Sequel • Worth Fighting For
It is commonly known and spoken that time heals all wounds.
But what they don't tell you is that those wounds remain, leaving behind a plastic film of torment and affliction with those subconscious memories nudging you l...
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Joshua Parker
Not once, in my twenty six years of life, had I ever sat down to watch Alice in Wonderland. It was always a movie I'd assumed to be exactly like the ten page book I once read in first grade; dull and unrealistic.
Oh, how incredibly wrong I was.
My eyes were plastered to the screen with every colour and creation I would find to be even more interesting than the last. I'd watched both the cartoon and the live-action, hoping to cover all bases in knowing why Riley loved this story so much.
In addition, I'd managed to spare an hour of my time before arriving at Battery park, endlessly searching the shelves of Mary Arnold Toys for something I would hope to win over the affections of my daughter.
My daughter.
Even the words itself were inexplicable given the fact that I had once assumed myself to be without a single attachment to the woman I found myself to have been hopelessly in love with.
My heart was racing out of my chest as I held the cushioned toy in my hands, staring out at the skyline as if it would calm my nerves even more. Yet all I found myself to be thinking about was the fact that I had lived and breathed around the city for four years past breaking up with Savannah, and my daughter had been out there, crawling to walking around without my knowledge.
Heartbreaking as it was, the reasoning was as accurate and as understandable for what could possibly be justified. I couldn't argue against the fact that I was absent, and had been up until this point.
"Josh?"
Savannah's voice held my body still as I felt my feet grow weak, unable to keep me standing before I was even able to turn. And when I finally managed to look, my breath was knocked out of me like a hard blow to the chest.
Savannah stood, a nervous smile finding her lips while a young blonde girl held tightly to her hand, the other holding onto the hem of a dress. "Josh, this is um—this is Riley and—" Savannah brushed a piece of hair from her eyes, "Riley, this is Josh."
My eyes were in awestruck at the beautiful little girl that I saw so much of my little sister in. There were no words other than a haste choked up sob and my body crouching down to reach Riley's height. She held Savannah's hand and moved slightly behind her leg at the obvious stranger standing in front of her.
"Hi Riley," tears brimmed my eyes as I somewhat imagined what crazy look I must've had over my features, "it's really nice to meet you." I outstretched my hand to the girl who stared at it as if it were a foreign object.
Seconds climbed by as I caught her attention, not with my own self, but with what I was holding. A cute smile tickled her lips as she reached her hand out from behind Savannah and shook my hand quickly, most likely more intrigued about the Alice toy in my other.
