The Youngest of the Family

Chapter Thirty-Six: This Is The Start of The End

Nicole's POV:

I never really mentioned anything about me knowing that the story was about him. It was better if I didn't bring it up. I don't want him to feel upset.

Being home was hard getting used to, but I managed. It was hard getting used to waking up way before dad. I was used to waking up so early at the hospital. We usually got up incredibly early so that we had all day to figure ourselves out, as I like to call it. They called it self-evaluation, but I wasn't fond of that title.

Today I had woke up at 5:00. I don't know why I did. I just didn't feel like sleeping anymore. When I went downstairs I heard a noise. I wasn't dealing with people jumping me in my own house. I found a bat in the back room that leads to the pool. I ran back to the kitchen and walked slowly into the kitchen, only to find Zack, with breakfast.

"Oh, Thank God, It's just you" I breathed out.

He turned around shocked that I had a baseball bad held up ready to swing.

"Jesus Nicole, what is wrong with you? Why do you have a baseball bat?"

"I didn't know who was in here so early."

"Early?"

"Yeah, It's like 5 AM"

"Nicole, it's 11:00."

"No my clock said 5 when I came in here."

"Your dad knew that you have been waking up early, So when you went to bed last night your dad changed the time so that when you woke up, you would think that it was too early. That way you would go back to sleep. I wasn't supposed to tell you."

"So where is dad?"

"He's in the backyard studio probably still streaming."

"Streaming?"

"Oh, he has started doing live streams on Instagram again. I'm going, to be honest with you. Ever since he took you to the hospital, he's jumped back into being lonely. It's good that he could get you back as soon as he could. He needed you."

It never occurred to me that dad needed me and not the other way around. I always thought that he was grown and he didn't need a small child to make him happy. It always crosses my mind that maybe he didn't want me here. That he regrets adopting me in the first place. I was just a pity party, for him to get some publicity. He was the sweet lonely guy that saved dogs, and adopted children, and donated money. I try to shove away those thoughts, but sometimes I can't help it.

"I needed him too."

He smiled at me and continued to get out some food. I was starving, probably because I slept through breakfast. I wasn't going to eat. I didn't need to gain any weight. I had starved myself through the time that I was in the institution. I have gotten myself to the weight that I want to be. Regardless of how I got there, I was still there.

"You hungry Nicole?"

"Uh, no thanks. I think I'm gonna go and see dad."

"Okay kid, If you get hungry, let me know"

I just nodded my head and went outside to see dad in the backyard studio. I knew he was still streaming, I went to watch it, so I knocked instead. When the knock came through, he laid his phone down and you could tell he opened the door. I then put my phone away and went inside and sat down out of the view of the camera. After that dad started talking to the fans again.

I set off to the side on the couch just listening and watching the chat on my own phone. Dad would look at me every now and then and smile. He would laugh when I would comment on the other comments. One time I just said 'I love you Dad.' He replied with by looking at me and smiling before getting up and giving me a heartfelt hug off camera.

After the stream ended, we just enjoyed being around each other.

"So, Nicole. I wanna talk to you about being up so early and going to bed so late. Is that the sleep schedule they had you on there?"

"No, not really. Lights out were 9:30. I just couldn't sleep. I was homesick, so I stayed up until my eyes couldn't stay open anymore. Then they would wake us up at 7 AM. I always got very little sleep. It's just routine. Oh and don't be mad at Zack, but I know that you set my clock back last night."

Dad just hangs his head and kind of frowned to himself.

"It's oka dad I'm not mad that you did that. I enjoyed sleeping later and regaining some of m normal life back. I love you dad, and I could never be mad at you. At least not forever."

He just smiled and opened his mouth like he was going to say something else but changed his mind.

"Tell me what you were going to say, Dad."

"I just wanted you to know that on the day that I left you was the hardest day o my life. I heard you call me and I dropped to the floor in tears. I wanted to go back for you, I wanted to make all of the screaming and pain that you felt go away. But I felt that this could help you more in the long run. When, in fact, it hurt you. You needed me and I neglected to talk to you and help you."

"Dad, don't feel bad for trying to help. you thought that was the best option. It obviously wasn't, but that's okay. Everyone makes mistakes. You learn from them. Hell, everyone involved learns from it. I learned from your mistake."

He looked as if he was about to cry, but I didn't care. I needed to say this to him.

"We need to know how to handle all of our mistakes so that we can move past them and make the situation better."

I was perfectly aware that I sounded like a 14-year-old idiot but I don't care. I wanted to let him know I feel and this was only the start of it.

A/N: Yay. It's back. ❤️❤️ I am wanting to end this book soon though and continue with a book two maybe?? Idk.

Much Love <3

-Annie Xx

1090 Words