Seraphine

"I can't wait to get home and show Dad I passed my license!" Everly excitedly squealed, hugging me. "Thank you so much for bringing me."

I squeezed her tighter. "You're welcome. Your dad was so nervous about you passing this, so he'll be thrilled to see he doesn't have to drive with you anymore. Now, he can finally relax," I said, giggling.

For weeks, Declan had been a nervous wreck about Everly passing her driver's license after she had scared him a few times while he was teaching her how to drive. And the last time he rode with her, he claimed she gave him a heart attack after she cut off an eighteen-wheeler.

Everly claimed he overreacted and insisted she had plenty of time to move over. Declan, of course, denied it again, saying she did have plenty of time to move over at one point, but she stayed in the left lane. Then, when she finally decided to move into the right lane, she didn't look before crossing over and slid into the right lane, practically clipping the semi's front end when she did.

So, to save Declan's heart and an argument between father and daughter, I told him I'd take her to her driving test this morning.

I needed a break from home and felt like spending some quality time with Everly—my daughter.

Five years ago, after Declan and Marla saved us from our nightmare, Declan enrolled both Everly and me in counseling. He also put me through extensive therapy.

A doctor also saw me to have my insides evaluated after Declan and Marla admitted to me what Chadwick had done to me over the years.

I was mortified at what I learned, but it explained why Chadwick had me on birth control the entire time I was with him. Then, I was devastated after the doctor gave Declan and me the news I'd never be able to have children.

I always wanted to give him a child, so it stung to hear those five words—you're unable to have children.

A year later, after the court hearings were over and Felicity was sent away for life, losing all rights to Everly, Declan, Everly, and I went to France to visit my parents. He surprised me by proposing to me in front of Everly, my parents, my three sisters, Sabine, Soleil, and Sophie, and my nieces and nephews at the Eiffel Tower. It was a surprise—I had no idea my family would also be there when we brought Everly to see it.

Declan and I married six months later, and I immediately adopted Everly.

Life was good.

I finally felt myself, I finally felt free, and I finally felt I had a life worth living. And I finally had Declan and a family I'd always wanted.

Then, two years ago, life got even better when I got the most shocking news I never thought I'd ever hear a doctor tell me—you're pregnant. Twelve weeks pregnant. I was very emotional that day. I was thrilled, overjoyed, ecstatic, in heaven, you name it! But I also felt sorry and sad to tell Marla the surprising news.

She and Caleb had always wanted their own children but never could because of what Chadwick had done to her. It broke my heart after learning about that, too, when I was told I couldn't have children myself. So it took a while for us to tell her. Then, Declan filled her in.

The reaction we got from her wasn't what we expected. We thought she'd be sad and hurt, but we got quite the opposite, and she ended up spoiling me and the baby my entire pregnancy.

Eighteen months ago, I delivered a healthy, dark-haired, blue-eyed baby girl with a set of lungs you wouldn't believe. Because we felt she was a miracle, long-hoped for, wished for, and a gift from heaven, we named her Ayah Desirae, a unique name that meant everything we felt she was.

So, because she'd been a handful lately, and I needed a break from the happy, outgoing, loud little girl, I left her with Declan to take Everly for her driver's test.

Now, after spoiling Everly with a shopping spree after passing her license, we're on our way home to surprise Declan.

And boy, will he be surprised... I cannot wait to see his face when he sees Everly pull into the driveway with her new car—a BMW Z4 convertible, compliments of me...

Oh, I can't forget. Marla bought her a cell phone, too. He'll really be overjoyed.

***

Declan

I paced in the living room, wondering what was taking my girls so long to get home. They've been gone for over five hours now.

Everly still has her jewelry from Marla, which she proudly wears every day. After we returned home with my girls, Marla gave Seraphine a set of jewelry, like Everly's—just in case. Except Seraphine's jewels weren't her birthstone; they were the color of her eyes, icy blue.

Even though I promised I'd never look to see where they were unless I absolutely had to, I'm seconds away from firing up the laptop to track my girls.

But just when I heard a loud bang and Ayah scream, and I turned to see what the fuss was about, the corner of my eye caught a flash of metallic purple pulling up the driveway and Seraphine's car right behind it.

"Dadda!" Ayha screamed when I looked away from her and into the window to see who had pulled in with my wife and daughter.

Ayah screamed for me again when I went to the window instead of her. Seraphine got out of her car, smiling as she headed around her vehicle to the metallic purple convertible parked beside her.

Then Everly stepped out, smiling even wider than Seraphine was.

What the? ... No. No. No. No. Noooo...

She didn't...

She did... I guess, now I know Everly passed her driver's test.

I cannot believe Seraphine bought her a BMW Z4—the car Everly had been begging me to buy her for months after I told her no way. I wanted her first car to be something more for a teenager, not a vehicle for someone who'd been driving for years and one who knew how to handle horsepower. Something that doesn't go from zero to sixty in five-fucking-seconds.

I can see the speeding tickets now...

Great... just fucking great.

"Dadda!" Ayha screamed again.

Crap. Girls and mischief-makers outnumber me. I've got two troublemakers on their way inside and another troublemaker screaming for her juice, which she tossed on the floor, along with her peaches, banana, and chicken.

I ran my fingers through her dark curly locks when her blue eyes glared at me through her long eyelashes—pinning me with the same look her mother does. She smacked my arm, scolding me for ignoring her, and I couldn't help but laugh at her sassy attitude—an attitude I still can't figure out who she got from.

"You know, kid? As much as I want to be upset with your mother for buying your sister a car I said she wasn't allowed to get, I can't. Those two formed a special bond when they were kidnapped, and that bond has only grown so much more."

"Dad!"

I spun around quickly and acted excitedly, lowering down with my arms extended, fingers spread wide, and shouting wide-eyed, "Your mother bought you a BMW Z4!" I answered, letting them know I knew as I stood straight.

Her eyes widened. She looked at Seraphine and then at me, nervousness written all over their faces. But I also noticed the excitement in their eyes. "I was going to tell you I passed my driver's license test."

"Congratulations," I said, smiling. I lifted Ayah out of her highchair and said, "So... are you going to show me the car your mother bought after I said you had to wait until you were more of an experienced driver?"

"You saw us pull in?" Seraphine asked, pursing her lips as she eyed Everly.

"I did." I walked over to Seraphine, kissed her lips, and smiled against them. "I hope you told her she's in charge of paying for her own car insurance and all speeding tickets she may get with that car."

She pinched her bottom lip between her teeth.

"No, not yet. I figured I'd talk to you about the insurance later. I did tell Everly not to get any tickets in it, though, and that you'd take it away from her if she did."

"Thankfully, she doesn't have a phone yet. Otherwise, I'd really be worrying every time she left this house in that car."

Her eyes sauntered over to Everly and quickly returned to mine, nervously biting her lip. My eyes widened. She better not have bought her a phone, too. "You didn't..."

"I didn't," she said, smiling. Then, she backed away from me as she said, "But Marla did."

The End...

I hope you enjoyed the story! I know it's different than my other ones, but I wanted to try writing something with action, suspense, something a little darker, and something to make you think. Hopefully, I didn't disappoint!🤞🤞

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