The Saint & The Sinner.

Chapter 43: Awakening.

|Sid|

Corey and I left Tali to pack her suitcase and get ready for the trip we'd be making that night. Corey and I waited downstairs in the kitchen. I was almost half expecting him to interrogate me about what I was going to occupy Tali with in California, how I was going to keep her safe, if I had two bedrooms or only one. But he didn't ask me anything besides how much the plane ticket was, I didn't tell him. I didn't buy it to be repaid, if I wanted a refund then I would've cancelled the trip and stayed in Des Moines and gotten the money from my ticket.

Luckily Steph came home with Griffin to break the awkwardness. Corey filled her in on what was happening and she gave me a big speech about how she'll have my ass if anything were to happen to Tali while we were in California. I clued in on the fact that Steph has taken on the role of mom and so I understood why she lectured me like she did. Besides, it's only August twenty-fifth; we've only been home for a week. Corey told me a lot of what's happened in the last seven days and I was mildly shocked. I couldn't believe all of that happened in such a short time period. Tali's head must be so full of noise; she must feel dizzy with information. Corey didn't go into detail about specific events but from what I can tell it's not good. Steph told Corey that they were lurking around the neighborhood.

Griffin seemed disappointed that his sister was getting to go on a holiday while he had to get ready to go back to School in a few weeks. This trip will also give Corey some quality alone time with his son for the next week before Scarlett comes to get him.

When Tali finished packing I hauled her suitcase down the stairs and out to my car. Corey and Steph stayed on the porch to say goodbye to Tali but they were also looking out for whoever was lurking around. I noticed someone creeping around and watching us. But I paid no mind to it.

The flight wasn't until late so I took Tali to the airport and checked our bags before we went for dinner. Corey gave her back her phone for this trip and he sent a small handful of texts to her before there was radio silence. This was really hard for him to deal with, not because she's with me but because he feels bad for missing out on seventeen years of life. This is what Tali's told me before and I can kind of understand where he's coming from. Although I can't really understand because I'm not a father and I don't know what it's like to have a long lost child come into my life.

After dinner we went through security and waited at a Starbucks until we were called to the gate. Despite all the coffee Tali drank while we were waiting she fell asleep on the flight. It was a five hour flight so we landed in Los Angeles after midnight. Luckily we both got some sleep on the plane and I was able to drive us from the airport to the condo I owned in Venice Beach right on the beach. Tali slept the forty-five minute car ride from LA/X to my place. When we got to the condo I went right to bed because it was almost one in the morning and I was still exhausted. Tali came to bed with me even though I told her she didn't have to sleep in the same bed as me if she didn't want to but she still came and cuddled up to me. I fell asleep right away.

I slowly fell out of my slumber, rolling over to face Tali. I expected to meet a warm body but instead I met an empty cold space that caused me to open my eyes. I confusedly looked at the slept in part of the bed before quickly glancing around the room. The bedroom door was open even though I knew I closed it when I came to bed. The room was a bluish gray colour letting me know that it was before seven in the morning. The sunrises at six-thirty and the sky was only beginning to get light.

I sighed heavily and rolled back over, sitting upright and letting my legs hang off the edge of the bed. I pulled my jeans on and shivered at the cold denim invading the warmth on my legs. My eyes were still heavy even with the coolness from the air conditioning pressing against my bare skin. I turned the A/C on when we came in because the condo was a little too warm for comfort. I cringed notably when my bare feet left the moderately warm carpet and met the cold wooden floors leading from down the hallway into the living area. The entire condo was still a musky bluish gray but I could see Tali wasn't down here and she wasn't upstairs. I was starting to get worried, where did she go? Did she make a runner? No, I don't think she's done that.