OCEANS APART - 𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻

26

sarah dropped the knife, letting it fall to the floor. "hi sweetie." ward said to sarah and i felt like i was going to throw up. my dad eyed me, "i know this is impossible to you both and we're gonna explain-" ward said and i backed up, standing next to sarah now. suddenly sarah's hand raise, slapping her dad across the cheek. my mouth closed, "you're right i'm sorry i deserve that. i do... i know i do." ward whispered, brushing past me and stepping in front of sarah.

"you have been through hell and that is all my fault and i'm sorry-" ward kept talking but i tuned him out as sarah turned away from him.

"sunny-" my dad reached his hands out to mine and i stepped back. "d-don't touch me." i stuttered, looking behind him. maybe i could make a run for it, jump off the ship and swim back to shore?

"please sunny i had to do it okay? i'm so sorry my sun-" he said and i held mh hand up, my heart breaking at his words. "don't call me that." i backed up until my legs hit the bed sarah was just laying in.

sarah sat next to me in disbelief as my breathing increased. it felt like my heart was going to explode. "we didn't have a choice but we don't expect you to understand." my dad said and i shut my eyes, shaking my head.

"all we can do it tell you what happened and we'll answer you're questions." ward kneeled down next to the both of us. i clutched my chest, watching on horror. "maybe you'll see it was the only way and i know you don't believe that, it's hard to hear for both of you but i- it was our only choice.. it was the only way to make sure that we were all safe and we were all together." ward whispered and i looked at my feet. my breathing was rapid as i heard sarah's small cry.

"it was the only way to be a family again." my dad said, standing above me. i shook my head again, trying to catch my breath.

i sat back, clutching my chest as they spoke. it sounded like they were in a tunnel, my ears blocking off anything they were saying. i was truly in a state of shock, not even able to look at my father. i cant grasp everything, my mind racing with a million thoughts.

"we used the scuba gear on the druthers. i had it all set up in advance timed to the second. it was touch and go getting off.. we almost didn't make it." ward chuckled, his voice sounding muffled.

"sunny?" my head snapped up to rafe's voice. he walked into the room, eyeing me. i looked at him with a sad expression. this was why he was telling me all this things before i walked into this room. he slowly approached me, sitting down next to me. i don't think i could talk to him right now, afraid that i'll explode with rage.

"what i need you to understand more than anything is that i never imagined that you would be there." ward said and my dad stepped forward. rafe leaned up, eyeing him up and down.

he backed off, "you were not supposed to be there sunny.." he mumbled, looking at me. "we wanted to call you immediately and let you know that we were okay.." ward pleaded and i let my head fall into my hands. "to explain it all.. it broke our hearts that we couldn't." ward was doing all the talking which only made me more mad.

"but i had to make sure that rafe was okay.." ward said, "and sunny who figured all this out." my dad said and i scoffed, knowing rafe witnessed a murder and my dad helped cover it up. knowing i witnessed ward with a body in the back of his truck.

"thank you dad." rafe said and i eyed him. he's always wanted validation for his dad and it still bothered me. i wish he would understand that he shouldn't want anything from that man.

"at least one of us is grateful." rafe mumbled and i turned to him. he stared at sarah, "that's psychopathic both of you." sarah spat her first words since seeing her dad.