Bria's POV
"Hello?"
The voice on the other end of the line was that of a female.
"Hi" I responded unsure. Ace gave me a signal to urge me on and I stared at him dumbfounded. Eventually, I tool a deep breath and told her the reason I am calling. "My name is Brianna Adams. I am trying to get in touch with Steve Adams."
"Bria?" She said shocked. "I'm so glad you called. My name is Laura, I'm Steve's wife. He's told me so much about you."
"He did?"
"Of course he did. You are all that man talks about." She laughed. "He is gonna be so happy you called.
"Where is he?"
"He just went to the store. He'll be back any moment. You should stop by."
"I'd like that." I told her and she gave me their address. I asked her to not let him know that I called. I wanted to surprise him. Laura and I both made arrangements for me to visit tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited.
After I hung up, I tackled Ace with a huge hug and kissed his cheeks.
We continued searching through different folders around the room and was still unable to come with an idea of who the family lawyer was. I just hope my dad knows.
I plopped down on my moms bed exhausted and Ace joined. I guess was not as tired as I was because he started searching the night stand. I saw him grew still and closed something in his hands. I looked at him confused until he opened his hands and showed me the pandora bracelet he had gotten for me all those years ago. I had totally forgotten about that.
He studied the charms a bit as if reminiscing and a smile grew on his face. I grabbed the bracelet from his hand and placed it in my bag.
***
My hands shook as I tried to calm my nerves down. I sat in the car outside of my dad's house for the past twenty minutes trying to calm myself. Ace grabbed one of my shaky palms and placed a soft kiss on it.
"Relax babe, everything is going to be fine." He cooed.
"What do you know? What if he doesn't like me?" I asked and he gave me a 'really?' look.
"I'm just a little nervous that's all." Ace gave me another two minutes before smacking the steering wheel of the car and getting out. He made his way over to my side of the vehicle and dragged me out complaining about wasting his gas.
"It's now or never baby. Okay? And you have nothing to worry about. If he didn't like you I don't think those letters would've existed in the first place." I nod my head and let his lead me up the path to the front porch.
The house was no mansion but it was a beautiful building surrounded by lots and lots of flowers. It was obvious that someone in the house had a green thumb and they made the whole place beautiful. If I weren't so darned nervous I might've been able to admire everything a bit more.
Ace rang the door bell and a beautiful blonde little boy opened it. He stared at us before calling for his mom loudly.
"Who is it?" She shouts back but he just kept staring at us or should I say Ace. The sound of tiny feet tapping came next followed by a tiny little girl with a head of curls. Her giggles could be heard all through the house.
When she came to the door she looked at Ace and I before giggling again. Is she okay?
She stood in front of Ace and raised her arms for him to pick her up. He looked nervous at first but eventually he did pick her up. She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
Nah Uh! No Way!
"Is everything okay?" A deep voice came next and he froze when he saw me. My dad looked exactly as I remembered. He didn't seem to age a day. Oh my God I hope I got those genes.
Shock registered on his face before tears spilled over his eyes. He held his arms out and I ran to him like the kid that I am. "Lilac? It's really you? You're really here?" He sniffled in my neck. He pulled back to look at me then hugged me again almost squeezing the life out of me.
"Laura! Guess who's here?" He shouts and a very young blonde lady came waddling to the door.
I guess dad was busy throughout the years. Okay dad, I see you.
"Oh you're here?" She smiled at me. "I'm Laura. We talked on the phone." She stretched her hand out to me but I grabbed her and hugged her. She giggled a bit before greeting Ace. I didn't even know I was crying until I felt Ace wiped my tears. The curly girl in his hands swat his arms away from my face and I stared at her confused.
"This is Ethan." Laura introduced the little blonde boy. "And that is Elsie. They are your siblings. Well Ethan is your step brother but Elsie is-"
"I get it." I cut her off grinning. "They are my brother and sister. I can't believe I have a baby brother. " I said looking at Ethan. He hid behind his mom and peeked up at me.
"He's shy and doesn't speak much." She told me. "Ethan greet your big sister." She told him. He waved shyly at me and I smiled even bigger.
"Mind my manners. Come in." Laura said and held her hands out for Elsie to come to her. Elsie turned her face and hugged Ace even tighter.
"I see Elsie has taken a liking to Ace." I commented hoping that dad would take her but he just rolled his eyes and mumbled "I have no idea what that man does to my daughters." I laughed a bit and followed Laura inside.
If I thought outside was beautiful then I was mistaken. I was so smitten by this house that I really don't think I would ever want to leave. The inside was beautifully decorated. The furniture weren't expensive looking but the lay out and design of it all was amazing.
Laura led us to the living room and we all sat in the chairs. Ace and I took the love seat and Elsie sat in his lap. She still clung to him for what ever reason and I still wanted to just grab her from him. This chick is tryna steal my baby and she ain't even 2 yet.
Shockingly though, Ethan made his way over to me and sat on my lap. Both dad and Laura seemed shocked but didn't say anything.
