~Andy's POV~
I wake up in a bed that is not my own. My overwhelming headache is too distracting and I can't figure out where I am.
"Andy... Are you up yet?" It was the voice of an angel. When Hope walks in, I remember the events of last night. The party, the drinks, the accident, the hospital, and then falling asleep at Hope's house with Jinxx.
"Ya. My head hurts." She delicately walks over and sits at the foot of the bed.
"I figured. I don'y have any advil or anything here, so I called my nieghbor and he is going to bring some over. Now, come on. I made waffles." All at once, I am hit in the face with the delicious scent of waffles and maple syrup.
Hope and I walk to her kitchen, where Jinxx is devouring a plate of waffles that are drowning in syrup.
"I'll make more, considdering Jinxx is being quite piggish. And by the way, I texted CC, Jake, and Ashley and they will be coming by here in a few hours to hang out." Hope starts up the waffle maker and whisks more batter.
The door bell rings and I remember Hope saying something about her neighbor dropping off advil for me. "I'll get it."
I walk to the bright red front door and open it to someone I thought I had left behind a very long time ago.
"Uhhh... Hello. What are you doing here?" He smiles and steps in.
"Hi. I live next door with my wife and our daughter. Hope called and asked if we had advil, so here you go. Is she here?" I nod, still shocked at who walked in.
"Hope!" I call out for her and she enters the room, hands full of waffle batter.
"Yes? Oh, hello Peter. I see you have met Andy... Andy? Are you okay?" She didn't know that her neighbor, Peter, is my father.
"Well, I guess Andy never mentioned me." Damn right I never mention you.
"Andy, what is he talking about? How do you know him?" Hope is glaring holes into me.
"Hope, it doesn't matter. Can I talk to him alone for a few minutes? We can discuss this in a little bit." She nods and exits the room.
"Andy, why don't you tell her?" I can't believe him. I don't have time to stop myself. My hand connects to his cheek. "I guess I deserved that slap. Andy, can I just talk for a minute?"
"Fine." I spat out the word like it is poison.
"After you left, I realized how bad of shape I was in. I went into rehab and had a few rough patches before finally recovering. I'm a new person now. The past is behind me and I regret everything. I was a terrible father and you deserved way better. And I have a new wife now and we have a daughter. I met her about five years after you left and we lived together for a while before wanting to get out of Ohio. We came here and started a family." He was such a bad person before, it will take more than a few apologies to convince me that he has changed.
"Does your wife know about what you did to me and Rose and mom?" I look him straight in the eyes.
"Yes. But she believes that I have changed, and I have. I gave up drinking and smoking a long time ago and I have never hurt a hair on either of them. And I don't plan on ever going back to that. I was horrible and I know I did terrible things to you, and I am sorry. I am truly sorry for everything. I have been paying attention to you throughout the years. Your growing band, becoming successful, having a great girlfriend, and then blowing it all and breaking down, then trying to make it seem like you were okay. Then you broke again and ended up spending two years in a mental hospital and rehab center. And now you are out and reconnecting with everyone and trying like hell to redeem yourself. Hope is a keeper, Andy. No matter what, never let her go. She is so special and sweet. Even if you hate me still and want me dead, don't let old feelings ruin what you have with her." I believe him. he has changed. The guy he used to be is gone. He seems like a nice man now.
"You said you have a daughter? How old is she? What's her name?" I had a step-sister that I never knew about. I want to know her though.
"Her full name is Ember Rose Martin. She is 6 years old. I love her very much. She knows she has an older step-brother, and she wants to meet you." I was stuck on the part about her middle name being Rose.
"Did you choose her middle name?" He nods in response.
"I owed it to our broken family. And my wife knows where I got it from. Her name is Emily. She also wants to meet you." I have never really thought about my dad getting better and starting over. But he did it and he succeeded this time. It only took his first child killing herself, his first wife moving out unannounced, and his second child running away in fear of the future he would have had if he stayed. But he finally did it.
"I would like to meet them. And I have one question... What is Ember like?" I was curious.
"She is a lot like you. Adventurous, curious, intelligent, and she loves music, especially your band. She also is quiet and kind of a little mystery, just like you were. And she resembles you. The same dark hair and bright blue eyes. I guess you both got that from me." I feel my lips curl into a smile. My little sister was like me.
"Maybe tomorrow we could get together for a picnic in the park down the road from here? You, your wife, Ember, and me." He nods and smirks.
"That would be amazing. And if she isn't busy, bring Hope along. Hope has babysat a few times, so Ember just adores her." It makes me happy to see how happy he is. I never thought he'd get over the drinks and the depression.
~Hope's POV~
I hear loud talking, but after a while, it calms down and sounds a lot more light hearted and happy.
"Everything okay in here?" I poke my head into the room.
"Ya, everything is perfect. Hope, I know Peter because he is my father. He got better from all of the shit he did and restarted." I was shocked to know that Peter was Andy's father. Andy had said terrible things about his father. Alcoholic, beat the three of them until his mom and sister left, was fine for a while but got worse again until Andy left him for dead. But apparently he got better and started a new family.
"Wow. I never would have guessed. It never occurred to me even though you two look a lot alike. Andy, did he tell you about Ember?" Ember was the sweetest thing ever. She was kind and caring. She loved everyone and everything. She also loved Black Veil Brides' music.
"Ya, he told me about her. I thought that the five of us- Peter, Emily, Ember, you, and me- could go on a picnic tomorrow." I was proud of Andy. He hated his father, he wanted him dead, but now they seem like they will be just fine.
That is something I love about Andy. He is very understanding and forgiving. I realized last night that I am still in love with him. How could I not be? He is everything I could ever ask for. We need each other.
"Hope! The waffle maker is on fire!" I hear Jinxx yell from the kitchen.
"Shit, I left the waffle on the waffle maker!!!" I rush into the kitchen to see it in flames. Jinxx was filling a cup with water.
"Put it out, put it out!" Jinxx handed me the water and I dumped it over the flickering fire. It didn't go out fully, so I grabbed another cup of water and threw that over it as well.
By now, Andy and Peter were watching me battle the flames.
"Why are you just stading there? Help me, god damnnit!!" I snap at them and they both get to work dumping water on the waffle maker.
After ten solid minutes of attempting to put out the flames, we finally succeed.
"Well that was interesting..." Peter was partially laughing.
"I totally forgot that I left the batter in it. Plus, I've never had it catch on fire before. It usually just burns the waffle to a crisp if I leave it on too long." I start uncontrollably laughing and everyone else joins in.
"I should get going now. How about we go tomorrow at noon?" Peter was starting to head to the door.
"Sounds good. See you then." I smile and wave.
"It was nice to see you again, Andy." Peter smiles at Andy, who was standing behind me with his hands on my waist. I didn't mind, so I didn't say anything.
"You too. I can't wait to meet Emily and Ember tomorrow." Peter steps out the door and shuts it behind him.
"So he is really the guy that beat the crap out of you and caused you to self harm?" I turn to Andy.
"Yep. It is hard to believe, but that's him alright. I never imagined I'd see him again. I left and I was done with him, but I guess he has changed. It seems like he has, at least." I wasn't sure what he meant by that, so I didn't question it.
"Who wants waffles?" The three of us- Andy, Jinxx, and I- head back into the kitch and feast on waffles that hadn't caught on fire.