Only Dad ever said that..only he would know to write that.
It..it can’t be true..can it?
I yanked the door open, my hands gripping the note as I headed for the front door. I needed to go back, I needed to find that man.
“Baby, what are you doing? Where are you going?” Caspian rushed out as I quickly slipped on my shoes.
“I have to go back, he could still be there!” I rushed out and that’s when Alder, Ben, and Viva walked into the room.
“Who Johnnie..who are you talking about?” Caspian asked before gripping my arm and holding me in place.
“This..this was in my pocket..” I finally blurted, handing it to Caspian as his eyes scanned the paper.
I watched while visible shock filled his face and then sadness.
“Baby..” He began, making me shake my head no adamantly.
“It has to be him Cas..only he knows to say that!” I shouted, and that’s when Ben stepped forward.
“What does it say? Who’s it from?” He asked while reading over Caspian’s shoulder and quickly yanked the note from his hand.
“Where did you get this Jo?” He rushed out as I felt the tears welling up in my eyes.
“From the grocery store..a man..he bumped into me. It was him, Ben..it has to be..his eyes..” I choked out as Capsian quickly circled his arms around me as everyone else started to read the note.
“Shh, it’s okay..we will figure this out okay?” He stated while stroking my hair gently.
“Johnnie..this could be a trick..Dave, I wouldn’t put it past him.” Viva whispered and I shook my head no adamantly.
“I felt him..I didn’t want to get my hopes up..but his voice..and his eyes. You believe me right Ben?” I whispered, seeing my brother staring down at the letter again.
“I..I don’t know Jo..” He breathed out, making my heart ache as I turned my head into Caspian’s chest, trying so hard not to sob.
“We can go back to the store and ask to see the surveillance footage.” Alder spoke up now as he stepped closer before resting his hand on my back.
“If you think you saw him Jo..then we will all go back together.” Alder reassured me as I nodded, feeling Caspian’s grip tighten on me.
“What if this is some type of setup though?” He asked, the fear not going unnoticed as his mom stepped forward.
“Nothing will happen if we stick together. Come on, go pull the car up Alder.” Viva stated before walking to Ben and wrapping her arms around him.
“Do you really think it could be him Viva?” He asked, making Viva sigh.
“Your dad’s disappearance was definitely odd..but let’s just not get our hopes up fully yet, okay? If it is a trick..I swear I will kill Dave for this.” She gritted through her teeth as we all looked at one another.
“Hey, it’s okay, we will figure everything out..” Capsian whispered against my ear while kissing me gently.
“Caspian..tell me the truth..when you saw that man, didn’t you feel something?” I asked him, seeing his eyes search mine before nodding his head once.
“He did feel familiar, I won’t lie.” He confessed, making me hug him even tighter and rest my cheek against his chest.
“I knew you felt it too..I just knew it.” I whispered, knowing Caspian saw something too giving me hope as my stomach twisted and tied into knots.
After a few more minutes, we all piled into the car and headed towards the grocery store. I saw Ben’s knee bouncing the entire time as I held onto his hand tightly.
“Ben..if it is Dad..why didn’t he come back sooner?” I asked the question we all must’ve been thinking.
“He must’ve had his reasons..he wouldn’t just abandon us..he wasn’t like that..” He stated.
I hoped if it is him, that there really is a damn good reason he left us, because what we went through..it was something that changed our lives forever.
It felt like it took hours to get to the grocery store as we ran in and headed towards the security office. Alder called ahead and was able to sway the guy to help us out.
We were all staring at the screen as the man rewound the tapes, searching for the time we had been at the store when we came onto the screen..and there he was..the man in the baseball cap.
I paid careful attention to the screen, seeing him bump into me before slipping something into my pocket and watching us walk away.
Then he turned towards the store, his face looking straight up at the camera as the guy paused it.
That’s when Viva let out a gasp while slapping her hand over her mouth.
“Neal..” She whispered, seeing exactly what Ben and I were.
“Dad..he..he is alive..” Ben mumbled, even with a beard, looking at him now I could tell it was him without a doubt.
“It’s him, it’s really him.” I choked out.
Capsian swiftly lifted me up and held me tightly while running my back and comforting me..my teary gaze just stayed glued to that screen..my father’s eyes burning into me as I felt confusion flood through me.
If he was alive..then why? Why did he leave us and where has he been all of this time?
Most importantly…where is he now?
(Alder)
My head filled with images of Johnnie..my heart ached for her as those usual feelings started to rise up..the ones that I pushed down and refused to acknowledge. It started last year, that’s when things inside of me changed..that big brother role turning into something completely different.
She is such a beautiful person inside and out and the fact that she didn’t even see it made her that much more loveable.
It began after we started working out together. Johnnie, Ben, and I would go on a run or hit the gym now and then..that’s when I realized my body naturally drifted to hers as the feeling of wanting to protect her rose more and more each day.
But I knew she would never be mine. I knew her heart belonged to Caspian and his to hers, so I accepted it and needed to move on.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.