C H A P T E R 1 5
T H E C A L L
"She is a dreamer and he is her dream"
Song- I'll be good; Jaymes young
Marlee
"well if it isn't my lovely daughter"
My heart sinks, no not sinks. Evaporates.
My breathing shallows and I don't speak.
My father has never physically harmed me however he's a severe alcoholic. He verbally abused my brothers and I for years and physically abused mom.
When she kicked him out it was because he almost laid a hand on Grayson when he accidentally spilt some water. Dad blew up at him and was so close to hitting him before I stepped in and Theo shoved him off.
Mom found out and immediately kicked him out. After that he showed up drunk in the middle of the night for weeks on end. He would threaten us with a gun and even break in when we weren't home.
We basically lived at the Taylor's then. When the court granted us a restraining order against him the calls, text and random visits slowed and eventually stopped.
I haven't heard from him in years, until now.
"Where your mom at?" He asks interrupting my thoughts. "Is she at that little restaurant she works at?" I hear the taunting in his voice.
"What do you want?"
He completely ignores my question and instead says "you should really tell Grayson to start going to bed earlier. I mean it's 3 am and he's still awake"
I freeze slowly standing up and walking to my window. It's too dark to see much but I see a familiar car across the street. I make sure my windows are locked before rushing down the hall to the front and back door.
"What do you want?!" I ask harsher this time shutting all the curtains and locking the doors. Once there's no way to see inside I breath again.
"That's no way to talk to your dad" he tsk in the manipulative manor he always has.
"Good thing I don't have a dad" I spit pacing back and forth in the living room.
"Now that's not very nice is it?" He cackles softly before silencing.
"Good" I say plainly "now I'll ask you one more time, what the hell do you want"
"You"
the doorknob jiggles leading me to jump slightly before practically screaming into the phone "I'm calling the cops"
Hanging up I run to Graysons room. He's sitting on his floor playing video games. He looks to me, his face paling when he sees the fear in mine.
"Come on" I say hurriedly grabbing his arm.
"What's going on?"
Ignoring him I pull him to Theo's room, flicking on the lights and locking the door. Theo's asleep on his bed so I wake him up by shaking him.
"What the hell?!" He grumbles sitting up half asleep.
"Dads here"
They both freeze, Theo standing up and going to the window.
"Here? Like at the house?" Grayson wonders, his eyes widening. I wrap an arm around him pulling him close.
"Where is that son of a bitch?" Theo seethes going for the door.
"He called me a few minutes ago, he's been watching us." I start to explain. "He knew where mom worked and that Grayson was still awake"
"Oh god" Grayson mumbles scooting closer to me as Theo paces grabbing his bat.
"Then I heard him at the door"
They both look back at me, paling exponentially.
"I locked them all, we're safe but he's out there."
Theo goes for the door, when his hand touches the doorknob I stop him.
"You're not going out there" I shake my head trying to pull him back. His calming brown eyes meet mine. His jaws clenched and although he's hiding it, I can see the worry in his face.
"I'm not going to give him a chance to hurt you guys again" he hugs both of us tightly before unlocking the door. "Call Cam"
And I do exactly that. I sit on the bed with Grayson, wrapping an arm around him and dial his number. It rings twice before he answers with a raspy voice.
"Lee? What's going on?"
"Dads here" I say quickly, I hear him shoot up from bed.
"I'm on my way" he says immediately. "Are you safe?" His voice was full of worry so I tried to sound as fine as I could.
"Yeah, all the doors are locked and Theo's checking the house." Although I was trying to sound calm I knew he could tell I was worried.
He knew me. He could always tell how I felt by just glancing at me or hearing my voice.
"Okay good. Stay in a room with the doors locked" he instructs "I'm getting dad and we'll be there in a minute, call the cops so they can make a report"
I nod my head but then realize he can't see me. Grayson snickers quietly so I flick his head in retaliation.
"Okay thanks" I'm ready to hang up when he speaks again.
