𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 || 𝐩. 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫

.9.

≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫

FLORENCE stared at the sink beneath her. Her hands rested tightly on either side. Ben was dead. It had been weeks and it still didn't feel.. real.

She was never good with dealing with death. She couldn't stop hearing Peters cry for help ringing in her ears. She kept remembering how he cried holding onto her for dear life.

But she stopped. Stopped her tears any more and looked at herself in the mirror. She wiped the tears on her face and reached for her toothbrush.

It wasn't in the place it was last time. So she held her hand out. She concentrated on what she wanted. She let out a sigh and right on cue a portal appeared above her hand.

Her toothbrush fell and she caught it in time. And went on to brush her teeth.

She hadn't done that much. It used to hurt to even attempt what she had just done. Now it only tingles for a while.

"Should we go and check on them?" she heard her mom say as she walked into the kitchen. "It might help.."

"Yeah. We should check on them. Especially now." her dad said. He caught sight of his daughter and cleared his throat. "Morning, Florence." His lips sent a sympathetic smile over to her.

"I heard you guys.." she said taking a seat on the counter by her dad. She picked up a full cup of coffee assuming it was her moms. "And i wouldn't go over there if i were you. At least not with Peter there.."

Her mother watched her drink the liquid. She sent a look to her husband and then cleared her own throat. "Wanna go check on Luxas?" she whispered across to him.

"Yep.." he said tapping the table. He left tapping his daughter's leg one last time.

Her mom looked back at her and saw she was rummaging around through the cabinet closet to her. "So-"

"I'm fine mom." she interrupted. When she finally found what she was looking for, a small spoon, she looked back up to her mother. "You're gonna ask how i'm doing and i'm fine." she stated. She looked at her while drinking the liquid.

"Florence," she started. Her tone was soft. She had a worried look on her face. She took the cup from her hands and set it on the counter behind her. "I got a letter. From.." She looked back and then to Florence. "Richard." she whispered.

Florence's heart stopped. She wanted to die. First he wrote her and sent money. Then she finds out he's been stalking her and her brother. Now he's reached out to her mom. "What?"

She jumped down from the counter as her mother told her everything. "He told me he's been out for a while. And that he wrote you- Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because i thought i could handle it." she quickly answered. "I thought if i took care of the whole thing, you and dad wouldn't have to worry." She wiped her face as she leaned against the couch.

Her whole world was falling apart. She couldn't stop anything from happening. "Flo- Babe- We are your parents. We can take care of you-"

"Not when it comes to him." she said. "Not him. No one can handle him." She stood there for a second and then looked to the woman. "Did you tell dad?"

She shook her head. That's good.. Good..

"Okay.. Okay- keep it that way, please? I don't need him worrying anymore." she told her mother. Suddenly the door to her brothers room was shut carefully and her dad walked out. She gave one last look to her mother before giving her dad her attention.