lethal cure | javon walton

three

harlee's pov:
friday night

my back rested against the arm of the leather sofa in my living room. my mom and her friends were out eating.

my body felt stuck. as if there was a weight holding it down, not allowing it to move.

my moms laptop sat on my thighs as my fingertips grazed along the keypad. my eyes focused on the screen.

I try to limit how much old home footage I watch, but today has just been one of those days. I'm missing him extra hard.

I dragged my pointer finger along the mouse pad to click play, it was a video of me on christmas morning 11 years ago.

I was around 6.

everything in that moment froze as I studied the video.

I sat cried crossed applesauce underneath the Christmas tree, a rudolph onesie covering my body.

my then, long, curly hair parted down the middle in two french braids.

a small smile took over my face as light Christmas music played in the back. I was missing my two front teeth.

a small giggle escaped my lips as I laughed at my fathers antics.

he wore the same onesie as me, and my mom could be heard from behind the camera lightly laughing.

"cameron, you don't think it's a little tight?" she questioned, directing the camera at my father.

she zoomed in getting a clear shot of his face. his crystal blue eyes, lighting up the screen, his dark hair in a low cut, and the freckles on his face very visible.

"no, no," he said shaking his head, "fits perfectly!"

my mother and I both laughed in unison.

"halrs, how do you like your presents santa brought you?" my father asked perking his eyebrow upwards.

I clapped my hands together before shouting, "I love them!"

"which is your favorite baby?" my mom questioned now zooming in on me.

I took my bottom lip in under my teeth, my eyes looking from my mom to my dad, "probably my new barbie dream house,"

"yeah I bet, santa looked hard for that one," my dad added, now sitting criss cross right next to me.

"how do you know?" I asked my eyes pinned on my dad.

"santa clause tells mommies and daddies things that little boys and girls don't get to know," he said to me softly rubbing my head, "and that's one of the things."

I laughed looking up to my mom with the camera, my eyes then shifting back to my dad.

the smile never leaving my face.

I wish I could be that happy right now, but I haven't been that way in a long time.

the unexpected buzz from my phone caused me to jump, my heart starting to beat quickly.