Almost Forgotten

Chapter 12: See Me Now

Speak in tongues, I don't even recognize your face.

I used to hold my little cousin in the air and spin both of us until none could catch breath without stuttering or laughing. Mom and my aunt would sit aside, mostly snicker at us while telling me how good of a father I would be one day.

I don't think I thought about it much, not until I got that phone call.

"Choose." her words are thick and demanding. "Now, or never, Winter. Choose Landon or Leah."

I choose Leah.

I would always.

Caitlin's eyes are bored into distant space as Lilah stands with terrified expression next to her. Both of them are keeping a secure hand on Leah's shoulder while two armed men threaten everyone with only their eyes.

I don't look at Caitlin for a long time, but all I could see is an apology.

A one that is a little too late.

When I feel a hand on my back, each hair on my body straightens and my wide eyes start hurting from shock when Leah runs to me.

I can't even open my mouth in an attempt to speak when my knees buckle down to meet her in the middle when her small frame is wrapped into my chest and I feel ready to die.

Yet, not ready enough to leave her as I let out a scared huff, being close to compressing her bones into my slim hands while I closed my eyes, trying to imagine what if.

What if she wasn't fine.

What if she wasn't here.

"Dad." she scratches my back slightly. "You are choking me."

I laugh at her scrambled voice, swallowing down all the overwhelming emotion that wants to swim out when I pull away, not even fighting the grin on my face when I remove a hair from her face.

"Hi, sweatheart." I smile at her, knowing everything around her is anything but kind but I will keep the bubble of goodness around her as much as I can. "How are you?"

"Bad." she announced immediately, body too relaxed to think she is in any kind of trouble. "They told me they canceled our vacation and dragged me out of my skii trial. I even heard aunt Cate talk to grandpa, but she said he is too busy to visit me." she mutters, hitting her left leg on the floor while she complains. "And now I'm here."

Granpa. Dad. He must have called Caitlin and explained to her what had happened.

"And now you are here." I repeat, relief behind my voice even though I know it should be there.

When my eyes go astray and meet Landon's I wish for something I never thought of before.

I wish I had never met him.

When I brush my fingers through her hair, keeping her almost sitting on my knee while I crouch I try to rationalize the situation. His tilted head and sly smile is everything but good, most likely wanting to keep her close. More than once, I have broken one of his rules, yet his threats have not reached their limits yet.

He still has a soft spot for me.

That's good. Cruel and awful, but good in this situation.

I am not sure how far I can bend his wills to my advantage.

"...than Alex said he was gonna break my doll if I don't do as he said, so I broke his finger-"

"Honey." I say stopping Leah in her tracks as she is not finished with telling some sort of late night story. I don't waste my time asking her, when I prop her up into my hands and add. "You can tell me all about Alec later-"