Matters Of The Heart ✔

Chapter Three

“Are you sure you're okay?”, Stephanie asked again as she noticed her friend staring into space, with her hands still stuck on the same plate she began with when she offered to wash the dishes. Her mind was far away, memories of her father playing before her eyes, mostly good, when she was still his little girl.

She'll never forget the look her father had when she informed her about her pregnancy. He just changed and turned into a monster within a second.

“I'm disgusted when I look at you”, he spat as he threw her clothes out the door. He then grabbed her by the arm and dragged her outside. “You've bought nothing but shame to our family name”, he threw her outside and she fell on the ground. Her mother ran to her to help her stand up and brushed off the soil on her clothes.

“Never set your foot here ever again”, he barked at the top of his lungs. “Lucia, get back inside at once”, he called out to her mother

“I'm so sorry”, her mother wiped tears off Abigail face before turning to walk away from her

“Mom, please don't leave me”, she cried and her mother turned to look at her once more, with tears streaming down her face and Abigail watched her mouth I'm sorry again before she turned to walk away and the door shut closed behind her

“Abbie”, she felt Stephanie's hand on her shoulder, jolting her back to reality again, and she turned to look at her. “I think you should go rest, I'll finish up here”, Stephanie wanted to be there for her, because she too knew the pain of losing a parent, in her case, she lost both her parents all in one night in a car accident.

Abigail nodded her head and thanked her before walking to her bedroom, where she sat on her bed and cradled her knees to her chest. She didn't want to feel anything about his death, she wished she didn't have this burning sensation in her chest and the lump in her throat as she suppressed the tears from falling down her cheeks.

Even after what he did to her, he was still her father and she had to mourn for him but a part of her felt she didn't have to. This was the same person who threw her out to the streets when she was at her weakest. With everything that had happened, she was still his little girl and needed him to stand by her side.

“I have nowhere else to go”, she found comfort in Austin arms as he immediately dropped everything he was busy with to be by her side the moment he heard what happened. She was homeless, but the moment Austin put her arms around her, she was home.

“You're with me, Abbie. I'll be your home”, he said as he stroked her hair softly, and she pressed her head on his chest. “I'll always protect you”

It was the day she was leaving for her home for the funeral. Thought flooding in her mind. How does she face everyone? How does she tolerate the looks of pity when they look at her?. Deep down she was more worried about Emily and how people will react to her.

“Hey Steph?”, she called out to her friend as she was helping her pack a suitcase for Emily

“Yeah?”, she answered as she handed Abigail neatly packed clothes to pack inside the suitcase

“Can you please come with me to my parents house, for the funeral?”, she asked and Stephanie's eyes softened as she knelt on the bed. “I can't face my family alone after all that's happened”

“You didn't even have to ask Abbie. You know I'll always be there for you when you need me”, she said and Abigail engulfed her in a tight hug.

“Thank you”, she sobbed as she held onto her friend