A Father's Love

Ch. 10- He called me Dad

Poppy's POV

I undid the buttons of the white school shirt, pulling it off, I glanced at myself in the mirror there was still the bruise on my back that crept round to the side of my neck, I traced my fingertips across it, an angry choke rising in my throat. I breathed a deep breath and pulled the t shirt Lisa brought down over me. I tided up my makeup and then pulled myself together, I then heard the TV being shut off, silence emitting and then Jake's voice talking to someone, yet not Lisa it would seem as she wasn't replying. I left the bathroom and went back into the lounge where Lisa and Jake were.

Lisa put her finger to her lips as I saw Jake sitting at the table on the phone, I nodded and placed my school uniform in the washing machine. Lisa had pulled a blanket over herself sitting on the sofa, I joined her and snuggled under it myself feeling fragile from earlier. I saw she had got an episode of friends on the TV, I smiled to myself as my head rested on her shoulder.

"Who's he speaking to?" I asked, nodding towards Jake at the table. She paused and I looked up at her, apprehension filling me.

"Your school," she said slowly keeping her gaze ahead, I felt betrayed and hurt, he said he'd call tomorrow that we can forget about it the rest of the day and tonight, I shuffled away from Lisa slightly. As if on cue, Jake ended the call and came over to us.

"I've arranged a meeting at half ten tomorrow," he announced, his voice was a little lower like he knew I wouldn't have been happy about it, I looked down again, I think he noticed "Poppy, remember what I said; it will be ok. We'll make sure of it,"

"I know," I said, forcing myself to look up to them. He sat down beside us and the film began, I snuggled into the blanket feeling exhausted but contented, I knew I had a meeting with the school tomorrow and I was dreading it but sat here, between two people I knew would keep me safe was the greatest feeling in the world.

Lisa's POV

I clumsily rolled over and hit my alarm, silencing the room. I felt Jake move beside me and then his hand found a place on my arm.

"Morning," I said smiling, checking the news on my phone, he grunted tiredly in response and wrapped his arm around me. "We'd better get up, we have a meeting with the school later,"

"It's not till half ten, let her sleep," Jake said, checking his phone himself.

"I doubt she even slept," I said honestly, I heard him sigh beside me. "What?"

"I love her and I'm glad we adopted them but she's not adapting as well as we wanted," he admitted, massaging his forehead. I felt for him, Poppy was so confident with me but her relationship with Jake was taking a little longer to bloom but it was so much better than what it was at the beginning.

"She will, just give her time," I reassured him, he leaned across and kissed me on the cheek before leaving the comfort of our bed to let Martha out.

"Jake, just check she's ok?" I asked as he was just about to leave, he nodded and left.

Jake's POV

I knocked on Poppy's door, before entering as there was no response. I found her bed empty; the en suite door was open so she wasn't in there. Panic fluttered in my stomach as I jogged downstairs. Poppy was sat at the kitchen island staring at a bowl of cereal by the looks of things.

"Morning, Em," I greeted, she turned around and made eye contact with me as I let Martha out. "Not hungry?"

"Not really, I'll eat something later," she said, I approached the island reaching for the cereal myself. I could tell she was worried about later but I didn't know what to say to her that we hadn't already said. I sat down myself eating breakfast rather groggily, whilst Martha ran about outside. I saw Poppy hesitate and then she turned her attention to her phone.