Cheer Up Baby | Elijah Hewson

Chapter 26. The Night We Met

At 2:15 p.m., Rebecca's flight had landed. Her body and mind numb to everything from the last 24 hours.

She watched the baggage carousel going around and around again. Not noticing her bag going around in circles multiple times since she was so out of it.

"Sorry, I think that's your bag there. It's the only one still on the carousel." An older woman pointed out to Rebecca kindly.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I got lost in my train of thought. I'm really sorry." Rebecca panicked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Ah god, don't get upset. You've done nothing wrong. Enjoy the rest of your day, sweetheart." The woman smiled, leaving Rebecca to collect her suitcase in peace.

Rebecca slowly walked out to the arrival gate. Not even being fazed by the idea of being met with her dad after the pain and heartache she's been through.

She watched her feet slowly shuffle against the shiny floor. Stopping in her tracks to look up and find her Dad.

She looked around, trying to find his face in the small crowd of people waiting on one or many of their loved ones to walk through.

There was no sign of him, though.

He's just stuck in traffic, she thought to herself.

She made her way to a row of seats, sighing as she sat down and rubbed her hands over her face.

Five minutes turned into ten, ten minutes turned into twenty, and before you knew it, it had been an hour....and he still hadn't shown up.

As Rebecca realised her fathers absence, her heart dropped a little. She fully believed that maybe her father would've shown her some comfort while going through her most difficult heartbreak yet, but no.

"Rebecca?" A male's voice called out.

Her head shot up from her hands, quickly expecting to meet her fathers eyes in the practically empty airport.

It wasn't her father, though.

It was Paul.

"Paul?" She croaked out, shooting up out of her seat.

"We better get out of here quickly before I get mobbed. Give me your suitcase there, love."

Rebecca passed him her suitcase, the two of them quickly rushing out of the airport, with thankfully no notices since the airport was so quiet.

As Rebecca sat in the car, she realised her shoulders were tensed up from nerves. Scared over how awkward this encounter might be.

"Where's my dad?" Was the first thing Rebecca asked as soon as Paul sat in the driver seat to her right.

"I'm sorry, Rebecca. He said he couldn't do it."

"What does he mean by that?"

"I don't know. He just said he couldn't bring himself to do it." He shrugged his shoulders sadly, feeling sorry for the girl beside him.

"I just want my mam." She sobbed suddenly, placing her hands over her face and crying into them.

"Why the fuck can't he just be here for me, just this once! All I want is a fucking parent to look out for me. Just once, please god, just once!" She sobbed harder, finding it harder to breathe the more riled up she got.

"Take a deep breath, it's okay." Paul placed a hand on her back, trying to help her calm down.

"OKAY!? IT'S FAR FROM FUCKING OKAY!! YOUR SON HAS FUCKING DESTROYED ME AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME EVERYTHING IS OKAY!? TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR DICKHEAD OF A SON FOR FUCK SAKE!" She roared, swinging open the car door, opening the boot and storming towards the holding area for the buses. Leaving Paul in some kind of shock, not expecting her outburst.