost."

"But I-" he sighs shaking his head. "I need to go lie down."

Julie and I try to help him stand up, but he refuses us. Finally he lets Julie hook her arm around him and they walk toward Dad's room.

"I'm really sorry, Lia," Reggie says.

"You've got nothing to be sorry about Reg," I walk over to him, wrapping my arms around him.

"I'm gonna go," he replies, quickly wiping his face as we pull apart. "Poof around or something. Whatever it is Alex does when things are weird."

"Okay," I nod. "Let me know how it went when you get back?"

"Yeah," he nods. "Yeah. I'll do that."

"See you later," I breathe, more as confirmation to myself that I will, in fact, see him again.

"I'll be right back, Lia," he says. "I promise."

He forces a smile, even though he's on the verge of tears, before disappearing from the room.

A.N.

Hey yall.

I'm sorry my updates take so long. For all of my books, not just this one.

But I'm working a lot and getting ready to move out. So there's a lot happening.

I love you all.

-Redd

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