Inferno Part 4

~98~ Truth Hurts

Gabby's POV

I watch as dad paces the kitchen back and forth for twenty minutes, while Ellie and Taylor pretend like they're not annoyed by it.

Today is the day Colton comes home.

"Alex, are you sure I can't take you up there?" Taylor asks again, stopping when dad shakes his head.

"Neither of them want me there, and I'm going to respect it."

"So you're not going to talk to him at all?" Ellie asks quietly, but stops when Taylor gives her a small shake of his head.

"I don't know, El. I never thought this would be my life! I never thought there would be a point in time where I don't feel welcome in my child's life—I. Don't. Know."

Ellie simply nods and Nolan turns to me. "Wanna get out of here?"

"With you?" I ask, eliciting a scoff from him.

"Well.....yeah?"

"Are you allowed to drive other people?"

He rolls his eyes and turns to his mom. "Mom, can Gabby and I go to the mall for a bit?"

Ellie looks at dad and he simply shrugs.

"I guess. You keep your phone on and DON'T speed."

"Or text and drive," Taylor adds.

"Or make illegal u-turns," dad points out, causing Ellie and Taylor to chuckle.

"Have fun," dad says as he kisses my cheek, and we leave to escape the tension.

~*~

"You ok?" Nolan asks as he drives out of the subdivision and heads into town, and I'm trying to decide if I'm afraid for my life or not...He hasn't had his license for very long.

"I guess. I'm excited to see Colton."

"You're not staying here tonight then?" He asks as he looks at me out of the corner of his eye as he passes someone.

"No, mom wants me with her tonight and dad said it's fine."

"Nervous?"

"Maybe a little. I'm the reason he got taken away, and if he found out somehow then I'm afraid to be near him."

Nolan is quiet for a minute as he thinks about that. "Well, we're all right next door," he finally says as he turns into the mall and we spend the next few hours mindlessly walking around and ignoring the drama at home.

~*~

When we get back, mom's car is in the driveway and I take a deep breath.

He's home

When I get in, dad gives me a small smile. "Mom wants you to go on over there now."

I nod as I take his hand. "Will you come with me?"

He kisses my cheek, and I swear I see tears in his eyes. "I'm not welcome right now, Gabbs. I'm trying to take this slow so I have a chance at a relationship with him one day."

I nod as I wave at Ellie and Taylor, and give Nolan a small smile as I walk out of one home and go to another.

A home that once felt like a dream, and anymore it's almost feeling like a nightmare.

When I get in, mom and Colton are chatting about something, but it isn't until I get closer that I hear the tension in their voices.

"We drove that whole way talking about nothing, and you didn't bother telling me that dad left you?!?"