Return IV

Chapter 20

Blanket's POV

I agreed to babysit Ellie while the rest of the family went to dad and Natalie's rehearsal. Everyone tried to get me to go, but I didn't want to. I think my family has learned their lesson when it comes to pestering me when I say no the first time. 

I can't help but have a bad feeling about all of this. Natalie is so excited about being famous, and I can tell that my dad is worried about it. I overheard the conversation between my mom and dad the other day about more concerts to get the money to pay off Debbie. I have tried my hardest to walk around like I don't know a thing, but it is so hard. I speculate way too much. 

It still strikes me that Debbie had converted to the other side upon the divorce with my dad. I can only imagine how Prince and Paris feel about it; considering that is their birth mother. That entire situation has been the only thing on my mind since it happened. I just can't shake it.

What will happen if dad can't get the money in time? What if he doesn't do it right? What if Debbie was using the need for money as an excuse to get deeper into him; like wanting something else but using money as a sugarcoat? What if dad does get the money, but Debbie and the rest of the people associated with AEG still try to kill him? What if they want Natalie? 

What if they want to kill dad to make money off of Natalie?

I learned from overhearing the conversation between my mom and dad that dad wants to put on these concerts and set up meet-and-greets with Natalie because it will bring in more money rather than him doing it himself like he has for the past forty years.

It really angers me that he would want to use her in that way. Natalie is a human, not an object to be used as a source of income. And she is so brainwashed into thinking that this is something she wants to do personally; as if she hasn't had any kind of persuasion. 

I am slightly angered for a moment, but then I realize that dad has no other choice. He needs this money or else his, and everyone else's, life is on the line. It is either way, but he is doing what he feels he needs to in order to save us. That is what a true father does. 

I sit in a comfy chair with these thoughts flooding my head and my baby sister on my lap. She likes sitting on someone's knee when they bounce their leg, so I have been doing that for the last five minutes. It helps her fall asleep. 

I look down at Ellie's feet and take in the fact that she is still so young. She will be three years old soon, and she still has to go through all of this with us. She was born into this craziness, and it is all she will ever know in her life. It scares me to think that she may lose her dad before she even gets the chance to know him. 

I stroke Ellie's bright blonde hair as she sleeps. She has a little bit of a snore like me. I kiss the top of her head and look out the window, still bouncing my leg. Not only to keep Ellie sleeping, but out of anxiousness as well. I can't help feeling so nervous.

Maybe I should have gone to the rehearsal. It could be the last time I see my dad or Natalie on stage. Or see them at all. . .

I shake my head at the sudden, horrendous thought. 

That's ridiculous. Nothing is going to happen to them, you're just overthinking everything like you always do. 

I've been keeping to myself the last few days. After the situation with mom and grandpa and the police, I just haven't felt like talking to anyone. I felt bad for saying something in the first place. 

I figured that with all of the crazy things that have been happening already I might as well not add fuel to the fire; but after my visit to the hospital a while back and my odd diagnosis; plus the deep conversation with my mother—it was the right place and time to say something. Besides, my family worries about what goes on in my head all the time since I have a habit of keeping everything to myself.

The sun outside begins to go down, but it is still very light outside. I watch the cars drive across the road, a few joggers, and a group of surfers heading for the beach. I catch myself so deep in thought that I stop bouncing my knee. 

Ellie begins to cry suddenly, and I attend to her as quickly as possible. "Hey, hey, sis. What's wrong? Shh." She cries some more, and I try my hardest to calm her down.

"Daddy!" She whines. I hold her head close to my chest. She continues crying out for dad. "I know, I know. Shh. It's okay." I begin to cry myself. "I want daddy, too. . .I want daddy, too."