It was now "tomorrow" and Lilliana felt nothing but nervous. Why, she couldn't understand.
She had majority of this talk with her father already, there wasn't much else to say.
She just wanted closure for all of this.
"Are you ready baby" Luther gently caressed her arm, "we're here"
Lillianas head snapped up to see the white painted wrap around the porch of her house.
Was it still hers she thought.
The door was opened for her and a large hand slipped into hers. Alexander helped her from the car and as soon as her feet touched the pavement, the front door to the house opened.
Her father stood there in a state of shock, "You came back." A smile suddenly made its way to his face.
Lilliana slowly nodded. "and you brought the boys" his shoulders slightly raised but he still stood remaining smiling.
She started off with one tiny step and soon she was inside of the house, sitting on the crème colored couch in her former living room.
Luther and Alexander were both on either side of her, one holding her hand and the other gently caressing her thigh with his thumb.
"Are you okay angel" Alexander gave her hand a tiny squeeze.
The breath she'd been holding finally came out and she was suddenly aware of where she was at and what she was doing.
"I'm a little scared" she confessed truthfully.
Alexander laid a soft kiss onto her hand and smiled, "we're here for you baby, whenever you want to leave, we leave, and whatever decision you decide to make after today we will fully support you"
She smiled and turned her head to give his cheek a tiny peck.
She heard her father clear his throat and her head snapped to him. He once again had those same sad eyes with bags dark under them. He sat down in the seat he did the last time they had this conversation.
"what questions do you have for me Lilliana?" her father asked.
The nervousness started to settle deep in her stomach.
She felt a light squeeze to her thigh. She smiled lightly and grabbed Luthers hand.
She slowly took a deep breath and thought about what she really wanted to ask before speaking. "Did you bury her?" she vocalized.
Her father sighed and shook his head. "when she was killed, I still didn't have the money to afford a burial so I decided to have her cremated."
He looked up into his daughters eyes and he saw her. She looked very similar to her mother after all.
"There was a small point in time when she was good, she was brilliant even." his hand grazed over his heart.
"Knowing that part of her existed and Not giving her a proper burial in the end still haunts me." Slow warm tears began to run down his face.
The room was eerily quiet for a moment. Almost as if no one was actually in it, before Lilliana spoke.
"what did you do with her" She questioned, this time without her voice wavering like it did previously.
Her father took a deep breath and stood up. He walked over to the picture frame of all of them together that Lilliana had broken when she previously visited. This time it was whole as if it had never shattered against the floor.
"I um- I got this frame made after she died. Her ashes were put into the frame and um" he paused to steady his breathing.
He walked over to a golden heart that was placed on the mantel above the fire place which was also decorated in that same golden trim.
"I got this heart specially made for her after I got a good job" he slowly turned it over and ran his ringers across the back.
He walked over and extended his arm out, handing it to Lilliana. Her hands shakily reached out and took the heart from his.
She handled it so gently like it would break at her fingertips.
She turned it to the back and her heart felt like it was pierced.
'Forever in out hearts, Lilly Mariane Grace'
Hot tears cascaded down her face. How hadn't she noticed this sitting there all of these years.
Something she also didn't notice but Luther and Alexander immediately caught was how many things on the fire place had collected at least some dust however, this remained sparkling without a speck of anything on it.
"I know I was the cause of her dying, I know i'm a horrible man for it, I know I've done a deed that is unforgivable, and I know that I could've looked for a better solution. But I swear there was a time where I loved her, I truly did." His voice broke and he took a short pause.
"I am so sorry for taking your mother from you, but at the time I truly thought it was the best thing to do" His tan face was now completely red and tears cascaded down his face.
Lilliana was still staring at the heart in her hand. Her eyes were big and her hands trembled.
"Baby come back to us" She felt someone caressing her back.
Her eyes snapped up and Luther was looking at her with worry evident on his face.
Her father suddenly dropped down in front of her surprising everyone. He gently grasped both of her wrists, "I know kicking you out was the most treacherous thing I could've done to you, I was blindly trying to protect you"
Everyone was frozen in shock as her father spoke. It was like the air had gone stiff and they all held their breath.
"I will go to a therapist, I will confess and turn myself in even, if you want me to"he paused.
"I will do whatever it takes to have my daughter back, please Lilliana, give me a small chance." His pleading was true and nothing that came past his lips was deceitful.
Lilliana's eyes watered as tears quickly cascaded down them. She stood and gently placed the heart down on the couch.
"One moment please" she gently whispered out as she stared down at the pleading man.
It was the first thing she'd said since her father started.
She walked until she disappeared up the stairs. Both men looked at each other before looking down at her father.
