Falling Helplessly

Twelve - Oh father

"What happened after I was born, I mean they were teenagers, they can't have had any money or anything?" Jasmine asked.

"You all stayed with Lauren, for the first couple of years anyway, Alfie's grandma helped them out as well she gave them some money towards supplies for you, and Alfie dropped out of college and started working full time. Most of the money went into saving accounts which they later used to used to buy a house. To be honest, they did well for themselves, your mum used to do some writing here and there so if they were struggling financially she'd send some of her work off and occasionally they were bought and published earning herself some money. The point is, you had everything you ever needed and wanted, they made sure of it." I replied.

"So I'm guessing they never saw their parents again, I don't remember meeting my grandparents." Jasmine replied. 

"You've met your grandmothers, both Ella and Alfie's mums and Alfie's grandma. You've never met Alfie's did and you never will for good reason, but you have met Ella's dad once, not intentionally. Your mum and dad didn't want either of their parents in your life, not after the childhood they'd had with them. All they wanted was for you to have everything they never experienced, to feel safe and unconditionally loved." I explained. 

"That's why I used to hear dad consoling mum saying as long as we're nothing like our parents we're doing fine." Jada remembered.

"Exactly, your parents wanted to hide you from their families so you'd never witness anything they had, but when you were three years old, you did meet Ella's family. It was unavoidable, though Ella vowed it would never happen again. 

During those three years your mother was at her happiest, she was living on cloud nine, she and Alfie had moved out of Lauren's house and were renting this exact house. Your mum was working part time in the journalism field and Alfie was now a fully qualified electrician. When they weren't at work, they spent their time with you, watching their beautiful daughter grow up into the funny, happy little girl you've always been. 

In fact, I felt like I had my best friend back and Alfie had his girl back. Most weekends me and Henry would go round to their house, we'd watch football together if it was on or end un drinking, but you were always the highlight of those nights. Your mum would dance around the living room, slightly tipsy, with you in her arms before Alfie would enter the scene sweeping Ella off her feet and spinning her around in his arms. Just seeing the three of you so happy was honestly the best thing in the world. 

We weren't naïve though, we knew this carefree happiness of Ella's would be short lived and it was, it really was. In no time at all, Ella's life was ripped from under her once again. 

It was Lauren's thirtieth birthday and she was having a small party with all of her friends and family. Of course Ella didn't want to go she'd said no but in the end she couldn't let her sister down, not after everything Lauren had sacrificed to help Ella and Alfie out. 

So Lauren called Ella the day before the party still begging her sister to go, she promised Ella that their dad wouldn't go near her. Ella had also agreed with Lauren that if they were to go that me and Alfie would have to be there. Lauren immediately obliged, in that moment Lauren would have agreed to anything if it meant her niece and sister would be there.

The next day we all went to Lauren's birthday. As soon as we arrived, Ella's mum came over to us straight away, Ella went tense as her mother held out her hand to you and introduced herself, before she gently pulled Ella towards her and hugged her tightly and asked if they could get a drink together so Ella pushing the history aside said yes. 

To be honest, I think that deep down Ella just wanted a mum that would love her and accept her for who she was, that would put her first and foremost, though she had accepted a long time ago that it would never happen, so instead she'd learnt to settle for moments like that where her mum was actually interested in her life and seemed to care, if only for a moment. 

After an hour or so, Ella's mother re-joined her husband so Ella carried you back to me and Alfie placing you in your father's arms where she knew you'd be safe as she went in search of Lauren to buy her a drink and give her her present. 

Throughout the night different people whom I didn't know kept walking over to wherever Ella was trying to make amends and reach out to the one person who'd chosen to distance herself from her own family. 

We didn't stay at the party for long maybe a couple of hours at most, but as we were leaving was when the night took a drastic turn. 

As we were in the middle of the car park, Ella's mum shouted her back, but the problem was Ella's dad was right by her side. Your mum instinctively picked you up and held you protectively in her arms as both me and Alfie put an arm each around Ella knowing how difficult it was going to be for her to face her dad again, especially after Ella was moments earlier getting along with her mum, she definitely felt betrayed. 

Ella was so mad she didn't know what to do with herself, but at that moment Lauren had come to say goodbye and had seen what was happening, so with no questions asked, Lauren immediately took you from your mother's arms and took you back inside away from the confrontation, knowing that Ella wouldn't want you to witness whatever was going to happen. 

Ella's mum then broke the silence and said "Really, Ella? Don't you think he has a right to know his granddaughter? You're creating a bigger mess for yourself again if you deprive Jasmine of knowing him, she will grow to resent you." 

Ella then for the second time in her life stood up to her parents, she raised her voice and said "Mum, do not turn this into something it doesn't have to be because believe me, it will be you who suffers not me. He will never have a relationship with my daughter. All it takes is one drink. One drink mum. And one moment of anger to hurt her or me like he hurt you. And I will never put my daughter through witnessing something like that, because unlike you mum I will put her first before anyone. 

Ella's mum then replied with "I hope you know what you're doing, don't come crying to me when she one day learns the truth and Jasmine hates you because of the choices you made for her." 

Ella then said before walking off, "I understand perfectly what I'm doing, I'm saving my child from enduring the pain I went through, though you refuse to admit that. And when Jasmine's old enough I will tell her why I made the choices I made and then she can decide and you know what mum, I'll respect the choice she makes because unlike you I'll never force Jasmine to do something she doesn't want to because she's her own person, free to make her own decisions but you never understood that." 

Ella's dad followed dad as did me and Alfie, but her dad spoke to her for the first time in four years and it would be the last time forever. He said, "Ella please, can we move past this? I know you'll never forgive me but could we not move on?" 

Ella didn't even turn around, she simply said "No, we can't." and then she went off to find you before getting in the safety of the car utterly defeated. 

Ella didn't speak a word to anyone for the rest of the night. Alfie took care of you, for your mother went straight to bed and did not move from her bed for the next forty-eight hours as she was once again trapped inside of her own mind.