You're back

chapter 8

I drove to the kids school and waited for them outside of the school.

eventually Zola and Bailey come out and get in the car.

"Hey, how was school?"  I ask, starting the car and start driving to Ellis' school.

"school was good," Bailey says. "Zola?"

".. it was fine," she says. "can we just go home?" she says.

"yes, we just need to get your sister first," I say. I drive to Ellis' school and I step outside the car, locking the door behind me and go out to where the kids are waiting for their parents.

they're are four different castles colors, red, green, blue, and yellow, growing up I was in yellow and surprisingly all my kids were also in yellow castle.

the children in yellow castles bags were in a rectangle of yellow tape. "I'm here for Ellis Shepherd," I say.

they tell Ellis I'm here and I see her grab her bag. she runs over to me, hugging my legs before she pulls away and lifts her arms into the air.

I lift her into my arms and kiss her cheek as she hands me her backpack. I swing her bag over my shoulder and walk back to the car with the other kids.

I open the back seat and buckle her in to her car seat. I get into the front and place Ellis' bag at her feet in the back.

"how was school, El?" I was pulling out of the driveway.

"it was good! I drew some new pictures for you," she smiles. I smile back at her through the rearview mirror.

I park into the parking lot and park the car. "why are we stopping? I thought we were going home," Zola groans.

"we are, but before we go home there's something important I have to tell you," I say.

"Ellis and Bailey, I understand that this won't make any sense for you and Zola I will go more in depth with at home. but your Dad is at home right now and he's going to be there when we get back," I say.

Ellis doesn't look like she really knows what that means, Bailey looks confused, and Zola looks upset.

"but I thought Daddy was dead," Ellis says. "I know, I thought he was too, but it turns out that he was never dead, he showed up somewhere and someone brought him into the hospital, they couldn't find an ID on him so they didn't call us but when he woke up he asked for them to call me and I went to D.C and he is alive," I say.

"But how?" Bailey asks. "I'm not sure, I don't know the full story, but I think he can explain it to you better than I can," I say.

"I don't believe you, I think this is just some stupid joke," Zola says with tears in her eyes.

"I don't expect you to believe it right away because you understand things a bit better, I didn't believe it until I saw, Auntie Amelia didn't believe it when I told her until she saw him. you can see at home, I just wanted to tell you before we go home," I say.

I pull out of the school parking lot and drive home. Bailey and Ellis don't look like they understand what I just told them and Zola still looks upset on the drive back.

we finally arrive home and Zola is the first to get out of the car when I pull in. I get out of the car and help Ellis out of the car while Bailey goes inside, leaving his bag in the car.

I set Ellis on the ground and grab both Ellis' and Bailey's bag before Ellis takes my hand as we walk to the front door.

I open the door and let Ellis in and she runs into the kitchen to get a snack while I hang up the kids bags and coats.

"Daddy!!" I hear Ellis scream happily from inside the kitchen.

I take off my coat and walk into the kitchen before hanging it on the back of one of the chairs at the table.

"I didn't know how much you were going to look like your mother," Derek says in a broken voice as he holds Ellis' head on his chest and kisses her head and her cheek as he holds her.

"Zola doesn't believe your real," Ellis cries as she pulls away from her chest, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Zola's a bit older and she doesn't understand what happened, she'll get used to it soon, I promise," he says.

"Okay," she smiles before pulling him back in for a hug. I blink away the tears from my eyes before I leave the kitchen to give them sometime.

I go upstairs and walk down the hall until I get to Zola's bedroom. I knock a few times before opening the door and walking inside.

"I don't want you to tell me he's here because I know he's not," she says laying face down on the bed.

I sit down on the edge of the bed "Zola, go downstairs and look in the kitchen, I know how much you've missed your Dad after all these years and I know it sucks that he could have been here all these years but he wasn't just because someone made a mistake and we had to pay the price of their mistake, but he's here now and there's no reason why you should waste anymore time," I say.

"I don't believe you," she says muffled into the pillow.

"I wouldn't lie about this. come on, let's go," I say standing up. "No, I'm not going," she says.

"fine, I'll tell him to come see you," I say about to leave the room.

"He's not here!" she yells. I was shocked that she yelled because Zola never yells nor does she easily get mad.

I leave the room and go downstairs and into the kitchen. "she's not going to believe any of it unless you go upstairs herself and she won't come downstairs," I say standing by the sink next to Derek, looking out the window.

"she'll get used to it. Let's just give her some time to calm down and then I'll go talk to her. I heard her yelling," he says, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my shoulder.

"Zola never yells, she never even gets mad most of the time, she gets upset and sad, she cries when she's upset, but she's almost never mad and she's never yelled before... I think it just hit a soft spot," I say.

"it is, and you can't blame her," he says. "I know, I'm not mad. I'm just a little disappointed that she thinks I would lie about something like that just to hurt her," I say, standing up straight and wiping the tears from my eyes.

"it's easier to believe then it is that your father that has been dead since you five has come back to life," he says kissing my cheek.

"have you seen Bailey?" I ask, changing the subject. "yes, you need help with a boy and his hair," he says making us laugh.

"you came back just in time, now I don't have to give him the sex talk, girls I can do, boys I'm not sure," I say.

"I understand," I say. "you should go spend some time with them, they've missed you... and you can catch up tonight," I say, turning around in his arms and wrapping my arms around his waist.

"yes, we will," he smirks leaning down and kissing me softly. he pulls away and kisses my cheek before going into the living room with the kids.

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