EVERY BREATH

T H I R T Y - F I V E

Alex, James, my mom, my dad, and I walk I to the home office. Elijah and Elle are with my aunt and uncle. Alex closes the doors and we all take a seat. My dad sits in one corner of a couch next to my mom. I sit next to James on another couch and Alex sits in a chair. James starts the conversation.

"Well Mr. And Ms. Fernandez my brother and I are here to answer any questions you might have. I know your daughter and son may have told you things that weren't particularly true. So we're here to clarify everything" James says and my heart starts racing.

"Yeah" my dad says clearing his voice and continues. "I think it's confusing how Lay told us that you would kill our daughter if we took her with us. Yet here she is by your side with two children that are clearly your offspring. I don't understand how you are now my daughter's partner. How did any of this come to be and how did you become tangled with my family?" My dad asks confused. My mom stays quiet but I know soon she will talk and ask questions of her own.

"I never said any of that. Layla and I first met at a party. She messed around with a lot of guy including my brother and I. She became attached to my brother and when neither of us payed her any attention she got mad. She got pregnant as you know and my brother thought it was a joke so he told her to quiet spreading rumors or he would kill her family. We never said that if you took lily we would kill her" James says holding my hand.

"Layla was very manipulative and so was your son Nathen. They we're both always looking for ways to hurt us or to just step up to us. We didn't want anything to do with them.  We had never met there family so we didn't know Lily was there sister. When we found out we didn't care because she was and is different from them" Alex says putting his hands together.

"We know she's different from them. Lily has always been the kind one. Her siblings were always trying to harm her" my mom says and she looks at me with a smile. I return the smile and my dad looks like he's still trying to figure everything out.

"How did you come in contact with my daughter?" He asks Alex. James looks confused as to why he's asking Alex and not him.

"My dog got attacked and I went to a vet clinic that was the closest to us. Lily was there and helped the most she could. I was intrigued by her and want to know more about her. When I went to talk to her she fainted so I toke her to my house to get checked. It turned out that she was pregnant and I didn't know who the father was or anything at the time. I saw her walking at night by herself. Layla had kicked her out if the house and threw her to the streets. I toke her in and cared for her. A couple of months before the baby arrived she told me my brother was the father. My brother was in between his wife or the love of his life. Our lives were a mess because of your son and daughter. We got through it together. I love lily and would never harm her" Alex says looking at my dad straight in the eyes.

"Why were you married if you loved my daughter?" My dad asked James obviously mad and confused.

"Nathen tried to get me out of Lily's life. He went to Christan and told him about me but Christian didn't want me dead he wanted lily dead. I went to try and fix the situation, and the only way to save lily was to marry his daughter. He wanted his daughter out if his life. Couple months later there was an attack and I killed him because he was hurting lily. Now his daughter is married to one of my men and I'm engaged with your daughter" James says proudly holding my hand.

"Baby are you happy with this life?" My Mom asks looking at me with worry.

"Yes mom, I know it's a lot to take in but I love the people that surround me" I tell her and she doesn't seem convinced.

"How did you meet my daughter and how much do you care about her?" My dad asks James.

"I met her my junior year when she was crying behind the bleachers. She had just lost the both of you. Then we met at one of my brothers clubs. I was going to take her home but something came up and I ended up dropping her off at my place. That's when everything started. We dated for three years and a half before she got pregnant at 17 with Elijah. I love your daughter sir with everything I've got" he says and my dad looks at my mom.

"Were you fine after you had Elijah? Did you have any complications?" My mom asks me.

"I was fine. I had some minor complications but that was it" I tell her excluding any detail.

"What kind of complications?" My dad asks me worried.

"It doesn't matter I'm fine. I'm here healthy aren't I" I tell them and my dad looks at James.

"What kind of complications?" My dad says louder with a stern voice.

"Elijah was taking to many of her defenses and we almost lost her in the delivery room" he says and I tighten my grip on his hand.

"So you got her pregnant again!?" My dad asks standing up. My mom tries to calm him down but he doesn't budge.

"I didn't mean to sir. It just happened I kept telling her I didn't want her to get pregnant. I was scared the whole pregnancy that the same thing would happen again. I didn't want to lose her, but I also wasn't going to ruin her happiness" James says but it makes my dad angrier.

"It doesn't just happened you fucken idiot!" My dad screams and I don't know what to do. I don't understand why he's getting so angry.

"Dad calm down it wasn't all his fault. Everything that has happened, I had something to do with too" I say defending James.

"No it's mine too, I should have just taken you with me. I shouldn't have left you here with these two monsters. You were so innocent and pure before I left. You were always happy and so kind. I know that your not happy princess I see it in your eyes. I see the desperation and pain you carry in them. What did he do to you? Why are you standing by his side when he clearly doesn't make you happy? You deserve so much better than what he offers. I'm so sorry, I did this to you. I left you when you need me the most. I'm so sorry princess" my dad says. He gets close to me and pulls me into his arms protectively. His cries are loud in my ear. I hug him because I missed his embrace. He has always been a great father. He cannot blame himself for the past.

"It isn't his fault dad. You can't blame him for my sadness. He saved me, something terrible happened. Both of them are amazing people. I wouldn't be here in your arms if it weren't for them" I tell him truthfully.

"What happened to you?" He asks worry clear in his voice. I hold him tight and stay silent. I don't want him to know what happened, ever.