The President's Daughter

Chapter 11: One Life Begins One Comes Undone

My eyes adjust to the sunlight as I wake up. I feel the weight of Arlo's body on the end of the bed. He's on the phone with somebody but I'm too tired to figure out who it is or what he is saying.

I sit up and rub my eyes. Arlo looks back at me just as he finishes up his phone call. "Who was it?" I say groggily.

Instead of saying anything he comes and sits next to me. Hmm..."I have something to tell you, Nova. It's not going to be easy saying this." I furrow my eyebrows and nod.

"Y-your dad. He passed away, Nova. He was killed by some former gang members. I'll avenge his death for you." I gasp in shock. How can my father be dead?

All the memories I've shared with him surpass through my brain at once. The late night movie watching to the ice cream parlor trips, my whole childhood spent with him flashes before my eyes.

I feel sick again and I run to the toilet, throwing up immediately as I get there. Arlo takes my hair and holds it out of the way like last time. God what is wrong with me? Probably stress. Stress is what is causing this sickness. No doubt.

I am numb, I can't cry. I don't know what is wrong with me, but it feels like I have the weight of the earth resting on top of me and I cannot breathe.

"We have to go back to your mother, Nova." Arlo says as he rubs my back while I am hunched over the toilet. I nod.

Oh god my mother... I can't imagine how she is taking this news. She's always been head over heels for my father. I was always envious of how much love they had in their marriage. Their love story was phenomenal.

I stand up and go to the sink to brush my teeth and gather my things to go back home. I admit the place we are at is lovely but this isn't home. It's Arlo's home and I'll never feel right here. My home is where my parents are and right now I only have one left.

I can only think about how my father and I left things. He was uneasy these last few months and I had no idea why until I met Arlo. My father was always so carefree and made time for his family. The idea of him having skeletons in the closet would seem so far fetched if somebody told me this when I was younger.

The only memories of him that are fresh in my mind are the days when he'd take me out and we'd go fishing or the movie theaters. We'd play sports together and go shopping. My mother was never really interested in going everywhere with us.

I pack up my stuff and Arlo leads us to the private airplane to fly us directly to New York. He holds my hand during the entire flight as I look out the window. My stomach is in knots because I am unsure of the state my mother is in.

When we arrive my mother was just being dropped off by a police officer. Huh? My mother looked like a ghost. Her face was pale and her hands were shaking.

I start to cry as I see her more clearly. It's like she aged overnight magically. She pulls me into a hug and I sigh. She smells like home in a weird way. I don't ever want to let go. My heart breaks a little when I feel her tears soak some of my shirt.

I ask her a question I knew she couldn't answer. "Why did he have to die, mom?" I sob into her shirt. I don't expect her to answer and she doesn't. Her unsaid words were enough for me to know that she didn't have a clue.

"I think it's best if you two stay here." She says. Arlo answers for me and agrees. My mother says that we will be sharing a room. She must know something is up between Arlo and I...

I get the same nauseous feeling again and I race to the bathroom. Not long after, my mom comes in and holds my hair. She insinuates that I'm pregnant. There's no way...