Kitten

Chapter 18: Grief

Lily's POV:

Sitting myself down on a chair beside the bed, I stared at my dad unimpressed by his twisted sense of humour. Even though I could tell my mum was fuming at his inappropriate and insensitive actions, I could see so much love in the way she looked at him. I couldn't help but smile watching them. They were madly in love with each other, the kind of love you only read about in books. Mum had somehow managed to squeeze herself onto the single bed with dad's arm wrapped around her waist holding her body tightly against his.

They whispered frantically to one another, their facial expressions changing quicker than I could take in. Dad's eyes were unmoving from mum as she continued to scold him and smack his chest in a playful manner.

"Ahem, Mr Richardson is it a good time to ask you some questions?".

"No"-

"Yes" dad interjected just as mum had tried to decline.

"James, you've just woken up, officers can you come back later".

Dad sat up in the bed and shook his head at mum with a small frown on his face.

"Isabella, we need answers. I'm fine baby". Dad reached out to stroke her cheek softly reassuring her that he was fine, but judging from her facial expression, she definitely did not accept his decision.

"Of course officers".

I watched nervously as the officers walked closer towards us with blank facial expressions.

"Mr Richardson, after an extensive investigation we have reason to believe the hit and run was pre-meditated".

The room turned silent as the officer's words sunk into my heavy head.

"W-What do you mean?". I could feel my eyes sting with tears as my gaze flew up to my dad who was starting at mum with a startled expression.

"It means that someone wants me dead" dad muttered sinisterly effectively shaking me to my core.

"But why? My dad hasn't done anything wrong? He's never done anything worth being killed over".

"Sweetheart, don't cry". I turned to face my dad and to my surprise he was talking to me. Rubbing the back of my hand against my skin, I realised that I was in fact crying. Maybe the reality of almost losing my dad, my best friend was beginning to crash down on me.

"Looking at the CCTV from multiple locations it's clear that the vehicle seen leaving the crime scene was following you for a couple of minutes before knocking you down. We have run numerous checks and the car has come back as stolen. Our team are currently appealing for witness reports, but Mr Richardson, do you know of anyone who would want to harm you?".

Why did we deserve all this. Did I something wrong? Did any of us do anything wrong.

"I-we don't know of anyone who would try to hurt my husband" I could hear the strain in my mum's voice as she held onto dad tighter than ever before.

"Well, I do work in the world of business and have several business rivals, but I would like to think that they wouldn't try to kill me".

I felt the walls closing in on me as their voices became dull murmurs in the background. There was possibly someone who wanted revenge, someone who wanted to hurt my father just like my father had hurt them. I didn't think he could have it in him to try to murder the man who once accepted him into the family.

"E-Excuse me" I sobbed before running past the officers and out of the hospital room. I could hear my father calling after me, but I couldn't stop running. The emotional grief had arrived hitting me like a huge wave. I could feel my throat start to sting with sobs slowly crawling their way up.

Racing down the stairs, I ignored the accusing and suspicious stares of nurses and doctors and rushed straight out the hospital entrance and into the heavy pouring rain.

I don't know if it was the freshness of the air or the crashing of the rain against my tired face, but all the emotions I had kept locked away and hidden from the world came pouring out for all to see. Tears trickled down my cheeks mixing with the heavy pouring rain as I walked further away from the hospital and closer towards the bus shelter.

Shivers raked all over my body as the coldness of the rain seemed through the material of my clothes and onto my bare skin. The sky let out a deafening roar above me making me shake with tremors at the aggressiveness of the thunder, worsening my mood and the velocity of the rain.

Sitting down on the soaked bench, I gently placed my hands across my body desperately trying to give myself a slither of warmth.

Staring up at the bus timetable I sighed deeply seeing that the next bus to town was not for another 25 minutes.

Better walk it.

Pushing myself up off the bench I turned around and started walking the direction towards town with my eyes glued on the floor.

I could see my feet moving, but I had lost all feeling and was losing control of my own body. Swarmed with fear, anxiety and pain I let my legs guide me to wherever they wanted to go. Closing my eyes I lifted my head up to the sky enjoying the cool refreshing feeling of the rain and smiled as all the negative distressing thoughts began to float away.

"HEY!" A man's voice shouted from beside me, but I couldn't and didn't want to pay attention to him.

Before I could open my eyes, I felt a very strong and powerful force pull me backwards making me stumble to the ground.

Pain shot up my side as I collided with the pavement and quick enough I fell back into reality.

"Baby, What the hell are you doing?". My eyes widened hearing the deep strong familiar voice. 

Staring at the sight before me, it had only dawned on me that I had nearly walked out into the road, but Alexander had reached me just in time. Slowly, I turned to face Alexander's handsome face, but as expected I was greeted with a face full of anger.

"A-Alexander?". Tears started to well up in my eyes as I stared into his own deep earthy eyes. Seeing the face of someone who brought me comfort brought back all the emotions I had fought so hard to keep at bay.

His face suddenly softened and instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around me. He pulled my head down on his warm chest and stroked my wet hair softly.

"Shhhh Kitten, it's okay. I'm right here" Alexander cooed softly effectively turning my sobs into gentle sniffles. He continued to stroke my hair so softly until the sobs had completely died down.

"H-He, someone wants to kil"-

"Shhhh, come Kitten". Alexander stood up and held a hand out towards me.

Shakily reaching my arm out, I gently placed my hand in his open palm and let him pull me up.

"Where are we g-going?" I asked through sniffles as I wiped away my tears only smearing my mascara further.

"You're coming home with me".