"Marlee" he says softly while I hear him rushing out of his room. "Be safe, I love you." He hangs up but I still softly say
"I love you too"
Soon Theo comes back in one piece saying the house is clear. Cameron and Dave show up a couple minutes later. I hear Cams truck pull up so I pull Grayson and Theo out of his room with me.
Dave steps into the living room hugging us all "it's clear, are you kids okay?"
"We're good" Theo tells him.
"Sara's at home calling your mom, after the police leave we're gonna take you back to the house" he explains holding Grayson a little longer who's the most shaken up.
"Marlee!" I hear Cameron call from outside.
The second I spot Cameron in the yard I run into his arms wrapping my arms around his neck. His arms wrap tightly around my waist holding me like he'd never get to again.
I breathe in his scent calming me down. One of his hands goes to my hair running his fingers through it. His arms around me give me a sense of comfort.
"God Marlee" he breathes out still not letting go. "Are you okay?" I nod only pulling away when the police show up.
Jeff and a couple of other deputies take our statements and secure the permitter. They all knew my dad and were completely understanding of the situation saying they'd have a deputy patrolling the neighborhood for a couple weeks.
After they leave we all piled into Cameron's truck, Dave taking his SUV and drive a couple miles down the road to the Taylor residence.
My energy is drained from me as I sulk into their house immediately being met with Sara's arms wrapping around me. Then she hugs Grayson and Theo just as tight.
"Come in, let's get you guys to bed." She motions for us to come more inside. "Are you guys hungry or thirsty?" She questions as Connor walks down the stairs hugging Grayson and then me.
"Tired" Theo replies yawing "just tired"
"Very tired" Grayson adds nodding.
Theo gets set up on the couch as always and the younger boys head up to their rooms. Dave leaves for work seeing it's already 4 and Sara goes to bed.
When I walk into Cams bedroom he flicks the lights on. I realize I'm still in my clothes from dinner and so does he. He goes into his dresser handing me one of his hoodies.
"I'm gonna run to the bathroom" he tells me quietly walking out do the bedroom. It closes with a small click, I remove my clothes pulling the hoodie over my head. It reaches down to my mid-thigh.
I have a weird sense of anxiousness in my stomach. I feel on edge while I gingerly lay onto the bed. He comes back in sending me a tight lipped smile. He was wearing some sweats and no shirt, something he always sleeps in.
Crawling into bed next to me, he wraps an arm around my shoulder and I lay my head onto his bare chest. His runs his fingers down my back sending chills down my spine.
We sit in silence, his heart beat drums in my ear as the entire night replays in my head. Suddenly the thought out Cam and I's fight runs back through my head.
Without moving I speak "I'm sorry"
I feel Cameron's chest rumble from a small laugh underneath me.
"Marlee Rain Gardner actually saying sorry" he says playfully "did hell just get cold?"
"You know what? I revoke my sorry" I say bitterly quieting his laughing a little.
"No,no" he tells me quickly "I'm stopping now" he's quiet for a minute, running his fingers through my hair. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have pushed you that hard"
"You're right" I giggle a little, he shoves my arm.
"Shut up" he mumbles but his voice holds humor. We sit in silence for a minute before he speaks again. "What did he say?"
I angle my head up propping my chin on his chest and staring into his dark brow eyes that shimmer lightly. Taking a deep breath I explain the entire story sensing him getting more upset as I go on.
"Then I called you" I finish telling him resting my head back on his chest letting a yawn escape from my lips.
"He won't get to you, you know that right?" I nod my head as a reply as he interlocks our fingers and lays our intertwined hands on his chest.
"Yeah" I say not fully believing it. The arm thats wrapped around me rubs up and down my arm. I run my thumb over his knuckles focusing on them.
"No you don't" he says softly causing my eyebrows to furrow "but I do, so I'll have enough faith for the both of us"
I laugh slightly as he lets go of my hand shifting slightly and flicking the lamp beside the bed off. He leans back down connecting our hands again and kissing mine.
"Get some sleep Lee" he whispers "it's been a long night"
Before I can even reply though my eyes drift close. I fall asleep for the second time tonight but this time I'm in my best friends arms and I feel safe.
