Mercy
Things felt weird after my mom slapped Reid. I got a strange vibe from Daddy & Glammy & even though he didn't say anything, I was pretty sure Daddy had no idea where Mommy was "giving herself a time out." He was acting too weird & I could tell he was scared. I also saw him call Mommy's cell phone at least twice that night. Both times, he didn't talk to her & he looked worried.
Daddy looked even more worried as the days after Mommy left went by, slowly. I would hear parts of conversations & I was pretty sure Daddy was scared Mommy wouldn't come back. Any time one of us kids asked about Mommy, Daddy would stutter & look anywhere but at our faces. He was afraid we'd see something in his face that he was lying to us. At least that's what I was thinking.
I'll never forget the day Daddy came home after he'd been gone most of the day. It was the Friday after Mommy had left & I heard his car pull in the driveway, while I had been playing the piano. I got up & ran to greet him, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw his face. I don't think I'd ever seen him look so upset. He looked like he'd been crying for the whole day. His eyes were red & swollen, his hair messy. He didn't see me, probably because he was gripping the counter, like he was holding himself up, so he wouldn't fall over. I turned & ran to get Glammy, who was in the next room putting Harper in the enclosed area of the family room.
Glammy ran into the kitchen & had told me to stay there, but, of course, I didn't listen. I peeked around the corner of the dining room doorway that led to the kitchen. I saw Daddy in Glammy's arms, but I couldn't hear what she was saying to him. I heard Daddy speaking in a low voice as he tried to stand up, straight, but I couldn't hear him, either. I managed to make out a few things & I kinda wished I hadn't.
"She said she hated me." Daddy said, his voice shaky.
Glammy sighed. "She's angry, Nick & not in a good frame of mind. She didn't mean it."
Why wasn't Mommy in a good frame of mind? What did that even mean? "She seemed like she meant it, Mom." Daddy said, then went to the fridge, where he grabbed a beer. Daddy didn't usually drink beer unless it was after us kids were in bed or he had friends over. Or if he was stressed.
"I'm going to call your dad & tell him to come over & we'll take the kids for the weekend. I know you need some time to be alone & do some thinking & just be upset."
"Thanks, Mom. That would be helpful. I don't want them to see me like this. I can't even think straight." Daddy opened his beer & took a drink.
I walked in & made my presence known. "Daddy? Is Mommy coming home soon?" I asked, hoping he had an answer to the only question I wanted answered, at that point.
Daddy jumped as he looked at me. He, immediately, sat his beer on the counter & walked to me. Squatting in front of me, he sighed. "I hope so, baby girl. She's just seeing some doctors because of when she got hurt & because her brain was hurt so bad."
I nodded, not really wanting to remember when Mommy's brain was hurt. "Did Mommy say she hated you?" I asked my chin up a little to let Daddy know I wasn't going to let it go.
Daddy let out a breath through his nose as he watched me, with his lips pressed together. "She didn't mean it. Please don't worry about it, okay. Just have fun with Glammy & Papa this weekend & help them with your brothers & sisters. Let me worry about Mommy. Just know that she is getting help." Daddy grabbed my hand & gave it a squeeze. "Listen to me, okay? No matter what happens from here on out, you have to know that Mommy loves you very much & she would never hurt you, intentionally. I love you, too & I will love Mommy forever, no matter what, so remember that always. I will never stop fighting for her. You understand?"
YOU ARE READING
Remember Forever (Book 9 in Nemi Forever Series)
Fanfiction"The course of true love never did run smooth." This is the 9th book in the Forever Series... In this one.... Nick and Demi will have to work hard at remembering what forever meant. "The magic isn't in getting married... it's in staying married."