Lana's Melody

Nineteen

I woke the next morning, in his arms. I didn't want to admit it but I liked being in his arms. I could deny it all I wanted but I knew it was true. I tried to move and get out of the bed, but his arms tightened around me and he made a groan. "Stay still, silly." He mumbles tiredly. "Sorry." I whisper. I see him smiling as he turns his face to me. His smile sent a lightheaded feeling through me. "Good morning." He says. I turn a bright red. "Hi." I nervously say. He laughs. He brings me closer, our bodies touching. I don't mind. Its cold anyway. "Why are you up so early?" He asks, then yawning. "I'm always up early." I answer. "Well, we are going back to sleep." He says. He closes his eyes. "I'm not tired." I laugh. He puts his hands over my face, "sleep." He says. I bite his hand. "Ow." He says, bringing his hand back. A few silent moments later, he is out like a light. I smile. I close my eyes, and the sleep that I wasn't aware I had invades me.

We wake, a little after 11. He wakes me up. My eyes open to see him staring at me. I get self conscious. I cover my face. "Stop staring." I say. He laughs. "Im sorry." He says. I sit up and he picks me up and takes me down stairs. I really didn't want to see anyone. I rather just see him. "Lana? What are you thinking about?" He says, staring down at me. "I don't want to see them." My voice lowers. I don't know if he understood. "Oh me neither." He says. He turns back around and goes back to the room. He sits me on the bed. I frown. "I'll be back." He says. I sit and think. Why am I acting this way? Shouldn't I hate him? But I don't. He came back a couple minutes later and he was smiling. He sits beside me. A few seconds later, I see Allison and Annabel enter. They come running into my arms. "Lana!" They both yell. "Hey you guys!" I say, I hug them both. I see Joey behind me, smiling. "You are good with kids." He says. I look at him. "Thanks..?" I tell him. He winks. "Maybe we will have some." He replies. I glare at him. "No way." I reply. His smiles fades. "I mean... I am not good with kids." I say, quickly. He smiles. "Look! Yes you are too!" He says, pointing at me and then at the twins. He grabs my sides and brings me back. I lay beside him on the bed and Allison gets on the bed and lays beside me. Annabel just stands in place. I sit up and tell Annabel to sit beside me. Annabel does as I say. "Um..Joey can you and Allison leave the room for a few minutes?" I ask. Joey understands and nods. Him and Allison leave.

"Annabel, I know you hate it here. You shouldn't be here. I know you are scared. I feel the same way, but will you promise me something?" I ask. She nods. "Be strong okay?" I ask. She nods again, "I Promise." She says. I give her a hug. "Everything will be okay soon." I tell her. She doesn't reply, she just asks, "Lana, do you love Joey?" She asks. I don't answer right off. "No, Annabel... I barely know him. It takes a while to love." "Do you like him?" She asks. I take a deep breath. "Yes." I say.

  I tell Joey to watch the twins while I go use the bathroom. I can tell he was hesitate. He didn't trust me. After I went to the bathroom, I went in to the sitting room. My grandma was in there. When I appeared, she motioned me to come closer. "I'm sorry." She says. "Its fine." I reply. "Look, I need to give you something. Nobody knows I have it. You can't tell anyone." She says, in a serious tone. I nod. "Okay." I reply. She hands me a package. I take it. It seemed pretty old. On the package it said To Lana. The handwriting seemed familiar. "Go into Tara's room, and open it. I'll distract." She says.

I go up the many staircases, to Tara's room. I lock the door behind me. . my heart began to beat fast. I could get caught. I opened the package. It was two boxes inside. the first box said #1 and the second said #2.  I opened the box with the #1 on it. Inside was a tape. Like those tapes you put in VCR's. I found a VCR in Tara's room. I plugged it up and turned the TV on and then put the tape in. I turned the volume down so only I could hear it. What came on the screen shocked me. My eyes widened and my mouth flew up.

It was my mom looking at me out of the screen. She had no emotion on her face. "Lana, I took this video to tell you... so much. " her voice quivers. "Lana, remember this and never forget it. I love you. I always will. You are the best daughter, and never think what happened was your fault." She pauses as a tear slides down her cheek.  "Let me explain to you what happened. What I know will happen." She sobs. A few minutes  Of crying, she finally goes emotionless. I pause the tape, and wipe the tears rolling down my cheeks. I press play. "Lana, I'm not your birth mom. Your dad isn't your birth dad either. I'm sorry." She cries. "I am not able to have children. I wanted one so bad. I wanted a child to call me mommy, and depend on me. When you were born, I just knew you were meant to be my daughter. So I convinced your...uncle to let me raise you." She explains calmy. "He agreed, very easily which shocked me. As I speak, you are four years old and today is December 24." My blood freezes, just two days before... "About a year ago, your uncle came to visit. He wanted you back. He wanted to trade you for Tara. I told him no. You was and always will be my daughter. He wasn't going to take you away from me or your dad. He began to go insane. He threatened to kidnap you several times this pass year. I tried keeping you always in my sight. I really tried. I don't know if you remember but that's why I wanted you to sleep beside me but you insisted you were a big girl." She says. She goes on. "Lana, a few days ago... Well a few days go in what time I am  videoing this. Your uncle said he was coming soon to take you back, and he would... He would kill me and your dad." Sobs rack her body. She begins to cry uncontrollably. I begin to cry with her. "If you are watching this, that means I died and your dad as well. Always remember I love you. Always remember, and never forget that Lana. I tried to keep you safe. But I failed. None of this is your fault. I failed you Lana. Please don't forget me and your dad. Suddenly, in the background I hear a little girl. She is saying, "Mommy!" I see a girl running to her as she cuts the camera off. The screen goes black and soundless. I knew right off that was me, and I remember asking her why she was crying.

A couple minutes later, the screen turns on but instead of my mom on the screen, it was my dad. His face wasn't emotionless nor showing emotion. "Lana, you already have watched your mom's video and now it is my turn. Lana, since she already explained to you a lot, well Im going to apologize. I'm sorry, that what's happening or what's happened. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, and be the dad I should be. I love you Lana, my baby girl. Im so sorry, that I couldn't have stopped this. I'm sorry. It isn't your fault. Please don't think that. Just remember me and your mom and never let us go out of your heart. You are so special and always know that. You will change the world. Don't give up. I love you Lana, Goodbye. The screen ends and turns blue to Eject. I begin to put my face in my hands as I  cry. That was the most depressing thing ever. I would keep it forever, and whenever I miss them really bad... I would watch it over and over til I memorize every word. I open the box labeled #2.