A broken promise

chapter 73

The drive home was quiet. Both Avery and Elijah deep in thought.

Avery wanted to start to move past it, she just didn't know where to start.

And Elijah was upset, he missed so much time with her, time he would never get back.

"Can we go for a walk when we get back" Avery finally asked.

"It's a bad late and it's been a long day for you" Elijah said.

"Oh okay, maybe tommorow then"

Elijah sighed, he knew he would probably regret it but a walk would do them both good. He drove a bit further and parked in an empty car park.

"Why are we here" Avery asked.

"We are going for a walk, there is a park nearby if you would like to walk around that" he said.

Avery nodded. Happy that they were going on a walk.

The walk was quiet at first, both of them didn't know where to start.

They both seemed to ignore the talk they wanted to have with one another.

"Let's go into the park" Avery finally spoke and led a very reluctant Elijah into the park and towards the swings.

Elijah hated playgrounds. They were always filled with parents and children. Young mums and dads pushing their child on the swings, taking little videos of their child coming down the slide, pushing them around the merry-go-round. He hated it because he had to watch what he should be doing. He hated seeing it because Avery wasn't there.

"Swings are stupid" he muttered as Avery made him sit on one whilst she took the other.

"They are not. They are relaxing" Avery said. They didn't swing very much , just slightly back and fourth, their feet remained on the ground the entire time.

"Why do you find them relaxing" Elijah asked wanting to make conversation.

"It's just peaceful"

Elijah smiled, it was a sad smile. He didn't press the subject because he knew exactly why it was peaceful to her. He hated knowing why. She didn't deserve that kind of life.

"Well I suppose it's alright" Elijah commented.

"Why don't you like it" Avery asked

"Its not that I don't like it, it's just I've had to watch kids playing with parents in the park and I never got that with you" Elijah confessed.

"Well I was always um jealous of the kids playing with their parents, I never got that" Avery confessed.

"I wish we could just go back on time so I could give you the childhood you deserve" Elijah said getting up from the swing.

"I'm just glad I ran down that dodgy alley" Avery replied smiling at the memory.

"Me too Lucy, how about we make up for lost time" Elijah said with a smile.

"I'd like that"

Elijah walked begin her "you're probably a bit too old but may I push you" he asked grabbing the chains of the swing.

"Okay" Avery replied, a big smile on her face.

They both needed this. They couldn't go back in time but they could create memories that should have happened when Avery was younger.

Half an hour later and they had played on all the park equipment. They finished in the small sand box, sat on the edge in the grass  with their feet in the sand.

"I'm scared Elijah" Avery finally confessed.
"Of what Avery? Tell me and I'll make it go away"
"I want us to be okay..."
"Are we not? I'll do whatever it takes for us to be okay. I'm sorry I didn't realize" Elijah interrupted.

"No we are, its just I want to call you dad. I want to be like we were before but I'm scared you will turn on me. I know you haven't yet but just because you're my dad doesn't mean you won't. I blamed you for so many things and I was stupid to do so. It turned out to be my mum behind it all. So if the woman who gave birth to me could do all those dreadful things, I'm scared that one day you will too"

Elijah hated knowing that. He said knowing at first, instead he hugged her tightly.
"Never. I'll never hurt you like that. We have had our differences and we have argued alot but I would never do what she did"

"How can I be sure" Avery hated asking but what her mother did messed with her head more than anything.

"Because Avery you have already hurt me the most you could ever do when you told me I was just like the people who hurt you, when you compared me to your rapists. That shit hurt and I never laid a hand on you did I? That's how you can be sure Avery. Because despite everything I would never hurt you like that"
Avery was in tears as she hugged him "I love you Avery, I don't care if you're not ready to call me dad, Ill always be here for you and I'll never hurt you,I promise."

Avery hugged him like her life depended on it "can we start over" she finally whispered

"As in?" Elijah questioned.

"As in this very moment, we just try move past these last few months. I know we can't forget them but I want to fix our relationship. I want us to have movie nights and ice-cream, I want my dad back "

"Yes Avery, we can. Does this mean I have my daughter back"

Avery nodded "It does. I love you dad"