Better Than Yesterday

Thirty-One

20 Weeks

"Are we, are we going home?" Nika asks from the backseat as Skye drives, having just picked her up from volleyball practice.

"Ya, we are." Skye sighs, "dad and I talked earlier about his little adventure. And he really wants to apologize to you, and make things right. Are you up for some dinner with him and I? If it goes badly we can go back to Luke and Sierra's house."

"I want to go home." Nika says softly, "but I'm also scared."

"He isn't like he was anymore, Nika, I promise. He's fixing it, and he's acting like a good dad again."

"You'll stay with me?"

"The whole time." Skye nods.

"Okay. I have missed the dogs." Nika giggles slightly.

"I bet they've missed you too."

"I hope so." Nika sighs, the car falling silent as they continue towards their home.

Calum smiles at the sound of the garage door opening, having missed his family more than anything. "Hey guys." He grins as Nika and Skye come through the door into the kitchen.

"I'm going to take a shower and change." Nika barely glances at him before her eyes move to meet Skye's.

"Take your time, we will be here when you're done." Skye nods in understanding, her own eyes not lifting to meet Calum's until she's discarded of her keys and purse.

"Hi." He tries again, more solemn in his approach than his initial attempt at greeting them.

"It smells good." She smiles softly, the atmosphere awkward around them.

"Thanks. I made those spinach and cheese stuffed peppers, like my mum does, that you love." He smiles sheepishly, "They probably don't taste as good as hers, but I tried."

"I'm sure they will taste great." Skye sighs, grabbing a water before sitting down at the counter across from where he stands.

"I scared her a lot didn't I?" Calum asks, his eyes wandering to the ceiling indicating he means Nika, who is upstairs.

"More than a lot." Skye confirms, "And she really needs you to prove that you're not that person. Because she is very afraid of that person."

"I will. And I'll prove it to you too, Skye. I'm seeing a therapist, her name is Sabrina, I've only had one session with her so far, but I left feeling better than I have in a long time. She wants to meet you at some point too. Later in my sessions, to see your perspective, and to have you there to see and be a part of the conversations we have."

"Not yet." Skye nods though, her eyes staying locked with his to show she is really trying to listen.

"Not yet, I agree. But when you are comfortable, and I am ready for that step, we will figure it out with her." He nods, cautiously resting his hand over her on the counter top. "I'm sorry Skye, and I know I've said that about a thousand times already today, but I am, and I will say it as many times as I need to. I'm sorry for leaving like I did, for acting out like that, for scaring you, for causing you to question the trust you had put in me. I know that was hard, I know what I did brought up feelings you fight already, it brought back memories of your dad leaving, the lying, all of it. And I promise to be better. I hate myself for doing this to you."

"Don't." She pauses, pursing her lips tightly as she exhales through her nose, "Don't say you hate yourself please, Calum. Please. Yes it brought it all back, yes it hurt a fucking lot to have you run out on us like that, yes my past demons roared loud in my ears. But you are dealing with your own shit, and you lashing out, I get it. I don't condone it, I am not accepting it as right, and you have to fix it. But I understand to an extent why it happened. But please, don't ever hate yourself for it, learn from it, and fix it."

"I am trying my very hardest to do just that." He nods, bending forward to press his lips to her hands.

"Dad." He turns at the sound of his name, seeing Nika standing in the doorway watching him.

"Come here, Punk Princess." He smiles sadly, squatting down and opening his arms wide. Slowly and hesitantly she makes her way across the wood floor and into his arms, hugging around his neck loosely until he suddenly stands, making her tighten them. Setting Nika on the counter top, he steps back just enough to make eye contact comfortably with her.

"Nika, I need to apologize to you." He sighs, "I know I scared you a lot with what happened last week. With lying to you, and then leaving, and especially with the way I came home. You should have never seen me in that state, so worked up, with too much going on in my mind and my body physically. I know I scared you, a lot. And I am beyond sorry for making you feel like that, Nika Joy. Sometimes even dads have their emotions get too big to handle, and I dealt with that wrong when it happened to me. I promise you though, Nika, I love you more than anything, and I love mom too, and baby sister. I am getting help from a therapist, and I am making a conscious effort to make sure I never hurt you or mom or baby sister like this again."

Nika is quiet for a minute, her eyes staying locked on his, glossing slightly as she goes to open her mouth. "I was so scared, dad. You have never scared me before. I didn't like how you looked. You looked scary and like you might run away again, or hurt something, or... I don't know. I didn't know what to feel or think. I don't like that version of you."

"I don't either, Punk Princess, and I'm gonna work on it. I promise."

"Please don't scare me like that again. I love my nice happy dad, I want him to stay around."

"Me too, Nika Joy. Me too." He sighs, stepping forward again to hug her tightly to his chest.

"We're going to be okay." Skye smiles softly, slipping from her stool to join the small family hug.

"We are definitely going to be okay." Calum nods, pressing a kiss to each of their heads as he hugs his family tightly to his chest.

———————————
are they going to be okay?

Any guesses what happens in tomorrow's chapter???

I'm gonna finish writing this book tonight 🥺 skylum's story will be complete!!!

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I love you guys!!!

~M =)