My Father's Secret

Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

"I think it's been over 48 hours so now I have the all clear to tell you what's going on" James started. After my embarrassing teary moment with him 2 days ago, I'd spent most of the time car drive pretending to be asleep to avoid him I never really liked people seeing me emotional. "Thanks, I really appreciate you finally catching me up to speed" I replied quietly. "No problem. Anyway last night CCTV footage caught your mother and your father down at the pier talking" James replied casually. "Oh" I said acting shocked. I really didn't think it was the right time to tell James that I'd been snooping about my mother's mail, it was a federal offence! "Anyway all was going well until 12pm after that things started to get a bit heated, your father mentioned something to your mother about you that didn't sit well with her. We still don't know what exactly it was" James said then took a breath. "Your mother had enough and was about to head off when two black Mercedes Benz vans turned up and your mother was forced into the first van while your father was forced into the other" He finished. After taking a deep breath I finally found my voice. "I can't believe it my mother, the only person I could always trust and knew would never walk away, is in danger!" "I know that this news is very distressing and a lot to process" James replied slowly, "you got that right!" I replied breathing heavily "but" he continued "I know this may sound harsh and all but, I believe right now you should really just focus on yourself and your baby sister". Dead silenced filled the car as  James last words echoed in my mind, of course I should focus on myself and Jo Jo, but also on the other hand who knew who had my mother and what they could do to her.  I couldn't care less about my father's wellbeing on the other hand, that man lost all respect I had towards him the day he ran away. I finally reply to James after thinking heavily about the situation, "I really don't know James I really don't' know". I rested my hand on the glove box and rubbed my forehead with the other and starred out the window, I suddenly felt a hand on top of mine and fingers entwining in between my fingers. I turned my face away from the mirror and sure enough there was James's hand on top of mine squeezing my hand softly for support.

I woke up in James car feeling refreshed and in a good mood.  I slowly stretched out my arms and legs and yawned and I finally opened my eyes and took in our new destination, we were no longer anywhere near a road but surround by overgrown grass. I looked around the car but James and Jo Jo were nowhere to be seen, I slowly got out of the car and heard the sound of Jo Jo crying and James voice pleading my three month year old sister to stop crying! A laugh escaped from my mouth, poor James really was going to learn the ins and outs of a baby. My eyes followed the noise of Jo Jo and James, My eyes finally landed on a rickety farmhouse. The farmhouse was very old but it still had a sense of beauty within it. It was a two stories, with cute green-blue shutters next to each window. The house was white with bits of the old paint starting to peel revealing the wooden structure of the house. The veranda had missing pieces of wood underneath that had been replaced with various different types of bricks and wood, the railing of the veranda also had missing pieces and a wire fence was used to replace the broken piece of the wooden railing. My eyes finally trailed away from the house and towards the vast field of hay that lay ahead. I stood there for a minute and closed my eyes taking in all the smells and sounds of this new environment and I opened my eyes and I began to walk through the acres of hay. Problems disappearing after each step I took, I was finally feeling like myself again not the stressed out paranoid Elle but the happy funny and caring Elle.

I walked silently back towards the rickety farmhouse, it was dark now I knew that I'd better get back soon before James came looking for me. I knew James was going to give me a huge scolding for disappearing for multiple hours but I really didn't care how angry he got because that walk through the acres of hay helped me find myself again and regain my strength I needed to have during this tough time. I finally approached the veranda and was about to open the door when the door was quickly flung open to reveal a very furious and tired looking James standing in the doorway staring daggers at me. "Hey" I said trying to act casual. "That's what you say to me Elle!" he whispered in rage obviously Jo Jo was asleep and he didn't want to risk waking her after finally settling her. "What?" I replied feeling guilty "Elle you've been gone for over 3 hours I thought you had been kidnapped or killed I was worried sick! Do you how dangerous that was to disappear like that! Elle people kidnapped your parents and they won't hesitate to take you as well" he said no longer whispering but yelling. "Look I know you must have been stressed but I needed to just be alone, don't you understand?" I said hopeful "Plus you're the one who left me in the car" I murmured but James picked it up anyway "What do you mean I'm the one who left you in the car? For starters I didn't want to wake you and I couldn't just carry both you and Jo Jo in to the house and two aren't you a big girl? Couldn't you of got out of the car and knocked on the door of the house and come in rather than disappearing?" he replied, "look I'm sorry okay what else do you want me to say?" I replied frustrated but James didn't have time to reply before the sounds of two cars speeding up to the farm and gun shots were heard. James ran back into the house and came back with Jo Jo in her carrier with the cover pulled over. "GO! Run as far as your legs can carry you don't let them get you Elle!" he said "What about you? I'm not leaving without you James" I replied sternly. Even though James and I fought a lot I still cared about him and would never forgive myself if he got hurt. "Don't worry about me I can take care of myself!"  He said. "Remember what I said, focus on you and your baby sister and everything will be fine, now run Elle!" he finished. I walked straight up to him closing the gap in between us and gave him a hug. As I hugged him I felt a tear trickle down my cheek, I finally let go and whispered said "stay safe James" and then I ran as fast as my legs could carry me.