Always Mine {Book 3}| Completed

Part II: Chapter Five

E M M A POV:

There was the sound of wind chimes and I started getting these flashes that rushed through my head of my early childhood memories. And somehow those memories I did the best I could to hold onto them. And I knew I was dreaming all of it in my head. I couldn't cry because I was sleeping. And while I was sleeping, I saw this beaming light coming down in the October weather back in 2006. And I remember the fall of the seventy-one degrees outside. And the Abbot Kinney festival was around in October every year. I remember being four years old, and it was the first time that I was learning to ride a bike and with dad actually being there right with me.

He was wearing a brown jacket and still to this day, I can remember it. I remember him giving me this nice bike, it was purple. It was the first time I had learned to ride bike on my own. I remember being so scared to do it on my own. And dad kept telling me that I could do it because I could do anything by not giving up. And he told me, I could do it day by day. And I did everything I possibly could to make him happy. And the first thing I that happened was dad put my helmet on me. And he wanted me to do a small portion of where to ride to in our neighborhood. And I absolutely wanted to do it but just as long as he was beside me the whole time. And what four year old wouldn't want that? And so I had easily gotten on the bike, and he took ahold of me while helping me ride.

"I don't wanna ride on my own." My little voice of me said, as I was only four, and he was right there beside me.

"You won't, honey. I'll be right here beside you." Dad said to me, holding onto me.

Of course, I had my feet on the pedals, and I held onto both handles. And I had expected for him to ride with me the whole way. And of course, he had ridden with me the whole time, and when I wasn't expecting it or aware, he had pushed me on the bike outward as I kept peddling. And of course, without knowing it I actually did it on my own. And when I realized it, I got off of it at the stop sign.

And then I had ridden bike on my own, returning back into our driveway. And of course, the neighbors had witnessed and immediately I think my dad had tears in his eyes. And then once I got off the bike, I had ran to him in his arms and he was so proud.

"You are such a big girl!" He was very happy and I think there were slight tears in his eyes.

But then I realized I had ridden the bike all on my own, and he wasn't there beside me. And so it had me wondering what were to happen after? Would I always be on my own? Would it be like this forever?

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" He had asked me.

"You weren't there beside me. You left me. Does that mean you're going to leave me, daddy?" I said this very carefully but I was very sad and he knew it too and he went down to my level and he sat down beside me.

"No, Emma." He said softly, staying right beside me and he took off my helmet. "I will never leave you, sweetheart. I will always be here. No matter what I will always be with you."

"What if you do leave me? And then I'll be all alone?" I cried, tears falling from my eyes.

He took both of my hands and he looked right at me.

"You will never be alone. Because I will always be right here with you." Dad promised, and no matter how well I believed it, it never would have popped into my future. "And always remember, to never give up. You can do it day by day. But only if you put your heart to it. Always remember that. That way you'll know, you'll never be alone."

And before I knew it, that was the truth. I kept that in my head for years. I was four years old when he told me that. And here I am, nineteen years old, and I lost the one thing I most afraid of losing.