Pictures Of You

Chapter 4

Farrah couldn't believe her husband was actually here, she'd thought of this day for years, imagined every single scenario and it had taken a lot out of her to stop imagining.

"What are you doing here?" Farrah asked, crossing her arms.

"I want to get to know our daughter." Jack said.

"Why now? You had twelve years." Farrah said.

"Yeah well, I tried earlier but you didn't let me get to know her, but this time around, I'm going to fight for her." Jack said.

"You left us Jack, acted like we never existed. So you're going to have to go through me to get to Amy." Farrah said.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have left and I'm going to spend the rest of my life, making that up to you and Amy; but at least give me a chance." Jack said.

"We've moved on Jack, we've finally built a life for ourselves. So, leave and stop screwing with our daughter's head." Farrah said.

"I'm not screwing with her head, I just want to get to know her." Jack said.

"It's too late." Farrah said.

"Are you talking about it being too late for Amy and me or you and me?" Jack asked.

"Both." Farrah said.

"Why don't we let Amy decide?" Jack said.

"I don't know what you're up to Jack, but I will figure it out and when I do, I'll make sure you leave Amy and me alone." Farrah said.

"Farrah.." Jack began.

"Get out." Farrah said.

"Farrah.." Jack started again, walking toward Farrah.

"Get out." Farrah said, raising her voice.

Jack looked at Farrah for a couple of moments and then left the house. Farrah took a seat at the dining room table and began to cry; a thousand emotions resurfacing, feelings she'd buried up until now. She couldn't go back to a life that had anything to do with Jack, he'd already caused her too much pain and Farrah wasn't going to let him do the same to Amy.

Amy had been trying to figure out whether or not she wanted to get to know her father. He was here, for the first time in her life; this was something she'd always wanted. But he was the same guy who'd left her when she was a baby and never looked back, how could him coming into her life, do her any good now.

Amy lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling; thinking about what she was going to do, what she was going to say to her mom, when she finally decided to speak to her again. Amy was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice, when Lauren walked into her room.

"Hey." Lauren said, standing in the doorway.

"Hey." Amy said, sitting up, a little startled.

"I just wanted to say that this stuff with your dad sucks and I know what you're going through. I'm here if you want to talk." Lauren said and turned to walk away.

"Hey Lauren?" Amy said.

"Yeah." Lauren said.

"How did you deal with the situation with your parents? I mean, how do you deal with seeing your mother after months and not manage to resent her?" Amy asked.

Lauren didn't say anything; she walked back into Amy's room and took a seat in front of Amy, on her bed.

"My parents got divorced when I was ten. My dad got custody and my mom used to really make an effort in the beginning but then as the years went by, she just stopped. She married some guy, who I've barely ever met properly and she lives with him in Florida." Lauren said.

"So how do you deal with seeing her and not hating her?" Amy asked.

"I just told myself I was better off without her." Lauren said.

"Do you ever wonder what things would be like, had things not gone the way they did?" Amy asked.

"For a long time, I wondered what my life would've been like had my parents not gotten divorced, what it would be like to have a mom, who helped me deal with things. I still wonder." Lauren said.

"If you got a chance to rebuild your relationship with your mom, would you?" Amy asked.

"I don't know, probably. But I think it would mostly be because I don't want to wonder what it would be like to know her, or regret never giving her a chance. "Lauren said.

"Do you think I should give my dad a chance?" Amy asked.

"Your situation with you dad, is different from the one with my mom; it's more complicated. It's up to you. How do you feel about it?" Lauren asked.

"A part of me wants to know him, make up for lost time. But there's this part of me that just keeps nagging me, to not let him in." Amy said.

"Maybe you should give him a chance, it's the only way you'll know what was the right thing. At least, you wont have any regrets." Lauren said.

Neither of them said anything and after a couple of moments, Lauren got up to go to her room.

"Hey Lauren?" Amy said.

Lauren turned back to look at Amy.

"Thank You." Amy said, smiling.

Lauren smiled back at Amy warmly and headed to her room. Her conversation with Lauren had given Amy some clarity. She still wasn't sure about the decision but at least she knew what she wanted to do.

After a lot of overthinking and binge eating of donuts, Amy finally decided to go and speak to her mother. Farrah was sitting on the couch in the living room. Amy came down the stairs and stood a couple of steps away from the couch, bracing herself. She took a deep breath and began walking toward the couch.

"Hey." Amy said, taking a seat next to Farrah on the couch.

"Amy.. hi." Farrah said.

"There's something I thought I should tell you, before I go through with it." Amy said.

"Okay." Farrah said, turning to look at Amy.

"I've decided to get to know dad." Amy said.

"Amy.." Farrah began.

"Mom don't try to talk me out of his, I've made up my mind." Amy said.

"Are you sure about this?" Farrah asked.

"Yeah, I just don't want to look back at my life and wonder what it would be like to have a father." Amy said.

"Just be careful." Farrah said.

"I will be." Amy said.

Amy leaned over and gave her mother a hug, somehow reassuring her that even though she'd made her decision, she'd always pick her. Amy was frightened by the thought of how things would turn out between her and Jack, but she was also excited; excited about finally having a complete family.