Between the Raindrops | ✓

Ch.35 | Truths Revealed

B E T W E E N

T H E

R A I N D R O P S

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The next morning I go into the bathroom to freshen myself up. After my shower, I wipe the fog from the mirror and notice the slight redness where my dad slapped me the night before.

Shane helped my mom and I get my father inside and onto the couch in the living room. Once Shane knew my dad wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, he finally left to head home.

It's Wednesday morning, and my mom allowed me to stay home from school today. I told her I didn't need to, but she insisted after everything that happened last night. I told Shane, Angie and Jax that I wouldn't be in today, and they all told me they would see me later.

Shane knows why I'm staying home today, so he'll probably come straight here after school.

After I finish getting dressed, I go and sit at my computer desk to think. I hear a soft knock at my bedroom door.

"Come in." I mumble.

The door slowly opens, and when I turn around in my chair, I'm surprised to see my dad standing in the doorway.

I immediately turn back around and face my desk.

"Addie, can you please come downstairs so we can talk?" He asks, but I don't answer.

"Well, I'll be down there whenever you're ready." He says, before shutting my bedroom door and going back downstairs.

I immediately feel tears beginning to form, but I blink them away.

After taking a few minutes to build up enough courage to talk to him, I go downstairs.

When I enter the kitchen, I notice only my dad sitting at the dining room table. He has a cup of coffee in between his hands and his head is hung low.

"Where's mom?" I suddenly ask, causing his head to snap up as he looks over at me.

"She went to drop Jacob off at school. She'll be back soon." He replies, looking back down into his cup of coffee.

I walk over and pour myself a cup, adding cream and sugar. Once the coffee tastes up to my standards, I turn to walk into the living room.

"Addie, are we going to talk?"

"I'd prefer to talk when mom is here with us." I reply, and I know that I hurt his feelings. Truthfully, I didn't trust him at this moment, and I wasn't sure what would happen if I said the wrong thing again.

My dad has never, in the history that is my life, laid his hands on Jacob or me. He's never laid his hands on anyone, that I know of. So, to actually see and feel his hand slap me across my face last night, changed how I will forever look him.

My dad didn't say anything else, so I walk over to the couch and turn the TV on. Once I find a show, I sit quietly and sip on my coffee.

A short while later, mom walks through the front door. She looks at me, and immediately walks over to sit beside me.

"How are you?" She asks, genuinely concerned.

"I'll be fine." I nod, drinking the last bit of coffee from my cup.

"Are you two ready to talk now?" We both hear my dad ask from the dining room. Apparently, he hasn't moved once since earlier.

My mom looks at me, and I nod. We both get up from the couch and walk into the dining room to sit at the table. My mom sits at the head of the table, and I sit beside her. Dad is near the end of the table, not bothering to move closer to us.