Blissfully Numb. (Book 4)

Chapter 4

Present time.

“What so he like killed them?”

“Emily please don’t say it like that.” My uncle Alfie sighed.

“How else is she supposed to say it Al?” Theo rolled his eyes. “Yes Em my brother killed my parents for money.”

“Then you came to live with Nana Helen?” I asked.

“Yes……-“

He was interrupted by two people yelling hello. I turned around to see my parents walking towards us at our table in Five Guys where I was still currently shoving down my Cajun fries. I mumbled ‘hi’ through a mouthful of food and received a hit to the back of my head. “Don’t talk with your mouthful.” My dad Charlie sighed.

“Ow.”

“Well do as your dad tells you to do.” Papa chipped in as he walked away to order his food.

My dad followed him and I turned back to Theo to ask him to continue his story but he was taking care of Leya-Jess. Sighing I jumped up to follow my dad’s to see if I could scrounge for more food – What?! I am a growing girl??

“Dad can I get desert?” I batted my eyelashes.

“What have you had so far?” He raised his eye brows back at me.

“Just Cajun fries and a cheeseburger.”

“Ok sure just this once won’t hurt.” He smiled.

“Thanks!” I hugged him tight before turning away and rolling my eyes.

My dad was such a health nut, the thing is Nana Helen tells me he used to eat like a pig when he was younger so that’s why she lets me eat whatever I want when I stop with her. He’s really strict and I don’t know whether it’s for an easy life or whether he agrees but Papa follows suit.

I know that my dad was ill when I was a baby, he nearly died of cancer but he told me that two little girls called Emily saved him. I was one of them and the other was the little girl that I was named after, she died of Leukaemia when she was little but she had touched my dad in a great way.

I tried to respect my dad, I know I am extremely lucky to have him with me and to have him healthy too. I just want to eat junk sometimes and I guess that’s what my Nana is for, she’s always saying it’s not her problem because she gets to send me home at the end of the day.  

She makes the most awesome cookies ever and even Papa sneaks me over to her house for them sometimes, apparently they’re popular in England…ginger snaps or something. As I am sitting there drooling over a batch of new biscuits as nana calls them, my desert is placed in front of me and my dad ruffles my hair.

“So what you been up to while I was picking your dad up?” Papa asked.

“Uncle T has been telling me about his trip to America and his parents.” I replied

“You got Theo to talk about his past? Wow you are good.” He shrugged. “That’s my girl.”

“Well it’s not exactly a thrilling tale though is it? I mean Theo here took a lot to bring around…can you remember when he first got here, how absolutely arrogant he was?” Alfie huffed.

“I don’t know why you’re huffing Alfonso, you fell for Theo the minute he walked into the room. You may not have known it at that point but it was obvious to everyone else that he’d put a spell on you.” Papa laughed.

“That’s not true I was going out with Sophia then, I really loved her too. Theo swarmed in with his cocky attitude and I guess he was intriguing but I certainly wasn’t attracted to him.” Alfie bit back.

“You and Theo were inseparable from the start Alfie, poor Sophia never stood a chance.” My dad chipped in.

“Will you both stop saying that, Theo clearly manipulated me in beginning. I know I love the man now but back then he was just arrogant, plain and simple.” Alfie huffed.

“You all realised that Theo is still sitting here with us don’t you?” I asked smiling.

“It’s ok Em… I am so used to this now.” He said as he wiped Leya-Jess’ face with a wet wipe. “Alfie loves to pretend it wasn’t love at first sight. When in fact the arrogant, mysterious quality that I had was exactly what had him coming to my room every time your dad had a sleep over.”

“Uncle Theo did you really steal him from that girl?” I asked.

“It wasn’t like that but yeah I guess you could say I won him from her.” He chuckled.

“What happened when you arrived in America were you all alone or was Nana there to get you?”

“She came to collect me and I was a hit straight away.” He smirked.

“Nana Helen doesn’t like talking about your mom though does she? I’ve never heard her mention them even though there are pictures of them in the house.” I asked.

“I guess she lost her sister, it isn’t easy to cope with something like that Em.” My dad said softly.

“I know that but shouldn’t she remember her in a good way like you do with Emily?”

“Em that’s a little different, Emily wasn’t family.” He smiled sadly like he always did when she was mentioned.

I decided then to change the subject for a while. I didn’t want to get anyone upset so I would pick up the story of Theo coming to America soon. I watched as my dad’s ate their food and I hummed in contentment as my salted caramel cheesecake melted in my mouth.

“So your Papa tells me we have a dinner guest next week?”

“If that’s really ok, I mean Jorge is a great guy and I want you to see that so that Papa doesn’t go off on one like he did when he caught me kissing him goodbye.” I smirked.

“She is fifteen Domingo why did you kick off?” My dad laughed.

“She may be fifteen Charlie but she will always be my baby.” He grumbled.

“You two sound so old right now.” Theo laughed.

“Wait until Leya is old enough for this then we will see who’s laughing then.” Papa huffed.

We spent the next hour talking about Jorge and listening to my parents decide what they were going to make for tea. They all argued between them whether I was old enough to date and whether they would care or not when their kids got older.

It was crazy I just wanted to get back to the story and find out what Theo did when he arrived in America. A horrible, devastating life left behind or did it follow him here? At this rate I will never get the full story.