Austin Carlile Is My Father? (#Wattys2015)

Distract Me From Reality

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Austin

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"Maybe you should just have them spend more time together? Then maybe they'll hit it off again," said Alexis, drawing him back into their conversation over Skype. Austin looked back at the laptop and smiled sheepishly. It would be an understatement to say he was distracted. 

It had been days since she had come out of her room. Austin felt that it was best that they would be alone for a few days while Sienna had time to adjust to the news. So far, he had waited on her, hand and foot. He brought her food up to her room, comforted her, talked to her, left her alone - he even answered the phone when Josh, Vic, or any body else would call for her. But by now, Austin needed to get his daughter out of her room. At the moment, he was cooking his and his daughter's breakfast.

"Huh?" Austin found himself cluelessly asking. His girlfriend laughed, causing his stomach to turn to butterflies. 

"I said: 'maybe you should-' ugh, never mind. If Noah and Sienna spend more time with each other, it might trigger Noah's memory." Alexis looked at the camera and Austin sighed loudly. 

"Yeah." Austin muttered, flipping the pancakes and turning off the stove, leaving the breakfast to cook on the still-hot burners. "I guess so." 

"Austin, I have faith in this." Alexis said seriously, her lips in a perfect slight pout. "Trust me on this one. Sienna and Noah are meant to be together, and they'll figure it out. I promise." 

Austin nodded dumbly, biting at his lips slightly. Alex smiled too and yawned. 

"Gotta go." She said regretfully. "I gotta take a shower." 

"Take me with you?" Austin joked, flirting like a school boy. She giggled, blushing slightly. 

"Goodbye, Austin." Alex mused.

"Goodbye, Alexis." 

They hung up and Austin gathered two plates for Sienna and himself. After wrapping them in tin-foil to conserve heat, he began to walk upstairs. 

He knocked at the door with his foot and opened it with his elbow. 

The room was dark from the shades being drawn. The night light in the bathroom was on but the door was half open. Sienna was in her bed, curled up on top of the covers, her eyes glassy and wide, staring at the wall. 

"Hi, sweetie." Austin said softly. "Hungry?" 

Sienna didn't answer. She only sat up and rubbed at her eyes. Austin smiled sadly and placed the plates on the foot of her bed and walked to the bathroom to turn off the light. "Dad?" She whispered, her voice cracking a little. 

Austin turned and watched as Sienna flipped on a lamp next to her bed, flooding the room with light. 

"Yeah, Si?" 

"Do you have any Disney movies?" 

Austin felt himself smile. 

"Yeah, of course I do." Austin chuckled. 

"Can we watch them?" 

"Sure." Austin smiled even wider, glad to see his daughter was interacting again. "Like a Disney Movie Marathon?" She bobbed her head slightly. 

"Can we watch them in your room?" Sienna asked even quieter. "I don't really want to walk down stairs." 

Austin nodded, and leaned over to grab his plate, but Sienna picked it up for him, holding both - one in each hand.