1.1 | daunting medleys

epilogue | princess

8 months later..

Tabitha walked downstairs, and saw her dad and Talia at the breakfast table. Both of them were scrolling through their phones, at the table filled with pancakes and waffles. Her dad had reduced his hours at the hospital to be more present in their lives, and it was working. He took cooking classes and helped out at the orphanage whenever he had the chance. They also had therapy sessions together and had resolved most of whatever chasm that his distance had caused.

Her eyes glanced at the letters that her mother had written her. Tabitha didn't know what they contained. She didn't read them. She'd agreed with Lisa that she wouldn't speak with her mother again, until when she was ready so she didn't. It'd been 6 months since her mother had gone to jail for child abuse, and aggravated battery on her boyfriend and Tabitha didn't know how long her sentence was but she did know that as soon as her father told her that her mother was out, she would serve her with a restraining order.

And as for Aiden, she hadn't heard from him again. He avoided her and didn't contact her again, and she was happier than ever.

Tabitha sat at the table. "Morning dad, morning Talia." They echoed her greeting and put down their phones for breakfast.

Her dad passed her the syrup, eyes glancing back to his phone that had just pinged. He smiled when he opened whatever notification and Talia exchanged secret looks with Tabitha. They knew he'd been seeing someone. They just didn't know who it was. It might've been someone from the hospital but he wouldn't say, nor would he acknowledge their suspicions.

"So what plans do you girls have today?"

Talia's mouth was filled with waffles so Tabitha answered on her behalf. "We're driving to the beach in the next town dad for the weekend. we told you already." The school year was officially over, and they had graduated. It was scary navigating colleges, and what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives so they all decided to go out to the beach to rewind. Axel and Ariana would drive there with her and Oliver. Talia and Toby would go in her car. They had agreed to go later in the day because the sun was scorchingly hot.

"Text me when you get there. Okay?"

Tabitha and Talia nodded. "Dad, I'm headed to Ollie's." He dipped his chin, as he typed furiously on his phone.

"Say hi to my son-in-law." He laughed, and Talia giggled at the way she frowned. At the mention of Oliver, her heart skipped a beat and her cheeks flamed before she looked away. Her summer dress brushed her thighs and she fixed the clothing as she picked up her keys and walked to kiss her dad on the cheek.

"You all are terrible." She sighed, patting Talia's head as she walked away. Tabitha got into her car, and turned on the A/C before the gates opened and she drove towards Oliver's house.

************

The sun shone down on Tabitha's bare legs and she shifted on both her feet as she knocked on the door, and Brian opened it. Before she'd have slinked back in fear but he just rolled his eyes exaggeratedly at the sight of her large smile before walking away.

"You don't need to knock Tabitha. Use your key or just open the door." He grumbled, before kissing Wren on the forehead that had just come downstairs and turning back to Tabitha. "Nice to see you kid." He said, walking back upstairs. "Just don't bother my nap anymore."

Tabitha grinned. "Sir, yes, sir."

Wren pulled her into a big hug, and pulled her back to look over her face. "I still look the same as I did two weeks ago, Wren." She giggled as the older woman brushed back hair that had escaped her ponytail. Oliver's house had become her second home since last year. Her dad had met Oliver's mother, and Brian over the course of Christmas and spent majority of the holiday together. He would start calling them his in-laws whenever she mentioned her in a bid to embarrass her.