"So, how are you?" My dad begin.
"As of right now, everything is perfect." I told him with a smile.
"After I hadn't heard from you I didn't expect to see you here today."
"Actually... about that..... I had no idea you wrote to me."
"What do you mean?" He asked confused. "Lilac, I wrote to you every chance I got. I even asked Laura to mail some of the letters."
"Dad.. I really didn't know. Ace and I just found those letters yesterday when we were looking for documents about the family lawyer."
"I am so confused."
"Her mom hid your letters in the floor boards and she wasn't allowed in her mom's room." Ace commented.
"You've got to be kidding me. She is still so controlling?" He asked.
"You have no idea." Ace responded and I jabbed him in his side. Elsie smacked me back and I looked at the little girl confused. I think she has this all wrong.
"No honey, I am your big sis. He is the monster, hit him not me." I explained but she wasn't having it. She could be so cute if she wasn't trying to take Ace.
"He deserves to know." Ace said softly.
"Know what?" My dad asked.
"Nothing." I told him trying not to spoil the mood.
"If you don't tell him then I will." Ace threatened and I took a deep breath.
"Fine. Dad do you know if mom was mentally ill?" I asked and he froze.
"Is this a trick question?"
"Sadly, no it's not."
"Oh. I have no idea. I always thought she was crazy though. I blamed everything on her parents and upbringing though."
"What do you mean?" I asked getting curious.
"Well this is a story I never told anyone before." He said and took a deep breath. "I met your mom when she was still in school. I was about 21 at the time and I worked at this diner that she used to frequent. Everyday after school she and her friend would come to the diner and sat in the corner without ordering anything. Her friend had flirted with me a few times but I never payed them any mind because they were both under aged girls. Over the next few months I would say more and more to them each day and eventually we became good friends. Well, one day your mom came to the diner and we were talking and this woman came in and dragged her from the seat and banded her from coming to the diner after school."
"A few weeks past and there was still no sign of your mom. I started to get worried but never did anything however, One day, her friend came into the diner without her and started flirting with me again. I asked her about your mom and she told me that her mom doesn't permit her to speak to males. Now I found that some load of bullsh*t but I decided to respect the mom's wishes. I hadn't spoken to your mom since. A few months later, the friend came back and invited me to her 18th birthday party. I figured why not? I would get a chance to see your mom. So I went, and turns out, It was your mom's birthday as well."
"She had snuck out the house to celebrate with her friend and her mom had no idea about it. That night we both got drunk and you know what happened next. The following morning I woke up in bed with her and we decided to commit our sins again. After that night, your mom and I had to sneak around just to be together. Her mom would beat her every time but she kept coming back to me. I asked her to run away with me on numerous occasions but she didn't want to leave her mom alone. She put up with all the abuse for a long time until little by little she was losing her self. I could see it and I kept asking her to run away with me."
"She was still in school but I was positive I could take care of her. Your grandma didn't like me but I truly loved her daughter."
"Why didn't she like you?" I asked nervously, my dad is such a sweet guy. Dad looked at Ace for a few seconds before responding. "Because I was Ace." The room fell silent and you could hear a pin drop. By now Elsie was asleep in Ace's arms and Ethan had fallen asleep on my lap.
My jaw fell to the floor and Ace and I looked at each other in shock. That explains so much.
"One night I received a call from your mom to come over and I found it strange how her voice kept quivering.. I should've called the cops then but I didn't. When I got to the house, I met your mom rolled up on the floor clutching her stomach. All I saw was red. I had pushed your grandma out of the way and rushed your mom to the hospital. That was the night I found out she was pregnant with you. I wanted to kill your grandmother so bad but I just couldn't risk losing you in the process. She had did quite a number on your mom though. She was all busted up and needed a few stitches here and there. When the nurses asked what happened, I told them but your mom denied everything so the case didn't went further. That was also the first time I felt as if there was something wrong with your mom."
"When she got better we eloped and I thought everything had gone back to normal. I had gotten a job and she had you we rented a little cozy apartment and everything was good. It wasn't until you were two that I noticed everything was not normal. She started acting like a crazy person and I tried to get her to see a psychiatrist but she would flip at me every time I suggested it saying that I was calling her crazy. I stayed with her another two years until she started loathing me for ruining her life and everything. She tried kicking me out a few times but each time I would threaten to take you with me. Well one night she had had enough and told me to get lost and she didn't want to see me again. I ignored her and we started fighting about it. It took a stab wound for me to see that she was being serious. So I left and would try to come back to visit you but she wouldn't allow it. I had no idea what had gotten into her. The sad part was that I was still in love with her even after all of that. Eventually, she got a restraining order and I wasn't allowed to see neither of you so I had to move on. She served the divorce papers and I signed them. I had a few months of therapy and met the most beautiful woman who decided that I was more than enough. She too was a little cranky but.." He said and Laura smacked him.
Tears fell from my eyes like a waterfall. Was my mom really mentally ill?
My dad looked at me shocked.
"Am I missing something?"
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