And She Was Caught (Completed)

Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

I listened as Mel tried to gather herself around and waited more until her hiccups subsided. I listened with a heavy heart but that heaviness was caused by the number of people who really cared for me. It was the good kind of heaviness, that one you would gladly carry around all your life.

Before calling her, I also called my father and told him he should stop worrying and asked if his wound had healed. He said yes, he healed alright.

But he didn't assure me that he would stop worrying. Dad never stopped worrying about me and that only made me love him even more, from the moon and back times a hundred.

"Dad, please, I am doing okay. Don't lose sleep because of me." I told him quietly and it took him a long while of silence before he spoke.

"Almost lost you, my daughter. I almost lost you." His voice was super quiet as he spoke and my heart turned over itself, because it wasn't just quiet, it wavered as though he was biting down emotions. My eyes drifted close as again, guilt sliced through me.

"You didn't, dad." I said as quietly.

It took him long again before he spoke, "You are my daughter no matter what, Vanessa. You are my and Carissa's daughter and I love you." I stopped breathing as it hit me.

He was my dad, no matter what. My mom loved me. And this was the first time dad actually told me he loved me and it was so precious I committed it to memory.

I closed my eyes to stop the tears and sucked in a steadying breath. "I love you too, daddy." I heard his own breath hitching.

He gave me silence and I smiled despite the burn of tears in my throat. He was certainly awkward at showing affection, my dad. He was adorable.

"I need to go. I'll call you again." He said and I smiled to myself.

"You do that, dad." I said and he ended the call.

I stopped mulling over my conversation with my dad when Mel finally pulled her emotions in place and spoke. "Jack did it."

"Sorry?" I asked.

"Jack broke through," she semi-repeated and my chest squeezed thinking that she was right. Jack did, but it wasn't just him. It was everyone showing me that I wasn't alone, I was never alone. Even Alex was there.

Of course he was. But I have decided to think about Alex later, much, much later. I promised him I'd sort my feelings out and I owe him that. But I was scared out of my mind because I might not need too much time thinking about it and God, I was such a bitch.

I didn't tell Mel that though, "You know I kept on seeing my mom for weeks." I confessed, this too was another fear of mine.

"Honey," she murmured with a pained voice.

"Listen to me, Mel."

"I'm listening, honey."

I closed my eyes, "I was scared out of my mind that I might be going crazy. I was lost and I didn't know what to do and though the voices stopped inside my head, I was seeing my dead mother."

Mel remained silent so I continued, "Then she talked to me. Told me I should learn to accept and forgive and told me she had forgiven that man. Mel, she forgave that man for a very long time and she found her peace. Am I going crazy?"

"I think you're not crazy, honey. I think that wasn't your mom's spirit. I think that was your brain telling you something you already know. You already know that your mom would have already forgiven that man, your mom would have forgiven herself for the wrong choice she made and that you should forgive her too. You should forgive yourself. You also know that that was what she would have wanted for you."