other half

come home

"Lydia!?" outside the window stood Richard. of course. the usual Sunday routine. Richard coming, half drunk out of his mind to scream at the woman about the supposed shared custody of their daughter. the one he didn't exactly treat like a princess.

she opened the window and stared angrily out at him. her heart swelling at the thought of Noah and how many times they had been in these exact positions. she missed him more than she could find words to explain.

"i thought you said that you were here alone?!"

"go away Richard, she's old enough to make her own decisions! if she wants to stay here she can!"

"yeah funny that isn't it? seeing as it's 'your' house"

Lydia's stomach sunk deep into the black pit of her stomach as she slammed the window shut. pulling her robe over her body she stormed out onto the driveway. how had he found out? was he back? no he couldn't be? surely he would have said something? called written a letter something?

Katlyn sat on the sofa, not daring to move in case she was spotted from the window. pleading silently as Lydia marched right by her and out of the front door ignoring the girls pleas.

"get lost Richard!"

"why would you bring her here?!" she studied him hard, no sign of alcohol as far as she could tell. no nose burnign smell on his breath or clothes. his pupils werent dialated. my god, she thought, he's sober.

"i live here Richard-"

"no you don't! you don't belong here, she doesn't belong here either, tell her to come with me both of you should come with me-"

"have you lost your mind! we are not together anymore! she doesn't want to see you! you should start to make amends not orders!" Lydia barked watching as the man was taken aback by the sudden tone of his ex wife. her words were filled with poison. she held her arms out at her side as she heard the door open behind her.

"go back inside Katy!" Lydia commanded her eyes not leaving Richards. an evil glare being passed between the pair.

"Katy let's talk, please. i'm sober, lets just go for something to eat and talk okay?"

tears stung the little girls eyes, she was torn between the two, her ears may have deceived her but those were the most sincere words her father had spoken to her for a long time. She stood by her mother through everything, she knew of more than either of them would have liked. she was a smart girl but she was so unsure of where to turn her head was spinning.

"please Katy" she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out "you know i love you princess"

she blinked hard, tears hitting her cheeks. she stepped closer, still held back by her mothers arms. tears streaming down her cheeks.

"what's my favourite food dad?" his eyes widened, as did Lydia's, what did the question have to answer the question. but none the less she stood waiting for her answer. trying to stop herself from crying.

"what's my favourite food?" she pushed for her answer. in her mind Lydia had already formulated her answer. she knew. did he?

"spaghetti bolognese, we'd go to Timone's every Friday night, you'd always get the large bowl, you could never finish it but you tried" shock poured over the pair. Katy's mouth hung open, her heart aching. for the first time in years she had gotten a glance of the man she knew as her father, her real father not the man who had taken him over.

"we'd come home and you'd sit on my knee while your ma' put the leftovers in the fridge" Lydia blinked back tears. 

once upon a time they might have been happy. but it was too late now. it was too far gone.if he wanted to make amends with Katy she would have no need to interfere. but if he suggested a new relationship between them she would decline it, with her heart and soul.

"dad?" Katy whimpered as Lydia put her arms down. The look on Richards face was unfamiliar, for so long he had been the enemy, the alcohol consumed him. he wasn't himself and yet here he was. it was like he had turned back time. he was Katy's dad again.

Katy stepped forward wearily, stopping when she had reached the mid point of the distance between her parents. this is how life had felt for so long. like she was in the middle, never really close to either of them, she felt isolated. at calling distance but never close enough to touch.

"please baby" he muttered under his breath. she stepped closer and closer, shaking with every step. she didn't quite recognise the man in front of her, it had been a while since she had seen him like this. she missed him terribly. but why now? and was he serious? he smiled sheepishly at her and there he was, her dad, it didn't erase the bad but it reminded her of the good. a heavy weight on her shoulders lifting, her demeanor visibly shifting. something inside her felt at peace.

"youre better right? you're not drinking anymore? you're done with that right? you want me? to be father and daughter again? promise me this is real! promise me!"

he nods, tears spilling out over onto his cheeks. holding his arms out he watched as the girl moved forward with a speed. she was weary at first but quickly something snapped and she began to run into his arms.

"this doesn't make everything okay" Lydia's icy words bore no hidden meaning, she was clear as day. in her eyes he would have to do a lot more for them to be civil.

"i know...i want you to know that i'm sorry, truly sorry" he nods holding the little girl close to his body.  He had spent so long longing for forgiveness and he couldn't find it. the little girl was fearful of him yes, but for so long she had awaited the return of her father. for him to come back into her life and treat her like she was his daughter again. to be the man he was before.

"i know" Lydia muttered, scrunching her nose. "are you going? to get food?" she asks avoiding eye contact with Richard.

Katy gives a small nod and says goodbye. Richard leads the girl over to the car and Lydia steps forward with a menacing glare. she's a few feet from the man as he leans up against the car.

"if she doesn't come home and i don't here from her i swear i will call the cops and you will rot in a cell for the rest of your life do you understand!" she bit viciously. Richard nods and steps into the drivers seat. the woman took a step back watching as he drove off. her sight mainly set on the girl beside him. wondering just what exactly was going to happen.

was she stupid to let her go? or should she give him the benefit of the doubt?

she was stupid in her mind, for allowing her to go alone. in the grand scheme of things though he is still her dad and he wasn't all bad... from what she can remember.

Her mind instantly wandered back to Noah. Where was he? it had been years, would he even come back? She was wracked with guilt. pushing moments of the past from her mind. she could still feel his touch from the dream. Allie would have slapped her. If she could have even brought herself to see her.

She was so filled with anger on the day she found out about Richard and Lydia. She had always hated him, called him a pretentious snob. she wasn't wrong, she just forgot a few things to add onto it, or well she didn't but she never said what she thought about Richard in its entirety to her cousin for the fear it would effect their relationship.

she headed inside and dove for the phone. her heart racing as she dialed the all too familiar number, praying that he might just pick up.

"hello? you've reached masons phone, sorry i cant talk right now leave a message" Her voice was soft and half broken.

"mason?" her voice cracked, tears streaming down her face "mason please pick up, it's me, it's Lydia, please Mason" she begged.

"Lydia?" shock filled her entire body.