Living Again

Chapter Five

Me. Byrne was able to get my adoption records and the address on where I grew up. Noah though it would be best to just drop the subject, leave the sleeping dogs where they lie, but Jessa thought this was best. Finding out my past would free me for the future. I'm not sure who I agree with though, Noah or Jessa. Both scared me tenfold. Gunner held my hand in his as we sat in the back of the car. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked rubbing my knuckles with his thumb.

"I don't know. But I feel like I have to." He pulled me towards him, his face so close that our noses were touching.

"You don't have to do anything. If you don't want to do this, you don't have to. You still have a say in this, Amira. If you say no. We leave." Noah looked back at me and nodded.

"Gunner's right, Amira. If you don't want to then we can just go home." I nodded at him.

"I need to do this. I need to stop running from the past." I looked up at the small blue house before me. It was abounded, the shrubs and plants over grown. The windows boarded up. The paint was pealing off. But I remember when it was beautiful. When the sun would shine through the sunlight in the early morning. When my mother would tend to the flowers in the garden and I would run around and giggle following her.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. I remember the gravel under my shoes and the time I fell and broke my arm when I was four trying to climb the big apple tree in the back. "Can we go in?" I asked Noah who nodded handing me the key. I opened the door and it was like walking back into my childhood. I could remember baking with my mother, dancing in the kitchen, singing in the bathroom , and having tea in the living room. Now the place looked terrible. The walls stained and ruined, dust and spider webs covering every corner.

But then then I remember my fathers drinking. His terrible friends. The smell of alcohol that littered the air when he was drinking. I walked up the stairs and followed my old footsteps that I used to take when I was little. The white door that looked so big then was so little now. I opened the door and looked into the room. This was it. This is where I spent five years of my life. I felt a weight in my stomach. The bed still was still against the wall, just the mattress left.

I looked on in horror at the blood stain that covered the bed and floor. I felt strong arms wrap around me. I turned my head to look at Gunner. "Come on. Let's get back down stairs." I nodded back at him, knowing that was best. The best ting was not looking at the mess that was left all those years ago. We walked back downstairs to find Noah in the living room, his hands in his pocket as he looked at an old photograph on the wall.

"That's you." he turned back to the photo of my mother, father, and I. It was taken when I was 3. I nodded. "You look so adorable." He smiled at me. I put my head on his shoulder. I looked up when he pushed me behind him protectively. I whimpered at the man holding the gun looking at us.

"Get out." He glared at us, his eyes dark. I clutched Noah's shirt tightly.

"We can be here we got-" he cut Noah off.

"I said out! No one belongs here." I looked at Gunner who had his eyes locked on the man before us. Fear was coursing through my veins and my hands were starting to shake. Aspen gave a loud whimper and barked at everyone. The man's eyes shot to mine. Pure surprise crossed his face before he lowered the gun. "Amira?" I looked at him confused.

"Do I know you?" I asked quietly looking over Noah's shoulder. His face lightened. He out the gun down.

"Oh, kid. I thought you died." I shook my head.

"I was in and out for a couple months." Noah's arm wrapped tightly around my body keeping me behind him. "But, I don't know you." He gave me a sad look.

"I knew your mother. She was my best friend." Then it hit me.

"Uncle Jeff?" He smiled at me as I tried to get around Noah but he held me back giving me a look. I held him tightly knowing he was just trying to keep me safe.

"Sorry about that. Some people just think they can come in here and do what they please." He looked at a picture on the wall.

"Do you think you could answer some of my questions? About, about my parents?" He nodded.

"About we get some tea?" I looked up at Noah who looked between the two of us.

"Okay. I saw a nice place down the road that we. Could go to." I beamed, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you, Daddy." he held me tightly.

"Be careful, Amira. You might hear something you didn't want to know." I nodded at him as Jeff walked out of the house. I pulled Gunner back to the car telling him a story of when I used to play in the gardens....

I sat across from Jeff with Noah on my left and Gunner next to Jeff. I wish Jessa could be here but she had to stay for work with Arabelle. I messed with the label on the tea. The nerves suddenly hit me and I felt sick. "So what do you want to know?" Jeff asked taking a sip of coffee.

"What was she like? From your point of view?" I asked him quietly. He gave me a thoughtful look.

"She was perfect. The most perfect soul you would have ever meet."

"I just wish I could remember her more. They were my only family and now I have no biological family left." I gave him a sad look. He gave me a confused look back.

"What do you mean, kid?" I just shrugged. "You don't know the full story do you?" I shook my head.

"I don't know what you mean." I looked to Noah, nervously.

"Amira, you aren't an only child. Your mother had two other children." I felt like my entire world just came out from under me...