Guided By The Stars: Book Three

Chapter Thirteen: Bruised Souls

Kevin cleared as much of his work schedule as he could with the short notice, and although he left for home, he let Elijah know he could be there in an hour and a half should he need him. Outside of the obvious three, Kevin had been a bigger ally than Elijah ever could have expected. So similar to his mother, but with a joy she'd been unable to possess in her home situation. They'd already planned to meet up Sunday for dinner back in Charleston after Daniel left.

Jeremy and Jesse were due to work on the house with him starting Saturday, working every weekend until the projected was complete. Although Jeremy told him he didn't need his help, and would rather he spend time with his 'dad', Elijah needed that last day to separate himself a bit emotionally from Daniel, who was already wiggling through his barriers.

Daniel was staying at a hotel in Pontiac, given their own town of Fairbury didn't actually have a hotel in it. It had tiny cabins, a single bed-and-breakfast, and a campground, but zero hotels. The nearest was a twenty-minute drive. The same area Mitch had booked them a hotel in four years ago for Thanksgiving, close to their former high school.

Despite his best efforts, Elijah could not remain completely closed-off from the stranger. They'd shared a few moments throughout the night, and Elijah knew in his heart this man was his biological father. It'd been easy to pretend early on, but as Daniel pointed out, and as Elijah noticed for himself, there were too many similarities between the two to chalk up to coincidence.

It was strange. He should have been happy not to share a gene pool with Harrison Fox. While his sister was a decent human being, the rest of the family had been absolute crap. And while finding out Harrison wasn't his biological father answered some questions he thought could never have answers after his death, it'd left him feeling bitter toward his mother.

She'd allowed him to be raised by a man who clearly never cared for him; not for as long as Elijah's memory allowed him to look back. She'd lied to him, abandoned him to be taken care of by a man who barely took care of him while he was alive. She made him feel like that life was as good of one as he could have or was supposed to have.

Bitterness was a useless emotion, yet even knowing this, it was impossible for Elijah not to allow a little to seep in through the cracks. His mother may not have known what the man was truly capable of, but she knew he was incapable or unwilling to love him.

Elijah had fallen asleep next to Madeline in the guest bedroom, but awoke before the sun was up, unable to free himself from his thoughts. He knew where the pictures were stored, since he'd helped organize the basement after Mitch fell off the ladder last year and came across them. He remembered exact which box it was, as if it'd only been yesterday and grabbed it off the shelf and brought it into the living room.

The memento box. Pictures of him and his mom when he was in his pre-teens during the barbecues Mitch threw every weekend throughout the summer months. Pictures taken of him and M&M when she was barely old enough to know her ABCs. But those weren't the photos he was looking for. Instead, he shuffled to the bottom of the box and pulled out a handful of another type of photo. One's of the injuries Harrison inflicted on him during the five years he spent living alone with the man.

Mitch called the evidence when he took them, fully aware Elijah would lie about where they'd come from. But in the event he wanted his father behind bars, Mitch would be ready to prove the extent of his injuries throughout the years.

He once asked Mitch why he didn't hand all the photos over to the cops without his permission, as it was surely enough to get his father arrested without his help or participation. He'd admitted to being tempted so many times, but if Harrison was arrested, and Elijah explained away the injuries convincingly enough they let Harrison free, the man would have likely moved them away from the nosy neighbors next store, not to mention what Elijah would have suffered through once he was out.

Elijah took photos of the pictures with his phone and sent them all to Daniel. Speaking the truth about his past, once he'd grown used to it, wasn't difficult. Sometimes it was emotionally draining. Sometimes it caused tears. But every time he spoke about it, Elijah felt weight lift from his body and mind. Speaking of it took its power away and gave that power back to him.

With therapy sessions, combined with AA meetings, Elijah had grown used to the subject of his tough childhood. Whether it was with someone he trusted fully, or complete strangers, he understood sharing it was vital to his mental health. He'd begun this journey for himself, but now that Madeline was in his life once again, it was even more vital not to backslide into his darkness.

Elijah was no longer under Harrison's control, nor was he that scared, shitless teenager. Speaking of what happened felt more like he was speaking of a previous life he'd led. Still connected, but void of its ability to haunt him in his current life.

Even the nightmares had faded over the last four years. With the right medications, meditation, and hobbies, Elijah's mind was released from its grasp mostly. There was still the occasional nightmare, but they weren't nearly as powerful as they once were.

Before Elijah could so much as stand from the couch, his phone vibrated against his leg, and Elijah swiped to see the single sentence reply.

Daniel: Jesus Christ, Elijah.

He was wondering if they had another thing in common.

Elijah: You an insomniac too?

Daniel: I am. That's also hereditary, in case you were wondering.

Daniel: But right now, I want to talk about those pictures. Can I call you? Or does this area have a 24 hour diner?

Elijah: I don't think there's even a 24 hour anything in this area.

Elijah checked the time and saw it was a bit after four in the morning. It'd be another two hours before the diner in this town opened, and another three before sunrise. Then there was the matter of Madeline, who slept only fifteen feet away and couldn't get up to go to the bathroom.

Elijah: Can't leave Madeline alone.

Elijah: But I can make a pot of coffee, and we can sit on the front porch.

Daniel: I'll be there in half an hour.