"we can see that you are truly hurting, however it is going to take a lot of work for her to forgive you. Are you truly ready to work for her forgiveness" Alexander spoke.
Her father nodded quickly and Luther sighed.
"we'll be back, you should clean yourself up" Alexander handed him the box of tissues that were placed on one of the side tables.
He stood up and carefully picked up the heart from the couch. He placed it gently back onto the fire place and walked to follow Luther up the stairs.
Did they believe the way they were treating Lilliana's father even tiny bit harsh. No.
The fact that he left her to the cold where she could've been kidnapped or even died from the harsh weather was something they would never get past. Ever.
If Lilliana decided to forgive him, that was her choice and they would fully support her along the way. However, that did not mean they had to like him, only tolerate him.
Luther lightly knocked on her door and stood for a while waiting to hear a sign to come in. He heard a harsh sob on the other side of the door and that's all he needed.
He slowly opened the door to see Lilliana with her head in her hands. Her entire body shook as sob on sob spilled past her lips.
She looked up and her eyes held so much sadness. Her arms reached out to both men and they immediately came to her side.
"what do you need angel, tell us" Alexander pleaded.
She looked up with him for a moment before laying her head across his lap and her legs across Luthers.
"I just need a minute please, just hold me for a minute" and so they did. They held her until the last cry left her.
Alexander slowly ran his finger through her hair, "Angel?"
Lilliana took a deep breath, "am I wrong for wanting to forgive him, I feel wrong"
When there was no reply she looked up and saw both men looking at each other.
She sat up and moved to sit in front of them, "I know I probably shouldn't but maybe he was just scared because she almost got me killed"
She ran her hand through her hair, "and I know he kicked me out and I know that was past wrong but I miss him, he's all I've ever had"
She waited once again for them to say something. Finally Luther was the one to speak up, "I wouldn't forgive him personally, however, I know how big your heart is and if that is what you feel is right for it then you should"
Alexander reached out and joined her hand with his, "this is completely your decision angel, and I can see how torn up you are about this so right now in this moment stop, take a deep breath, and focus on what you really want"
Lilliana sucked in a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment before nodding and standing up.
"I know exactly what I want, come on" she held her hand out for the both of them.
They all stood and Luther grabbed both of her hands in his, "I just want to say, I love you so much, and I am so proud of how strong you've been so far" He spoke as he laid a kiss upon her forehead.
She smiled and laid a kiss on his shoulder.
She felt one on her shoulder shortly after and turned to see Alexander. She smiled, turned. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek lightly.
There were no words needed for these kisses. They spoke for themselves.
Warm, gentle, and comforting.
She stood for a moment before sighing, "Alright let's go. She grabbed both of their hands and directed them out of her room and downstairs.
Her father stood by the fire place staring at the picture frame from before.
"I've made my decision" Lilliana's voice was strong and confident.
Carlisles head snapped to her and it was like his entire world stopped.
He waited for the words to slip past her lips. It would either mean eternal heart break for him or eternal happiness. There was no in-between.
"We can work on mending our relationship, but I want you to get help dad."
Her father smiled and made swift steps to her with open arms however she held her hand out. His movements stopped and he stood stiff.
"I said we can work on it, I don't exactly forgive you just yet" She walked closer to him and grabbed his hand.
"Just know that I still love you dad and I have hope that this can get better." A small smile made its way to her face.
Carlisle nodded, "thank you so much sweetheart, I'll start looking for someone today I promise" For the first time since they began speaking, her father looked in some way at peace.
"I should get going now, call me if you need anything" She smiled and turned to the fire place.
"Is it okay if I take the picture with me" She asked.
Her fathers eyes lingered over the mantle for a moment before he walked, "Of course" he grasped onto the frame before holding it to his chest for a moment and sighing.
He gave it to his daughter with a smile. "I love you sweetheart"
Lilliana smiled and nodded. "goodbye dad" She gracefully walked to the front door and opened it without looking back for a second.
She knew that if she did, she would once again crumble like she did earlier. She was tired of crumbling.
Her, Luther, and Alexander silently made their way to the car. They all got in without saying a word.
Luther sat in the back this time and Lilliana laid across his lap the whole ride home, with the picture frame clutched to her chest.
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Authors note:
WHY DID I HAVE A TIMED ESSAY, WHO DOES THAT. I CANT EVEN WRITE AN INTRO IN A HOUR AND TWENTY MINUTES. I'm about to fail guys but lol. Also I don't recommend having asthma, it's a 0/10.
Oh oh and my birthday was like two weeks ago, I was supposed to update then but I forgot. Love you guys, MWAH💋