I hope you like this one :)
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Dan POV:
I didn't sleep during the night for many reasons, but only a few really big reasons. For one, I didn't want Laura to hurt herself. I also couldn't wrap my head around why Laura hadn't mentioned that incident when we were listing reasons Dutch should've been arrested in the alleyway. I don't want to ask her how extreme it was, (from a scale of just calling her sexy or full-on rape) because I know how sensitive she is about this. The sleeves of my "Twin Peaks High School" Sweatshirt are significantly dampened by her tears near her eyes. I haven't loosened my grip on her, because somebody once told me that "When you are hugging a child, always be the last one to let go. You never know how long they need it." Laura hasn't let go. Not even in her sleep. Light starts to stream through the blinds, giving the room a glow. The glow was also there last night, when we sang. It was mainly me singing, because she told me that I'm a better singer than her, which is a complete lie. Laura stirs around a bit and opens her eyes.
"You stayed." She points out, likely surprised.
"Why would I leave?" I ask.
"I just thought you would try to get some sleep." She says, making eye contact.
"I don't care about how I sleep. I care about you." I say. Usually I would kill anyone to be able to sleep, but I guess I've been... changing lately.
"Thank you for staying." She says.
"No problem." I say. the Doctor Who theme fills the air.
"That's my phone. Who on earth would be-" She stops as soon as she sees who's calling. Her phone drops.
"Who is it?" I ask. She doesn't reply. I look at her phone.
Mom ❤️
"Answer!" I say. What? ASH IS ALIVE! I've been missing her like crazy for years, and she's calling us.
Laura puts her phone on speaker.
"Mom?" She asks, hyperventilating. Her voice has happy tears running through it.
"Laura!" Ashley's familiar voice says.
"ITS YOU!" Laura screams with joy, happy tears running down her face.
"It is! I miss you so much!" Ashley's voice has a teary rasp in it as well.
"Mom, you're on speaker." Laura says.
"Who are you with?" Ashley asks.
"Dan." Laura says.
It's quiet for a moment.
"Oh." Ashley says. "Hello."
"Hi Ash. I know you probably hate me, but I miss you like mad." I say, wishing I could hold her again.
"I don't hate you." Ash says. "I just-"
"I understand." I say, wishing I had never said that.
"How do you have your phone?" Laura asks.
"I'm at a hospital and am using a phone plan for patients to reach out to family. They did something to get my old phone number on this." She says.
"Hospital?" Laura and I ask at the same time.
"They found me and a few other women being kept in a basement in Atlanta." Ash explains.
"Where are you going to be staying when you get out?" Laura asks.
"Probably with my parents." Ashley replies. "I feel awful. They're going to have to pay all my medical bills." She says.
"I'll pitch in." I say without thinking.
"Dan, it's sweet, but I don't want to take your money." Ashley says, coughing afterward.
"I insist." I argue. "It's my fault you moved to Chicago, and if you hadn't been in Chicago, this wouldn't've happened in the first place, and you wouldn't have had medical bills to pay anyways." I say, not even caring about how bad my logic sounds.
"Dan. I don't want to take your cash." Ashley insists.
"I have plenty of cash. I finally went for a career in music." I say. "It worked, just like you said." I say, remembering when she said I needed to get into music or else I'd be a waste of talent.
"No kidding?" She asks.
"I started a band." I say. "We're called Bastille."
"I know. I've heard of you." She admits. "I like Flaws."
"It's about you." I admit.
"You're joking?" She says, bewildered.
"No. It's about how you were so confident and tried to give some to me." I say.
"Inspiring." Ash replies.
"Wait- Mom?" Laura asks.
"Yeah?" She replies.
"How much longer will you have this phone?" She asks.
"Until I leave. Before Christmas." Ashley says. "I already stalked your Twitter."
Laura and I both laugh.
"I can't do long distance calls for more than 15 minutes a day and need to save minutes for my mum and dad." Ash says. "I gotta go." She says.
"Bye!" Laura says.
"I'll text you!" Ash replies.
"Bye!" I say, but she already hung up.
"This is actually happening, right?" Laura says.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Like, she actually called. This is surreal." Laura gasps. "If I wake up, and this is a dream, 'Imma throw myself down the stairs."
"I really hope you're kidding about the stairs." I say.
"I'm going to text some people real quick." Laura says, already opening the Ethan/Michael/Her group chat.
"I'll do the same." I say, but just to get out. I need air. I can't believe that after all this time, she came back. I sit on the couch and notice how my breathing had spiked. I take a moment to calm down.
After all this time?
Always.
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Wow. Look at me. Not switching the POV. Good job, me. *gold star*
YOU ARE READING
Lost Dad: Dan Smith
Fanfiction"Hello, Mr. Smith. We're calling about a child you had with..." Theres a pause, "Ashley Caraway." - "Laura, about your Dad... He wants to meet you."
