Drive

Chapter 4

When I reach the table I stand beside her and she grabs my shirt.

"Mommy, he's tickling me!" She says between laughs and he pokes her again, her beautiful laugh radiating off the walls. Tears fill my eyes as the memories come back, the exact words were said, her exact laugh.

Flashback

I laugh along with Kaylee as Keenan holds her above his head, me and him laying back on the bed. He brings his lips to her stomach and blows. Her laughter radiates off the walls of our small apartment as does mine and his.

"Mommy, he's tickling me!" She says as he repeats his actions. She laughs loudly, joy filling the room. It's two days before her second birthday, and this started with her saying she was sixteen and needed a car. I have no idea where my little girl got that from, but it made me feel terrible. Keenan argued (playfully) with her until he picked her up and slammed his back on the bed, bringing her between me and him and tickling her.

***

That was the day he died. He was on the way to get stuff for her party and was run off the road.

I furiously wipe my eyes, praying they're not red. But when I look up Niall eyes meet mine and soften.

"Are you okay?" He asks and I nod my head, blinking back tears.

"Yeah," I say and slide my hands under Kaylees armpits and set her on my hip. "Say bye, Kaylee." She waves and mumbles a "bye," as I wave and walk away.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" Kaylee asks as we reach the doors to the lobby and I shake my head.

"I'm not crying, baby. I just.. I.. I had to sneeze." I say to spare her feelings. She don't need to be thinking about her father. It's only been about five months since he died, i'm not completly over it. It was a tragedy. Imagine getting a call from the police saying your boyfriend has been life flighted and they're trying everything they can to keep his heart beating. But once you get there, he's gone. The doctors told me as soon as I said his name. At least she was kind about it. She pulled me over to the side and whispered in my ear. I remember how it felt, and the first thing that popped into my head was "what am I going to tell my daughter?"

I open the door to my room and see the maid has cleaned it. Kaylee plops on the bed and I turn the T.V. on, flicking through the channels until I find Mickey Mouse; Kaylees favorite show.

I sit at the table, grabbing a pen out of the holder the hotel provides and begin filling out the pages. There's more than I thought!

When I reach the end of the pages it states that most people that are spy's and stars in hiding or in need of a break stay in this hotel, and that's basically how they stay in business. I have to promise to not tell anyone their identification if they ask me to not, promise to be nice to all customers, blah.

It takes me about half an hour to fill out the papers and I take Kaylee with me to give Bailey the packet. When I open the door and step out, I see Liam and one of the other guys outside, cigarette in Liams mouth.

The one with the striped shirt on smiles and waves. His smile reaches his eyes as I take ahold of Kaylees hand. He waves at my daughter and she waves back, but stops in front of him.

"I'm Kaylee, what's your name?" She asks and I mentally thank her because im tired of refuring to him as 'that guy.'

"Louis," he says and smiles. She nods and takes my hand back in hers. But before we walk away the door to their room opens, out coming Niall. His eyes meet mine and he smiles.

"Hey," he says and I smile.

"Hi," I say simply and walk away before we can start a full-on conversation.