Sweetheart Mafia ✔️

Chapter 28

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As the car pulls up to my parents house, my legs go jelly and I almost want to collapse seeing the red brickwork, chipped royal blue painted door tucked into the white frame and the usually-neat hedges. This is the first time in years I have seen them so over grown.

"Come on," Kaiser says, opening my door, his hood pulled up over his head as the soft rain falls. Summer rain. Typical for England yet for the first time ever, it's welcoming. "Let's go." He holds his hand open for me.

I slip my hand in his and he takes it. I exit the car and walk slowly and nervously behind him. He enters the garden and walks up the path with me silently tagging along.

His tight knuckle knocks on the door. The hinge squeaks slightly but it's a comfort for me now. I'm home.

"Hello, can I help you?" I hear my father say who clearly hasn't spotted me behind Kaiser large and toned body.

"Sir," he addresses him. He steps aside and let's go of my hand, throwing it over my shoulder instead and lightly pushing me forward.

"April?" My Dad's face pales, I haven't ever seen him look like this. "April!" He jumps out the house, slightly pushing past Kaiser and throwing his arms around me. He holds me tightly. His fingers run through my hair as if he's checking I'm real. He pulls away but holds me firmly with his hands on my shoulders.

"Janet!" He calls out. "She's home!" He sniffles a little bit with a huge, happy smile on his face.

My mums face appears in the window. In a millisecond her face goes from confused to happy. She appears at the door. Unlike Dad, she approaches me slowly and Dad steps aside. Her hand reaches my shoulder, she smiles. "My girl." She whispers with wide, pitiful eyes. She pulls me into her body and holds me a lot more softer than my dad did.

I can hear Dad in the background conversing with Kaiser but I zone out. I've wanted to hug Mum for weeks and here I am finally doing it.

I inhale through my nose deeply, taking in her scent. Black Opium perfume with whatever fabric conditioner she's using this week. She's constantly swapping it around. "M-Mum." I stutter, finally able to say something.

She holds me tighter as I cry in her arms. I don't realise until now just how this last long month has affected me. I think about how guilty I feel for what I did to Javier and Franco, how terrified and scared I have been yet buried it down and mainly how close I am to a breakdown.

"I'm so glad to see you." I say finally as I try to escape her grasp.

"You too Darling." She says quietly. She pulls back and places too hands on my face. "Oh my dear, look at you." She inspects my face, probably noticing the little scars from the scabs that have just gone away.

"Mum," I shake from her grip, deciding not to mention it. I'm definitely not telling her about my stomach. "This is Kaiser."

Kaiser stops halfway through whatever he's saying to my Dad. He holds his hand out to shake her hand but she ignores it and pulls him into a hug. "Thank you for keeping my April safe."

"You're welcome." He hugs her back too.

My Mum is a small woman compared to me, my Dad and Kaiser. She's 5 foot 4, a whole foot shorter than my Dad. She looks hilarious in Kaiser's arms. I smile at this moment.

"It's lovely to meet you." She says and pulls away, sniffling up some tears. "Come in. In!" She demands, grabbing us to follow her. "Jade will be very excited you're here!"

We enter the house and it's just as I remember it. The front door straight into the living room. Our dark green walls amongst the stood-out red brick fire place. The dark brown leather sofas were always my favourite place to settle. We've had them for so many years that they've moulded into our body shapes and weight.