Running Away

Chapter 4: My Old Family and a New One

I woke up on an armchair in the attic. Barbara was asleep on the couch and Adam was next to her. I thought ghosts didn't need to sleep...guess I wore them out.

I was so tired and clumsy that I fell out of the armchair onto the floor with a loud thump. Barbara heard it and rushed over to me.

"Diesel! Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I said. "Just tired." I realized that she looked a little groggy herself. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no, it's fine, honey. Want some breakfast?" she said, running her finger down my cheek.

"You know what?" I said. "I really want some waffles. I've never tried them before. I've heard they're good."

Adam suddenly woke up. "How have you never tried waffles? They're amazing!" He then looked at me, remembering how my foster parents treated me. "Oh right...the money problem. Sorry, squirt."

"Squirt?" Barbara said playfully. "You've never called any kid 'squirt!'"

Adam cracked up. "I call Lydia 'kiddo' and Diesel 'squirt!' Is that not good enough?"

I laughed for the first time in several months. "Wow, you two are such parents! Now I'm hungry. Can we get breakfast?"

"Coming right up!" Adam said. He summoned a small waffle iron and some batter and plugged the iron into a socket on the wall.

"What's that yummy smell?" a voice yelled from outside the door. Barbara opened it and there stood Lydia in her PJs. "Oh, hey, Diesel. How did you sleep?"

"Fine!" I said, watching Adam pour batter into a waffle iron. "Adam, wouldn't it be more fair to put the waffle iron downstairs so everyone can have one?" I asked.

"Whoops, good idea." he said, carrying the waffle iron downstairs to the kitchen. Charles and Delia were waiting at the counter, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning Lyds, Barbara, Adam, Diesel." Charles said groggily.

"Hey Diesel!" Delia said cheerfully. We all cracked up. Delia had pronounced my name wrong, and she looked like she had no clue what was happening.

"Delia, it's Dee-sel, not Die-sel. You know, like diesel fuel?" Lydia laughed.

"That's another reason why I got my nickname!" I remarked as the waffle iron beeped. "My last name starts with a F, so people called me Diesel Fuel.

"What is your last name?" Barbara asked.

"Frye. My full name is Delilah Rose Frye." I said.

"Waffles, coming right up!" Adam said. He was trying to toss the waffle on everyone's plate, but he missed horribly.

"Adam!" Barbara laughed as a waffle came flying and hit the curtain behind us. "Use a spatula!"

I picked up a warm waffle and put it on a plate. I saw Lydia drizzle maple syrup on her waffle, I'm not sure what all the hype was about that. So I just ate mine plain.

"This is delicious!" I said in amazement.

"See?" Adam said, nudging Barbara. "I make the best breakfast!"

I laughed, and said, 'I'm gonna go get dressed."

______

I was dressed in a cute MTV top I got at Target, some black jeans, and a red beanie. Perfect. I was just about to make a Pinterest account when I heard a knock on the door.

"Hey Diesel? It's me, Lydia. Can I come in?"

"Sure!" The door opened, and Lydia and Delia walked in with an armful of photo albums. "I wanted to show you some pictures of us as kids!" Delia said.

"No, Delia, it's embarrassing. Plus, the real reason I came in here was to ask Diesel a question."

I laughed awkwardly, and said, "What's the question?"

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you live with foster parents?"

I sighed, shaking from the memories. I sunk back on my pillow, thinking about my mom and dad. "Well, um, my-my dad got arrested for life when I was around eight. And um, my mom ran away from him sometime before then. My mom knew something was wrong with my dad long before I did, but I was an innocent little kid, so I never saw it."

"What was your dad arrested for?" Delia asked.

I sighed heavily, trying to hold back my tears. Delia realized how upset I was and said, "Do you not want to talk about it?"

I almost started crying right then and there, and said, "No! I actually want to talk about it, it makes me feel better, but it's always so hard!"

Lydia smiled at me, and said, "I know exactly how you feel."

"How? Your dad was never arrested. You didn't lose both parents in the span of a year."

"No, but my mom did die of cancer almost 2 years ago. I can't imagine how hard it is for you, though, knowing your parents are alive but not knowing if or when you can see them again."

"Lydia, I'm so sorry..." I said, shocked. I did feel a little guilty in that moment, I decided it would be a great idea to walk right into the house of a family who was mourning. It wasn't. I sighed, and Delia sat on my bed.

"Want me to get Barbara and Adam?" she asked. I nodded, and Delia and Lydia left the room. Before Lydia walked away, she whispered, "If you ever need to talk, I'm here."

I nodded, and whispered back, "Same to you."

Once they left, I took out a little Polaroid picture of my mom and I. I missed her so much. Barbara opened the door and said, "Hey, Diesel, Delia told me what happened."

"It's fine." I said, and Barbara opened her arms for a hug. I crawled into them and sighed as she stroked my hair.

"Wanna tell me what happened with your dad?" Adam said. "Only if you're ready, though."

"My dad, um, he was arrested for drug abuse. We lived together, just the two of us right after my mom left. I had just learned about alcohol and drug abuse at an assembly at school right before he was arrested, and when I came home, I noticed the signs. I was the one who called the police on my own dad. I feel like a jerk for doing that." I started bawling, and I felt Adam kiss me on the cheek.

"No, you're not a jerk." Adam said calmly. "What you are, Diesel, is a hero. If you hadn't called the police, who knows what would've happened?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "I should probably see if there's any family that'll take me in, you guys don't need to take care of me, especially after what happened to Lydia."

"Actually..." Barbara said, looking to Adam, smiling. "We were talking to Delia and Charles earlier and we thought it would be a nice idea to adopt you."

"Really!" I said, shooting up and getting off of Barbara's lap. I hugged her and Adam and said "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You're welcome. Lydia needs a sister, and it might be nice for her to have one that went through nearly the same thing that she did. Losing a parent."

"You don't know how much I appreciate this." I smiled.

"Oh, yeah, we do." Adam chuckled.

AN: Sorry if this story has a whole lot of the Maitlands in it, I love them and they are my favorite character. I might make the Maitlands the main focus of the story, if you guys would like that. And whoo hoo, this is the longest chapter I've every written on Wattpad! Hope you enjoy!!!