Shattering The Surfaces

Chapter Twenty Two Just Keep Swimming

Realization of what was happening hit me and I felt weak letting out a shrill scream for my father as I backed away from the window slamming it shut.

Just as my dad came barreling into the room half asleep, I had backed all the way up to my bed and felt dizzy, lightheaded.

“Abs, what is it?” With a shaky hand, I pointed at the closet moving my hand to the window once I knew my dad was following my animation.

“He was here. In here, and just snuck out.”

“Who?” He bent in front of me as I sat on my bed and forced me to look at him.

“I’m pretty sure it was Levi,” my dad’s eyes widened. “When I got home today I heard a thump and my window was open. I thought you and mom had opened it. I don’t think so anymore.” My dad rushed over to the window.

“Which way did he go?” He asked sternly as he peered out the window.

“Up the street, to the left.” I watched as my dad locked the window from the inside and strode back over to me.

“Listen Abs.” He kneeled in front of me again. “Levi ran away while you were camping. We have been trying to find him before you got back. He was going to be discharged because we found him looking through things in my office he is a sneaky one and this whole front of him being on his best behavior was always false. What Rick caught him looking at was my file, my personal employment file.”

“Oh no daddy, I am so sorry this is all my fault. Are you going to lose your job?”

He smiled warmly and sleepily at me. “No I’m not. All of the statements helped and he was going to be discharged eventually for that incident he didn’t know until he snuck into my office.”

“Still if I hadn’t been so reckless…”

“Yes you shouldn’t have taken advantage of that but he chose to misbehave too and then he assaulted you,” my dad growled the last part. I almost giggled because it was such a dad thing to do.

“I want you to go back to bed.”

“I don’t know if I can get back to sleep now.”

“I’ll help.” I nodded crawling back to my pillow and under the covers. My dad pulled up my desk chair to my bed and sat down.

“I won’t let anything happen to you Abigail; you will go to the swim meet tomorrow and satay as much as possible with Jon and Tony. I don’t want you to worry and change your routine over this. I will work something out here to keep you safe. If anything this is my fault for not keeping my office locked.”

“Okay…I am still sorry dad.” He just smiled at me and smoothed my hair back.

“To sleep now Abs.”

I turned onto my side and my dad began to rub my back slowly in a repetitive motion. How he was able to stay so calm about the fact Levi had broken into our house and hid in my room boggled my mind. Maybe it was just something he did. I knew he had it rough when he was my age and with my mom been through some crazy situations.

My eyes drooped as he rubbed my back and after a few silent minutes I heard my father begin to hum an old Beatles song. It made me smile. My dad sang me to sleep as a child too. His voice low and steady it always had a sedative quality.

“Did you ever sing to mom?” I asked through a yawn.

I heard him chuckle fondly. “Yes I did.”

“Do you still?”

“Not as much as I should.”

“I don’t think she minds.” I smiled through another yawn.