Secrets In Silence ✓ [Secrets Book 1]

[Chapter Thirty-Seven] Addison

                 I wanna walk and not run
                         I wanna skip and not fall
                           I wanna look at the horizon
                 And not see a building standing tall

                I wanna be the only one
                        For miles and miles
                              Except for maybe you
                                    And your simple smile

              Oh it sounds good to me
                        Yes it sounds so good to me

                 Cowboy take me away
                        Fly this girl as high as you can
                               Into the wild blue
                                      Set me free oh I pray
                          Closer to Heaven above and
                             Closer to you, closer to you

                          Dixie Chicks - Cowboy Take Me Away

Chapter Thirty-Seven- Addison

"So how did the talk with Lalan go?" Liam asked me as we sat on the dock by the lake, you could see where they were going to be building and we were taking a break from the water.

"A lot of things; I have four grandparents who my parents said were dead, I have an uncle and he's married with two kids. Mandalyn is her middle name too, and Addison is the middle name of my grandmother on my mom's side she was at the hospital when I was born and she named me." I was leaning back on my hands and I looked over at him.

"Well, that's a lot to take in." was all he said and I couldn't help It, I laughed. I don't know what it was about the situation but I did.

"Yeah it is. She said if I can escape for Christmas she'll invite even my mom's parents and I can meet them all, she didn't want to overwhelm me this summer."

"Do you think you can get away?" he asked

"I don't know I guess I'll have to see. I hope so." I doubted it, but I would definitely try.

He stood up and held out a hand for me to help me up

"Let's just have fun today, I just want to spend a nice day with you, we can talk later, but let's just enjoy the day." He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned up to kiss him, and right before his lips met mine I pushed hard on his very solid chest and he stumbled backwards and right into the lake.

I smirked at him as he surfaced and he glared at me.

"Oh that was a bad idea Addison, very bad idea." He said and I smiled at him as he made his way to the dock. "Help me up?" he raised a hand up to me

"Hell no." I stepped back, he'll just yank me in, who actually fell for that?

"Okay." He put it back down and the next second he was lifted up onto the dock.

"Shit." I went to run the other way and then I wasn't on the ground anymore. He picked me up in his arms and I would be more than happy with being in them if I didn't know what was going to happen next.

"You're going down." He said and then threw me and I landed with a splash In the water. Thank god I took a deep breath and closed my mouth from the scream I had let out right after he tossed me in.

"Okay, even?" I asked and he looked down at me, I kept my face straight as I noticed Asher and Kalila coming up behind him

"Okay." He bent down slightly to look at me better and then he was tumbling over again. I watched him surface from it and Asher and Kalila were laughing, well until Asher picked her up and tossed her in too.

"Jerk." She came up and yelled and he shrugged and jumped in too.

"You two looked all lonely, we had to come interrupt." Asher explained and I jumped on his back as we headed to a bit shallower water.

"Nosey." Liam said as Kalila jumped on him too

"We all are, mom's bringing all the picnic stuff over, guess it's a family day."

"I could use a family day" I squeezed Asher in a slight hug.

"Yeah, I think it will be a blast." The little girls came running in the lake at us as the adults were bringing food and other things, as we played they went back and forth to bring a table, food, blankets, towels, music, water toys, and a soccer ball over from the truck.

I've been here almost three months and we never did anything like this, sure today was supposed to be a nice day for Liam and I, but this was just as good.

"Can we do this again before I leave, have a barbeque too maybe?" I asked

"Sure. Do you guys want us to grab some tents too?" Auntie asked and we all looked at each other and smiled

"Definitely. We all said in different words."

"Alright then, go have fun, we'll get it all settled." Ethan said and I grabbed Faith while Asher grabbed Kaylis and we headed into the water. We didn't want to exclude them, they could swim and as long as we watched them they were fine, but just in case we stayed in the more shallow area.

Asher tossed Kaylis in the water and Liam grabbed Faith from me and tossed her over to Asher and he tossed her in the water too. Their laughs were infectious; something about the pure joy of a child just put us all in a good mood.

"Kids, food." Caroline yelled and we headed out of the water, we probably should have taken a break anyway.

"Dry off and little ones come here, you older kids can put on sunscreen yourself."

"Ay captain." Liam told her and she shook her head at him with a smile on her face as she tended to the six year olds who were having a hard time sitting still enough for her to get the sunscreen on.

We all shared the bottle and put it on, Kalila and I doing each other's back. Us girls tossed out tank tops back on and went to sit down for lunch.

"Did you want to barbeque for dinner?" Ethan asked

"Sure." We agreed. I've never done this before. I looked around at my family and felt happier than I had all summer. I had come a long way and I was proud of myself for the first time in my life.

"Who's up for some soccer?" Taylor asked once we cleaned up lunch and there was a chorus of 'me.' which ended with us all playing. It was Asher, Kalila, Faith, Uncle Ethan and Aunt Lalan against Kaylis, Liam, Caroline, Taylor and I. until now I never really noticed how even everything was.

Two girls, two boys, two little girls and a set of parents, I felt like it was right, like I completed it. They were an odd number but with me here it was even.

"Hey Addie, let's trade." Kalila said "I want to see you go up against Liam." She smiled and I shrugged and switched places

"Game on." He told me

"Bring it on." I may not have had friends, but I have skills when it comes to reading and music and sports. We never had cable, only unintelligent people watch it, my parents had said when I asked. I had internet, but I preferred to spend my time being active.

Ethan set up goals with cones and it was time to play

"Ready to lose?" he asked

"Babe, you should be asking yourself that." I said as I stepped so we could flip a quarter. He may have won the coin toss, but no way was his team winning the game.

found out yesterday that my brother and his girlfriend are having a girl :)

2.24.16* And Starlett is 1.5 now <3