Our Time Will Come - An After Story

137

Hardin

"Morning" I huff as I enter my father's kitchen. I refuse to call it a good morning, there's nothing good about it.. but maybe that's just me, being a miserable old fart. I take a seat at the counter, pouring myself a glass of orange juice in the process. You could cut the tension in here with a damn knife. Abby is sat facing me and talking an unbelievable amount of shit, trying her best to make peace with our father, but he's pretty much pretending that she isn't here.

"Morning, son" Ken chimes, to rub salt in the wound. Even after all this time, I still cringe when he calls me that. He's suited and booted, dressed for a day at work. Karen acknowledges me as she lays the island with a spread of baked goods. Tessa and Emery talk amongst themselves, refusing to be a part of the whole facade, though I can't say I blame them.

I glare at my sister, encouraging her to break the ice. She scowls at me deeply, rolling her eyes and all for extra effect. "I'm sorry!" she eventually mutters under her breath and I almost fall off my chair. My baby sister, Apologising? Surely not.

"Sorry for what?" I know my interrogation will push her buttons, but If she's apologising, I need her to mean it. I raise a brow when she releases a dramatic sigh. Why is everything such a fucking chore to this girl? Even owning up to her own mistakes.

"I'm sorry for being such a douche, for starters" Abby pouts. I smirk at her choice of words, realising that she's still a kid, really. "I'm sorry for putting not only myself in danger, but Charlie and Emery too. It was pretty fucking selfish of me and If something happened to either of them, I'd never forgive myself" she buries her head in her hands. Of course, Ken scolds her for her fowl language, because her potty mouth is a priority out of everything that's happened. Dick.

I don't know what I was expecting Abby to say, but it certainly wasn't that. I thought she was going to make another one of her silly fucking speeches about how none of this was her fault.

"I know what you think. You think I'm only apologising so my punishment isn't as harsh. I'll admit, Last night, I was. But I've had time to think.. and I'm pretty fucking disgusted with myself. So go ahead, yell at me, but you can't make me feel any shittier then I already do!" she breaks into a heap of tears, before leaving the table In a hurry. Great. Now I'm the one who looks like a dick. Teenaged girls make my head want to explode.

Hell, I fucking hate this. I care for that sister of mine like I do my own children and I'd like to think that she can come to me at any time, with any problem. I refuse to believe that I'm a pushover, but fuck knows that I've mellowed in my old age. A part of me wants her to think long and hard about what she did. Charlie could have died, all because she wanted to look cool in front of the popular kids. But.. haven't we all been young and dumb? Who am I to act like I was perfect at her age, because god knows I was far fucking from it.

"Abby!" I call her whilst hastily standing from my seat. She turns to face me and I gesture for her to get back here. Her cheeks are stained with tears and her eyes, bloodshot. "We have to fly home today.... I don't want to leave on bad terms with you" I put bluntly. Life is too short, after all.

Knowing that it's going to kill me, I open my arms, inviting her for a shitty excuse of a hug. "I really am sorry" Abby's voice shakes as she embraces it. I stay silent, but awkwardly pat her on the back. Why have I hugged more in the last twenty four hours, than I have in my entire forty years of existence?!

I take note of Emery, and the way she approaches Abby and I. I silently pray that she doesn't make this a group hug. "Dad. We should go pick up Charlie" she huffs, completely disregarding her aunt's presence. I consider scolding her for her ignorance and cold attitude, but I can't bring myself to do so, she has every right to be as angry as she is. Emery is the one that Abby should be apologising to, really, not me. Who am I to tell her how she should and shouldn't feel? I nod my head, before miming the words 'I love you' to my younger sibling.