Them and Her

Chapter 69

Nevaeh stepped away from her fathers embrace, "I-" she took a deep breath before saying,

"I don't think I can forgive you."

Their hearts clenched hearing her words, sure, it was kind of their fault for what she went through, they didn't know she was still alive, and they don't blame her, but, their is hope,

Right?

"What?" Lucas whispered, standing to his full height.

"Give us a chance, please!" Aiden exclaimed.

"We'll do whatever you want, Nevaeh, but please, don't do this." Asher pleaded.

"It's not about what you can and can't do Asher, it's about what happened and time, you say you're the mafia, and it seems like you're a powerful one, and even though you thought I was dead, did you really just give up that easily?" She wiped her tears, her hands by her side limply.

"I don't think I can forgive you, maybe in the future, but now, I just can't, I can't even look at you dammit." She pinched her neck anxiously.

Carly focused on her antic, "You still do it." She whispered.

They all looked at her, wondering what she was talking about.

"You still pinch your neck when you get nervous." Carly hugged herself.

"Please, let us prove to you that we care, we'll do anything to earn your forgiveness, we aren't a complete family without you." Aaron spoke, his voice cracking at the end.

Nevaeh sucked in a breath, this is what she has been wanting all her life, a family, now that she has found them, why isn't she feeling how she's supposed to feel? Maybe because she can't seem to get over her past and that they have let her down? She wasn't exactly sure.

"I-I need some time." She whispered, hugging herself to provide herself some comfort.

"We'll give you time, take all the time you need, but don't forget, we're here for you now, you're not and will never be alone from now on." Aiden spoke, an intense promise flickering in his eyes.

"You have us now." Conrad spoke silently, offering her a gentle smile, his eyes gleaming.

Nevaeh nodded, her eyes teary, she moved towards the door, her hand on the doorknob when Lucas spoke, stopping her.

"You're a part of us Nevaeh, don't forget that."

"We let you go once, we're not letting you go again."

With those words repeating in her  head, she was out the door.

*****************

Nevaeh slammed the bedroom door shut, she slid against it, the tears she's been suppressing finally falling free.

She put her hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs, she closed her eyes, and cried her heart out.

She cried for those years of suffering and pain, she cried for her younger self, she cried for the inner child that still wondered what she did to deserve all what happened.

She cried for every single word, every single slap and every single insult that was thrown her way, she cried for the helpless little girl that always wished her family would come and save her, lastly, she cried for her present self.

Her heart ached, her head throbbed, her lungs squeezed shut as she struggled to breath properly.

She wanted this horrible pain in her chest to stop, she coughed, standing up on shaky legs and moved to the bathroom.