Dangerously In Love (n.h)

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Mindy's POV (Georgia's mum)

My baby. 

My little girl. 

The one that came running up to me because someone in her kindergarten class told her that santa wasn't real. She came running to me saying that she knew it was true but she wanted to keep pretending he was real so she can keep getting presents. 

At a young age, she's been so clever. She knew how to get out of trouble by the time she was 7, she knew how to lie without a tell by the time she was 9, she knew how to stand up for herself by the time she was 10. 

"Mindy. Mindy?" I could vaguely hear Hanson's voice but I couldn't seem to respond. All i could hear was Georgia's voice, how she yelled and how she spoke calmly. I was just shocked and scared. 

My baby. 

"Mindy! You can't do this again. Don't be scared. Don't act like you did when you're brother died. Please." I could feel him fiercely shaking my shoulders but I still couldn't answer him. "Come back, Mindy. For me, for Georgia." 

At the sound of Georgia's name, I snapped back to reality. I looked deep into Hanson's green eyes that looked so identical to Georgia's and for a second, I thought it was her. I started to cry. The salty tears leaked from my eyes and Hanson wrapped his arms around my waist as I cried into his shoulder. 

"My baby." I cried over and over again. 

"I know." He whispered. "She'll be okay."

I knew he was lying. I knew that he was only hoping. I knew that deep down something sadistic is going on and I knew that Georgia will be permanently scarred by the time she came back. Mother's intuition, I guess. 

"Niall's coming soon." Hanson whispered. I pulled away slightly and looked into his almost lifeless eyes. 

"What?" I asked. 

"He needs to explain. Everything." He responded. 

I understood why Niall was coming. For some reason the whole time I was gone, I felt guilty for judging Niall like that. I could feel deep inside that Niall had more of a purer heart than I did, a stronger heart. But I was blinded by the actions Georgia showed in Ventor. I was tainted by the image of James, ever since James all I could see was Georgia's bad side. Her criminal record, her attitude, her influences. I felt like her type of guy was a lowlife, bad kind of guy. 

I automatically thought Niall was like James. He had that same appearance as James. The leather jacket, the black clothes, the fast sports cars. I judged him and compared him to James. I was so prejudiced. 

But ever since I thought it through when we were in Santa Monica, I realised that I was wrong. At the time I thought Georgia only stood up for him because she hated the way I was controlling her life. I thought she only yelled for him just to yell. Then I realised, she yelled for him for good reason. I knew Niall was going to be that one person that will always be important to her. I could see the way she acted around him that one time. 

A knock on the door brought me back to reality. I watched solemnly as Hanson opened the door. Niall walked into the room with a sag in his shoulders. His head was hung low and not in a defeated kind of way, more like in a permanent cringe. His eyes were distressed and panic-ridden. His hair was disheveled as if it was run through so many times. His breathing seemed uneven like he was so scared. 

"Hi, Mr and Mrs Brink." His tone was dead, with absolutely no life in it. 

"Niall." I nodded in acknowledgement. "Have a seat."