Remembering Sunday

Danny.

"Yeah, babe. She'll be coming home today." I tell my girlfriend, Sadie.

"Is she going to be okay, sweetie? I mean she did go through one hell of a week.." She's concerned for Nixx and I know she hasn't exactly had the best childhood either. She can definitely relate.

I can remember the first time that I saw her, she was all bruised and beaten. She was only 9 years old too. I decided to go up and try to talk to her. She was skeptical at first, but then after a few months, she really opened up to me. I found out about what her mother had done to her. Her mother was an alcoholic, she would beat Sadie almost every night. For the littlest of things, too.

Eventually, Sadie's aunt found out and reported her mom. Sadie was put into Foster home, after Foster home. She never thought anyone wanted her. But, that all changed when I finally told her that I thought I was in love with her. We were 14 years old and she ended up punching me in the stomach and running away from me.

It wasn't until years later when I found her crying on the bleachers afterschool one day that she told me that she really appreciated me telling her that. She asked if I had meant it, and when I said that I had, she merely hugged me and kissed my cheek. She confided in me that her mom had died in a car accident and that she wasn't sure if she could go to the funeral. She wanted to but at the same time, she just didn't know if she could handle it.

"Daniel? Are you even listening to me..?" Her voice rings through the telephone and I realize how much I miss her.

"Sadie, I'm sorry sweetie, I'll admit; I was just remembering something. I love you, babe. Come home soon?" I ask her.

"Aww, Danny, I'll be home next week. We'll move into the house and make a dinner for your dad and siblings. Everything will be wonderful! I love you, babe. Have a goodnight, and sweet dreams." She makes kissing noises into the phone.

"My dreams are always of you, babe. Goodnight." I hang up and look up to see my dad and Teddy pushing a wheelchair towards the car. Phoenixx looks paler than usual and like she hasn't slept in days. I get out of the car and hold the back door open for her.

"Thanks, Darian." She says as she climbs into the back of the car. I look at my dad, he shakes his head and puts the wheelchair into the trunk and then we all get into the car. Me, driving while Teddy stared out the back window. Dad has his head in his hands and Phoenixx is back there humming to herself.