“Absolutely. I wouldn’t trust anyone else.”
“Anyone else would’ve been dead a long time ago at the hands of one of his morons.”
“But, you’ll be safe in here, right, Dad?” Aria asks, and his eyes immediately shift to her.
“Of course, Princess. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll be fine.”
“Good,” she sighs out in relief. “I wouldn’t be able to handle losing you.”
He kisses her temple. “Good thing you’re not losing me anytime soon.”
I stand up, and Aria follows suit, though she’s hesitant to let go of Dad’s hand. Instead, he’s the one to let go, and I can tell just how much it pains him.
“I just came to warn you about the storm brewing. If you hear anything in here, let me know.”
“Will do,” he nods, then turns to Aria. “I love you, kiddo. Be good, alright?”
She smiles when he ruffles her hair, and then kisses his cheek. “I can promise I’ll be good, but not too good, you know? Someone has to keep Arlo on his toes.”
“Oh, thanks for that,” I roll my eyes.
Dad laughs. “That’s my girl.”
“Let’s go, Squirt.”
Aria steps closer to me, glancing over her shoulder to look at dad once more. “Bye, Dad. Stay safe, please. I love you.”
“I love you more,” he smiles, and then looks at me. “I love you to, you little fucker.”
I laugh. “Love you, too, Dad.”
As soon as we’re out of dad’s view, Aria’s shoulders slump. She’s silent on our way out, but the worry doesn’t ease up on her face. In fact, she’s so lost in her thoughts that I have to physically pull her aside so she doesn’t walk into a pillar.
“You good over there?”
“No,” she admits through a sigh, biting the inside of her cheek. “I’m worried about Dad. God, it hurts seeing him in here.”
“I know, I know. He’ll be out soon.”
“It’s like bad things keep happening, one right after the other, and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to handle this or how many more events I can cope with. I’m not that strong, Arlo.”
I pause in my tracks, turning to look at her. I put both of my hands on each of her shoulders, and she looks up at me.
“You’re overwhelmed, not weak, Aria. This is a lot for us adults to handle, let alone a teenager. It’s normal for you to feel like this. But I need you to know that I’m always right there. If you need a break from all of this, just say the words, and I’ll ship you across the world. You’ll be safe, and you’ll be able to recoup.”
She shakes her head. “No, I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I were to leave now.”
“Then, bring it up with your therapist. I’m not a professional, but she is. She can help you.”
“I’ll do that during our next session,” she sighs. “I just feel useless.”
“You’re not useless, Aria. You’re just a teenager, and you’re hormonal, and you feel everything more than the rest of us. You may not show it often, but you’re an empath, and it all hits you harder than most. You did such an amazing job while I was in rehab, Squirt. Don’t sell yourself short.”
She sucks in a deep intake of breath, and although I know my words did little to her confidence, I can see they had at least a little impact. “Fine. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Let’s go,” she checks her watch. “The girl’s night should be done by now. Blair’s probably waiting for you.”
