Whispered promises

Chapter 66

The morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Katrina slowly opened her eyes, her mind still foggy from a restless night's sleep. She had spent hours tossing and turning, her thoughts consumed by the conversation with her father.

With a deep breath, Katrina swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head, she made her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face to wake herself up. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she saw a woman who had been through hell and back. The person who hated who she was .

After getting dressed, Katrina made her way downstairs to the kitchen. The smell of coffee filled the air, and she found her father preparing breakfast. He looked up and smiled as she entered the room.

"Good morning, trouble," he greeted her, his voice filled with warmth. Which made Katrina look slightly at him confused . "Morning, Dad,"Katrina replied, returning his smile. She took a seat at the kitchen table. "What's with this "Katrina questioned . "I said I'd be here for you , I meant it , whatever you need I'll be there " argent Informed her . "Same for you too " I assured him . "I know " he responded .

Argent placed a plate of pancakes in front ofKatrina , along with a steaming cup of coffee. "Thanks " she told him with a small smile before , taking a bite of her pancakes. The familiar taste brought a sense of comfort, reminding her of the simple joys in life.

••••••••••••••••••

I placed jj's belonging in the box remembering the medical texts books he always left around mine , the jumpers he allowed me and Sarah to keep . It broke my heart knowing I'd never see him smile or act an idiot . I pull the photo of me and him and Sarah out from my phone looking at it , remising before placing it into the box . I looked around to see if I missed anything and saw the photo of me , Jj and Derek . I smiled a little remembering the day we took it .

"You sure you wanna go? I could have the principal change it," my dad said, his voice filled with concern as he knocked on my bedroom door and entered the room. I looked up from my desk, where I had my head leant against it bored and to be honest I felt empty, struggling with the temptation to numb it all but I knew it wasn't a option anymore . "No, I'm okay. I don't think an exam is going to try to kill me," I replied, trying to lighten the mood. My dad chuckled softly and took a seat beside me, his presence bringing a sense of comfort.

"You sure?" he asked once again, his eyes searching mine for any sign of hesitation or doubt. I nodded, wanting to reassure him .
"Yeah, I'm sure," I replied firmly. I appreciated his concern. I notice he looked over to my bed seeing the box with JJ's name on it .

He made a move to leave, but before he could, I called out to him. "Hey, dad," I said, causing him to turn back towards me. He looked at me with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. "Are you okay?" I asked, the concern evident in my voice.

His expression softened, as if surprised that someone had finally asked about his well-being. He had lost Allison too, and while he always seemed strong for my sake, I knew he carried his own pain within him. I wanted to make sure he was aware his feelings were valid to that he could feel anything he wanted to . "Yeah, I'm okay, trouble," he responded, before I came over to him pulling him into a tight embrace. The warmth of his hug enveloped me, reminding me of the strength and love he had always provided. I wanted to make sure I was here for him just as much as he was for me . "I love you dad " I whispered against his embrace . "I love you too sweetheart " he whispered back placing a gentle kiss on my forehead .

I realized that my dad, just like me, needed someone to check on him, to offer a listening ear and a comforting shoulder. As he held me, I could feel the weight of his emotions, the unspoken pain that he carried. It was a reminder that even in the face of loss, we were not alone. We had each other, that we were a team.