And for that reason only, I sleep through the night.
{~}
"Cam! Mar! Wake up, Theo made waffles !" Grayson yells into the room awaking me from my peaceful sleep.
I'm laying on my stomach with my head buried in the pillows. I feel Cameron's body pressed against me and his arm slung across my back. I go to sit up but his arm tightens and pulls me into his chest.
I turn to face him, pushing his thick, brown locks out of his face and poking his cheek. "Wake up sleepy head" I say in a soothing voice.
He opens on eye looking at me through it and says "shut up dumabss" in the same mocking tone. "Just go back to sleep"
"You really think the boys will let us" I question quirking a brow. Just as I say that Theo shouts down the hall for us to get up.
"They will if we kill them"
An evil smirk forms on my face. "Now you're talking"
"No killing us!" Connor, who was obviously ease dropping, shouts banging on the wall from his room.
"Boo!" I yell forcing myself out of Cameron's arms. I stand out of bed, grabbing his arm and pulling him up. His eyes scans me up at down but shakes his head quickly and grabs his shirt.
"Where you running off too?" He quizzes, the shirt falling over his chest loosely.
"Waffles, duh" I say plainly "I'm getting one before they're all gone" I see his manor shift and he takes one striding step forward.
"Not if I best you there" before I can react he rushes past me and out the door. A squeal escapes my lips and I quickly chase after him. When he steps onto the first stair I speed up and lunge on his back.
My arms wrap around his neck and legs around his torso, surprisingly not affecting him at all. He continues to rush down the stairs as if he wasn't carrying me.
"Cam I swear"
He reaches the kitchen where the other boys were all piling their faces with waffles. Ella sat in her high chair chewing on small, cut-up, waffle pieces.
Cameron and I wrestle each other trying to get to the waffles first. Of course I use all my strength but he's stronger than me. He beats me to the plate when Theo stands up and pulls out another plate from the microwave, where he kept them to stay warm.
"There's another plate" he holds it up in front of us in a mocking way.
"Oh" I mutter sliding off of Cameron's back and grabbing them from his hands.
"So I'm guessing we're not going to school today?" Cameron queries sitting next to me at the table.
"Sara said we can stay home as long as we watch Ella" Connor mumbles, his mouth full of chewed up waffles.
"She figured we needed the rest" Grayson adds, sipping on some orange juice.
"And we could've gotten more if someone" Cam squints his eyes at Theo "didn't wake us"
"It's 2pm, you were going to sleep your life away" Theo shakes his head cutting up some more waffle for Ella.
"And that's a problem because?" I question pouring some apple juice. Theo seems to think of a reply before his phone dings and he jumps up causing Ella to jump and start crying. "Great job"
I scoop her up out of her seat and sit her in my lap.
"What happened?" Grayson asks looking to his brother.
"They're playing frozen two at the drive in! We have to see it!" He exclaims showing us the picture that Brianna sent him of the flyer.
"Yes!" Cameron high fives Theo over the table. "I love that movie"
"Frozen 1 is better" I comment earning incredulous looks from both of them. "What? It's a fact"
"No way, frozen 2 totally beats frozen 1!" My twin argues holding eye contact with me.
"Frozen 1 is the original, nothing beats the original" I protest grabbing Ellas bottle and placing it into her mouth.
"The plot of frozen 2 is much more complex" Theo says in a posh voice.
"And don't forget the musical selection" Cameron adds in our argument.
"You" I point a challenging finger at his face "stay out of this" he huffs and turns to Grayson and Connor who both were just watching us and eating more waffles (I have no idea how's there any more room in their stomachs)
"What do you guys think?" We all turn our gazes to the two boys. My leg bouncing Ella soothingly to keep her distracted. Connor just shrugs stealing the left over waffle pieces off of Ellas plate. I cringe, scrunching my nose up in disgust.
"I think that Ellas the most mature person here" Grayson snorts, standing up and clearing off his plate into the sink. Ella giggles grabbing my hair and yanking it.
"Rude"
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