Do or Die | A Slipknot story

chapter twenty seven

"Alex?"

I fought the urge to turn and run in the other direction. Out of habit, I started to pop my fingers. "Hey dad."

He stood staring at me for a moment, obviously taken by shock. Without any warning he stepped out of the house and threw his arms around me with a force I thought would take us both to the ground.

He didn't say anything, but I felt tears fall on top of my head. I wasted no time in throwing my arms around him and letting my own tears fall. "I'm sorry."

I felt him shake his head and squeeze me tighter. "No, I should be sorry. I'm sorry I left you when you were little, I'm sorry that you were depressed. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you and I'm sorry that I ignored you for the longest time. I didn't take care of you properly and I'm sorry that I didn't show you how much I cared. You're the apple of my eye, Alex. You don't know how much I love you and you won't know until you have children of your own. I'm sorry I made you feel so alone that you had to run away, but don't ever pull that on me again. "

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry."

He moved to step away but ended up taking me with him. I wasn't really ready to let go yet. He looked down at me, noticing that I was silently sobbing. Great, my eyeliner's ruined now. "Heyyy, don't cry, please."

"You're crying, too." My voice broke.

"I don't care if I'm crying." He spoke. I stepped back with his hands holding me at arms length. My hands moved up to cover my face. "But I most certainly care that my little girl's crying."

"Dad, y-you're not helping the whole crying thing here."

He managed a chuckle and pulled me back into a hug. "I'm sorry. You don't even know how hard this has been. Not knowing if my daughter's okay, if she's safe.."

It was then I realized my dad didn't necessarily know how to keep someone from crying. "I'm sorry, okay? I was selfish and I've regretted it ever since. Can I ask you something, though? Why'd you hang up on me?"

He looked down at me. "When?"

"When I graduated.." I whispered, looking down. I was already starting to sound bitchy. Calm down Alex.

"Oh, uh." He scratched the back of his neck. "Were you here to see Stephanie?"

I breathed, feeling an uneasiness settle in me. What happened to my question? "Yeah."

He released me from the hug and followed me in the house where we found Stephanie laying on the floor, three babies surrounding her.

"Uh.. Steph?"

She moved a bit to look up at me. "Oh hey! I was just about to call yo- are you crying?"

"No."

She stood and put a hand on her hip.

"Okay, yes. But it's not bad."

"If you say so. Can I talk to Corey here for a moment? Will you be able to-"

I cut her off mid-sentence. "Yeah I'll be fine."

My dad and Stephanie walked off looking a little strange, but I chose to brush it off.

"Hey boys!" I exclaimed, sitting down in the spot in where Steph previously was.

Aaron looked up at me, astonishment present. I laughed, there's obviously nothing special about me. "What's up buddy number two?"

At that, he smiled a one-toothed smile and swung his arm. I held out my pinky, which he clasped onto and swung my arm around too. I giggled and looked over at Michael and Jackson who were trying to sit up without bumping into each other.

"Listen, I know you guys probably don't understand what I say too well, but I'm sorry I haven't been here for you before. I got jealous at the news of you, but if I could go back and change what I did, believe me, I would. I just hope you don't grow up to be like me."

They all only grinned at me. They didn't understand, not that they should do anything.

"Where do you think momma and daddy ran off to, huh?" Again, no answer. "Man, I wish I could still be as little and innocent as you guy."

"Sssssss." Jackson made another attempt to say sister.

"Sister?" I whispered. He nodded. "Wait, you got that?"

"Ssssssss."

I smiled and pulled him into my lap, turning so that we faced Michael and Aaron, who still had a hold on my pinky. My phone chimed.

Tom

  Sorry about Maddie

I chuckled and opened the phone, typing a reply.

Alex

  Nothing to apologize for hahah

Tom

  You free tonight?

I pondered for a moment.

Alex

  yes.

Tom

  I'll pick you up at nine

I didn't answer, but I was definitely curious to what we'd be doing.

"Hey Steph?" I yelled. There was a moment of silence.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna have to leave early, is that okay?" Another moment of silence followed.

"Yeah, honey. See you soon."

"Bye!"

I smiled and said goodbye to the boys for a few minutes before Stephanie appeared to watch them again, but my dad wasn't with her.

"Tell him I said bye."

She smiled and nodded, helping the boys wave to me as I left the house and got back into my car. I opened my phone and sent a text to Tom.

Alex

  Forget nine, I'm heading over

-

a/n: not too good, I'm just getting back into the feel of this story I guess. let me know whatcha think! Things are about to start progressing again :)