I. Heart Of Gold (Uneditied) ✔️ ORIGINAL

Nineteen - A Hospital Thanksgiving

Emmi's POV:

My jaw hung open as far as it could go without hurting, which honestly wasn't far at all. I stared at my parents in shock. "What do you mean you two aren't divorced?"

"Well...we wanted to try and work things out. We still love each other, your dad just thought it was a better idea to be somewhere else when his drinking got worse. He was worried about things." My mom explained.

I looked at my dad, as anger consumed me, "So you left your family so you could just keep on having your drinking problem instead of helping it?" I yelled.

"No, that's not it at all. I tried to stop when it started, but I was too far deep into a black abyss that I couldn't climb out. Since your brother's beat down, my alcoholism just got worse. I couldn't live with the guilt of it somehow being my fault it happened, so I drowned that guilt with drinks. I needed to try and fix myself before my anger consumed me through my drinking. I left, because I didn't want to hurt my family. I was scared, Emmilia." My father explained with tears in his eyes.

My expression softened as I tried to gather words to say. I didn't have any. I was still mad at him for fleeing when things got hard. Yes, I understood why he did it, but I was still angry with him over it. I sighed, shaking my head, "Dad...I get it, but I'm still mad you left us. I'm happy you are getting the help you need, I just wish it didn't come with us not being a family."

"Hey, we are still a family." He told me. "Just because your mother and I are separated, doesn't mean I don't want to be a part of your life. I am in therapy now, and working on forgiving myself. My drinking isn't as bad now either and soon I'll be coming back home."

"Please leave. I need some rest. Go get food, I don't care." I said to both my parents. I could tell they both wanted to protest, but the hurt and anger in my swollen face warned them not to.

Once they left, I cried as hard as I could. I didn't care if my body hurt like hell. My parents lied to me and the fact that my dad thought he could just come back to live in the house hurt me even more. They never realized how hard it was on Brooks and I when they started fighting over every little thing.

I tried to text Maddox, but my hands were shaking too much to even get the right words down to make sense. I didn't want to call him or even video call him, I knew I wouldn't be able to get the words out that way either.

I ended up crying myself to sleep and when I woke up, I saw both my parents sitting and talking like civilized people. They hadn't noticed I was awake yet, so I just listened quietly at what they were speaking of.

"I hated leaving you and the kids. It tore me apart inside, but I felt like I had no other choice. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt any of you." I heard my dad tell my mom.

"I know, sweetheart. Emmi will come to understand it all. Just give her some time, okay? She knows you love her and I know she loves you. And I know how awful it has been for her to hear us argue all the time. She had never seen it until Chester was gone, which is when all of this started. She was hurt more than Brooks when you left to get better, because you two have that father daughter bond." I heard my mom say.

Just listening to them talk how they did before my older brother was beaten to death made tears form at the base of my eyes. "Daddy," I choked.

Both my parents turned, not realizing I heard every word they said. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry for causing you so much hurt. I had no idea me leaving to keep you safe would have done this to you." My dad said, walking over to me. He sat down at the foot of my bed, taking my hand and holding it gently, "Emmilia, I never wanted you to see me as the monster I had become from your brothers death. That was a piece I didn't want you to know. I love you, sweetheart."