Relentless

27- Ky

"Aaron," Dad stepped towards him as one would be cautious around a bear. "Let's take a walk, yeah?" Monroe tore his eyes away from the screen momentarily landing on Saige, but they weren't filled with malice. He nodded his head going up the ladder first with my dad on his heels. Another beat of silence passed.

"Come on y'all," Kelly said. "Let's give her the room." Lacey and Phoenix gave Saige hugs, Justin said something along the lines how her dad was some sort of cool secret agent, Silas rolled his eyes at Justin's comment giving Saige a quick hug, and Jackson hung back last as they filed out.

His gaze shifted between us like he was debating in his mind, finally coming to a decision, "I'll be outside if you need me." She smiled thanking him. When our eyes locked I could tell he knew she wasn't going to call for him, and I couldn't help feel a little sorry for him. He nodded his head to her attempting a smile. We both knew it was forced, but all the same, I understood what he was saying. He slowly turned and climbed up the ladder out of sight.

"I'll go if you want to be alone." I handed the bear back and was about to leave myself when she didn't reply.

A hand lightly grabbed my arm stopping me in my tracks, "Wait." I faced her. "Can you stay with me, please?"

"Anything you want."

She trekked to the bed sitting on the edge hesitantly. "Do you think Monroe will be okay?"

"He's come a long way since you first met him, I'd like to believe he will be."

"Owen was his dad wasn't he." She said it like a statement. I nodded. "It's weird giving him an actual name if he's the same man with the scar."

"Is he the one you called Scarface?"

She twisted the ring partially taking it off and sliding it back on a few times. "Yeah."

I walked the few steps left to close the distance between us and sat next to her, the bed creaking under my added weight, "You like your ring?"

"I love it. Red is my favorite color."

"I know."

She eyed me confusingly, "Have I told you that before?"

"Not exactly, I figured it out in a way."

The sun was beginning to set when I pulled back a final branch revealing a grassy meadow; splotches of red, purple, yellow, and white dotted the soft Earth coating it like paint. "Wow," she stepped forward automatically stealing a whiff of the wildflowers. She brushed her fingers through them ambling, further along, giggling, occasionally twirling. The mountains in the distance appeared purple, matching the flowers they create. "The red ones are the prettiest," she mused allowed, absentmindedly tracing the petals. I beamed in delight, I loved seeing her happy and at peace. It was something I found myself wishing I could permanently give her.

"You remembered?" My smile was my answer. "Did you have a say in what the color of my ring should be?"

I shrugged sheepishly, "Maybe."

She let out a slight laugh, "You said your mom loved the yellow flowers." Her smile vanished, her little moment of distraction over.

"What are you thinking?"

She began fiddling with her ring again, "That day we went to the field, you said you lost a sibling, and you told me all babies go to Heaven." I slowly nodded not sure where she was going with this. "Well, to be honest, I lost someone too. I was embarrassed to say it when I had the chance that day." She looked up seeing the confusion on my face. She sighed, "They took my baby."