Reanimate The Future

Chapter 20: Write The Past... Reanimate The Future

Seeing her step family in the crowd was the icing on the cake. Noticing that the crowd of press seemed to have fizzled out. Which was a bonus as there was one less thing that needed to be dealt with. Making dead eye contact with her step father, having an unimpressed expression covering her face. To which he gave a slight devious smile and then turned his attention else where. Cherry could already feel the anger rising as she let out a frustrated sigh. Glancing up at Henry she noticed he seemed a bit star stuck. Then tapping on his shoulder to get his attention back to earth.

"Your Step Father... is Walt Disney?" Questioned Henry as he glanced down at Cherry shocked, his mouth gaping open slightly as he kept his gaze at Cherry.

"Yeah... Unfortunately" Spat Cherry as she kept her gaze over at the thinning crowd, knowing something wasn't right when father had only mentioned her mother coming and not the rest even though she knew he might turn up.

"I invited a couple of other people but they haven't turned up yet" Stated Cherry as she kept looking over at the crowd, hoping that they would turn up at some point.

"There's still time... so don't worry" Said Henry as he placed an arm around Cherry's, pulling her into his side as they looked each other in the eyes.

"Yeah" Replied Cherry as she rested her head against Henry's chest, then feeling him give her a light peck on the forehead.

What Cherry hadn't noticed was that her mother was actually heading towards them. Being calmed down by resting against Henry, happy that he was still here with her. All that didn't last long when she felt a presence next to her and soon realised it was her mother. With an unimpressed expression plastered across she stood up properly and faced her mother.

"Mother" Said Cherry in a monotone voice, crossing her arms over her chest as she kept her gaze in her mother's eyes.

"Cherry... you're really alive?" Questioned Celeste as she was on the verge on tears, reaching a hand up to touch Cherry's check but quicker than lighting it was swatted away.

"Don't even touch me... last time you did I almost died" Spat Cherry as she averted her gaze to the side, feeling the anger rising and the memories come flooding back in a tidal wave.

"And I've never forgiven myself since... Cherry I loved you more than you realised... I've never stopped loving you... it's my job as a mother to protect you and Clementine... and I know I failed you all then years ago" Said Celeste as she tried to hold back the tears which wanted to fall, rubbing one of her arms out of anxiousness which made Cherry glance back and noticed something on her arm.

"I know... I learned that the hard way" Replied Cherry as she glanced down to see Bendy tugging at her trouser leg, then picking him up and holding him in her arm at the side.

"And it should be a husband's job to protect their family... unless I'm mistaken" Stated Cherry as she glanced back towards Celeste, giving a slight sympathetic look trying to contain a new storm of anger brewing.

"What... what makes you say that?" Questioned Celeste in a slight shocked tone as she tried to pull the sleeve of her jump down, trying to hide what she knew Cherry must've seen.

"The bruise around your wrist" Answered Cherry in a soft and gentle tone, even if she wasn't happy with her mother she couldn't watch anyone else suffer knowing the kind of pain it brings.

"So answer me this... what has he done to you?" Asked Cherry as she then averted her gaze to where Walt Disney was standing, looking like he was having strong words with Clementine.

"Cherry you don't need to get involved... I'm serious I can handle it" Stated Celeste in an almost pleading tone, taking a couple of steps forward closer to Cherry.