Cross My Heart

Chapter Nine

CROSS MY HEART: CHAPTER NINE

After the emotional blow of learning that my father may, or may not, know where my mother was, and may in fact be contacting her, I threw up. Luckily it was on the road and not on my neighbours lawn, although it was completely covered in snow. I wiped my mouth and stumbled back to my house. Had my Dad known where she was, all this time? How could he let my sister and I grow up without our mother? I know my father is great; I said it myself, and he more than made up for her. But like Adam said, everyone needs their mother.

I didn't walk into the house, but rather sat sat down on the porch steps. Minus the fact that it was just below zero outside, I was fuming. I called Adam and asked him to come by. By the time he arrived, I was sprawled out on the wood slats of the porch. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"What are you doing?! It's freezing outside!" I could feel the tears I had let release freeze on my cheeks. When he tried to motion me to the house, I refused, so he turned up the heat in his car, and I told him everything. I think he was as astounded and as shocked, as I was.

"So...you think that this Mable guy has something to do with your mother, and your father may know where she has been all this time?" I let out a breath.

"Yeah. Do you think I should confront my Dad about it?" He was quick to answer.

"Well, yeah. Don't you want to meet your mother?" I had nothing to say to that. I had no intentions whatsoever to meet my mother...or maybe I did. I don't know. All I knew was that Adam made a really good pillow. I let out another breath and lay my head on his lap, my legs curled up on the passenger side. He stroked my hair and I got lost in my own thoughts.

"Why do you love me?" The question came out of nowhere. I guess I was just curious.

"What?"  Adam asked me.

"Why do you love me?" I repeated.

"What kind of question is that?"

"A question you obviously can't answer." I was taken back when he forced me out of my spot, to a position where I could see his full facial expression. It was a little awkward; my back was leaning against the steering wheel, my feet in the same position as before. His arms completely enveloped my body and was holding on tight.

"When you laugh, you don't laugh, but giggle, like a little kid, which makes me start laughing, too. You always smell like vanilla. I could get lost in your hair and not want to come out for days. Your eyes are like magic. You make me feel like I can save the world, or fly to pluto and back. When I'm with you, all I want to do is hold you in my arms. When you say my name, my heart skips a beat. You are....supercalifragilisticexpealadocious." He kissed me on the lips, and after what felt like a beautiful eternity, he slowly pulled away. "I love you because...you're you."

"You know, I may start kissing you. And I may or may not be able to stop." He smiled as I leaned in to kiss him on the lips. I loved him so much, it was almost unbearable.

I started thinking back to how he came into my life; he came out of nowhere, really. But I feel like he saved me...from myself, from Roxanne...from everything.

After finally gathering up the courage from Adam to talk to my Dad, I slowly but surely made my way into my house. I watched Adam drive off before I went in. I could hear my Dad blasting his Lynyrd Skynyrd in the garage. I didn't bother taking off my shoes as I went to the door. I knocked, although I'm not sure why- I lived here after all. When he didn't answer, I pushed open the door. He was hiding beneath the hood of his car, so I cleared my throat. When he still didn't hear me, I tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped and banged his head hard on the hood.