Chapter 42

When Mason was out of sight James walked back in and sat down. It was only now that I realized I hadn’t seen Tessa and the others since I fell asleep. “Dad, where’s mom and the others?”

He looked up from his phone quickly and looked at me with shock. I guess he wasn’t expecting me to call him that again. I couldn’t help but laugh. He’d have to get used to it.

“Oh, uh visiting hours ended a while ago. Only one of us was allowed to stay here and everyone agreed it should be me.”

If visiting hours ended a while ago, then…

“They only let Mason stay because he told them he promised you he would still be there when you woke up,” he laughed.

I couldn’t help but smile. Mason was just so amazing. If it wasn’t for him my whole school life here would’ve been a lot different. Sure, I still would’ve been made fun of and everything but without him, I think it would’ve been a lot worse. I wouldn’t have had anyone at all to talk to during school. I would’ve been all alone. But I had him and he brought Isaish and Kevin with him as well. And three friends was better than none at all. Not to mention having my owl necklace with me gave me a lot of strength and hope that I might not have had otherwise.

For the first time since I woke up, the reality of what happened really set it. From the time I woke up until now I hadn’t really had the chance to think about it. What would’ve happened had I not gotten out? I would’ve died there. I would’ve never seen James, Tessa, or Mason again.

My thoughts were cut off when I heard the tv turn on. I looked over to James and he had the remote in his hands.

“It’s way too quiet in here. Anything specific you wanted to watch?” 

I shook my head no and watched as he flipped through the channels. My thoughts went right back to where they were. Before I realized it, tears stung my eyes. It was finally over. Everything with my dad was over. He would spend the rest of his days in jail and I would never have to see him again. I would never have to be afraid of him again. I was free.

I felt warmth on my arm and looked over to see James looking at with concern, his hand on my arm. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing, actually.”

He tilted his head and looked at my face. “Then why are you crying?”

“Becuase it’s over. Because I’m free. Thank you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh because he looked even more confused.

“Thank you? But I didn’t do anything. You got out all on your own.”

“Not true. You were there for me when I got out. You were right there waiting. But also, you gave me a place to return to. A family I wanted to see again. If I didn’t have that, there wouldn’t have been any reason for me to fight so hard to get out.”

James looked shocked and before I knew it, he was the one crying, not me. I gave him a few moments before his tears stopped and he wiped his face. He stood up and placed a kiss on my forehead. “I love you so much, Sera.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

He didn’t say anything, instead, he turned his attention back to the tv. But I could see just how much that meant to him. It looked like he was going to cry again. While he watched the tv, I went back to my thoughts.

Being free from my dad and gaining such a wonderful family weren’t the only things that I had gained during this ordeal. I had finally come to terms with what happened to my mom. None of it was my fault. Should I have been a little less selfish when it came to the ice cream? Yes, of course. But it was the drunk driver that night who killed her. No one could’ve predicted that. And I wasn’t any of the other things my father called me either. I was of average size, I was smart, and I definitely wasn’t useless.