Shelter from the Storm

Chapter Fifteen

Faith's POV

My childhood was sort of messed up. My 11 year old self could sense tension as my mother and step father's relationship started to go in a downward spiral. There was nothing I could do about it especially when he started hitting her. And that slowly turned into abuse towards me also. After my father passed away from lung cancer, it kind of hit me hard.  Obviously he started spending more and more money on cigarettes instead of normal life necessities. The moment he started pulling himself together was the moment we found out he had stage 4 lung cancer and he spent the rest of his life in the hospital. He had the type of lung cancer that spreads to other parts of the body and he would complain of bone pain. He also started to turn a little yellow and to my 11 year old self, it was hard to understand. Why would my father have to go through this? Why would this cruel life take him from me? I had no answers and the day he died was honestly the day I lost my best friend.

My father never would have thought of hitting me. Sure I was a pain sometimes. Every kid is, but to my step father, I was too much of a nuisance. My mother would scream at him to stop and he wouldn't. He just wouldn't. I have no idea what she saw in him. It was 2 years after my father had passed and she thought it was time to remarry and from the moment I met John, I had an off feeling. I told my mom about it.

"Mommy? I don't like this man."

She grabbed my hand and rubbed it, "It's alright Faith. I love him, and I know he'll treat us well." She gave me a small smile.

Little did she know that this marriage would turn to turmoil the moment they said "I do."

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my father were still here. Loving me, instead of hating me. Would I feel as loved and cared for as I do now? But I feel like in some twisted way this was meant to happen and I was meant to go through these hardships. Even though they tore me apart, I had Max and his family taking care of me. What else could I ask for than to be loved?

Max is probably the most caring and thoughtful guy I've ever met. Sure on the outside he's a rough looking dude, but once you get to know him, he has a soft side... One that I honestly adore. He cares about me genuinely and I can't ask for anything better.

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Max's pov

     There's a moment that kind of caught me off guard. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I love this girl. With all of my heart. It's weird how the heart works. I didn't know I would fall so hard, but little did I know that I would fall the moment I laid eyes on her.

     Then came the second realization. This girl has been through so much and I may have been crowding her the last few days. Why did I have to kiss her? I couldn't resist. The moment was there so I took it like any immature guy would. Why do I have this urge to just hold her in my arms forever? I don't know, but there's only one word that comes to mind.

     Love.

     I can't tell her yet. She's still recovering and she probably thinks that kiss really meant nothing. When in reality it meant everything. Okay. We have to figure this out. What can I do to show her I love her without saying it? I guess all I can do right now is be there for her whenever she needs a hug. Whenever she needs a shoulder to cry on. Whenever she needs to talk. Because that's what friends do.

     Friends.

     I don't want to be just friends. I want so much more, but we can't always get what we want, can we?