A Forbidden Love

Chapter 19

Elizabeth's point of view

Moments after drinking my blood Alex was back to his old self. I was relieved to see his wound had healed but slightly disgusted to see him licking my blood off his lips. Now I am beside my brother praying that he wakes up. "Can't I do some spell?" Alex shakes his head as he changes into his new tshirt. I can't help but peek at his muscles and faint scars on his body. "Enjoying the view princess?" I look away flustered and hold my hands to my face cooling my cheeks down. "No of course not."

I tie the scarf around my neck and turn it to the side so it looks like I'm doing it to look fashionable when in reality it's to cover the bite marks. "Did it hurt?" I turn around and see Alex staring at me, his eyes showing slight concern. "Not at all thank you for not hurting me." He laughs and shakes his head before ruffling my hair up in a mess. "You're such a character. It should be me thanking you for letting me drink from you and yet you're thanking me." His hand lingers on my head for a moment before I hear the door handle move down causing us both to jump away from one another.

I turn back to my brother and assume that it's just the doctor or nurse doing their daily check to see how he's doing. I rub my thumb over his hand until I hear a slight cough grabbing my attention to the figure by the door. My step father. I'm about to stand up to envelop him in a hug but then I recall that he's barely been here for his son so I turn my back to him. William would tell me off for being childish but he deserves it.

"Lizzy.." I ignore the fact he uses the nickname he gave me and hear him sigh as he puts a card on the side saying get well soon. It looks custom made because it has a football and some orange juice on it with his favourite pizza on a table on the background. He also puts a small photo down on the side of them both together. William is only 6 in this and is wearing a football outfit with his cheeky grin from ear to ear. He looks so happy and innocent. No worries or fear.

"I'm here now that has to count for something. Talk to me." I glare at him and go to stand up but feel Alex's hand on my shoulder making me sit back down. "Why are you here? Don't you have work to worry about?" I sound bitter, the words coming out like venom but it doesn't matter to me. "I've quit my job. I want us to be a family again and I want to work on that. Please Liz."

The words I've always wanted to hear. He wants us to be a family and that he's quit his job. I never wanted him to quit his job but sometimes I felt like if he did maybe he would notice us again. I glance up at him. He has dark bags under his eyes, more wrinkles from stress and his stubble shows that he hasn't been looking after himself very well.

"I'm sorry..I haven't been there for you both when I should've been. Despite that I've always been thinking of you both. I carry a photo of you both with me all the time and often I say goodnight to them. I know none of this makes any of it better but I want to make it up to you both. Please Liz.."

I stand up and this time I shrug Alex's hand away. "You think a few words will make all of it alright again? We needed you so much but you were never there. We used to stay up late at night waiting for you to come home but you wouldn't. William became my brother and the man who I depended on to keep me safe. I became the female to cook and keep us fed and full of food. That wasn't a life we should've had growing up but it was a life we ended up being forced to have. I hated it. I would cry because I missed you so much. I envied the kids at school who had a father figure in their life. It was as if you died. You didn't act like a father but more like a stranger we called dad because we didn't know any better. We needed you but you didn't want us. We weren't good enough for your time."

By the end of my outburst I am bawling my eyes out, hiccuping from crying so much as I try to catch my breath. All of this is too much. All the built up emotions have come pouring out about it all. I whimper and sniffle as I feel a pair of strong lanky arms around me. I cry into their chest inhaling the smell of cologne as I feel their stubble on the top of my head. "Shhh it's alright now. I'm so sorry you got lumbered with a step father like me but I am here now and I realise that I need you both. Yes I had my job but what kept me going was the thought of my two pride and joys being happy and having a roof over their head. I was inconsiderate to your feelings and I am sorry. I understand if you don't want to forgive me but I want to try."