“Are you sure you're okay?”, Stephanie asked again as she noticed her friend staring into space, with her hands still stuck on the same plate she began with when she offered to wash the dishes. Her mind was far away, memories of her father playing before her eyes, mostly good, when she was still his little girl.

She'll never forget the look her father had when she informed her about her pregnancy. He just changed and turned into a monster within a second.

“I'm disgusted when I look at you”, he spat as he threw her clothes out the door. He then grabbed her by the arm and dragged her outside. “You've bought nothing but shame to our family name”, he threw her outside and she fell on the ground. Her mother ran to her to help her stand up and brushed off the soil on her clothes.

“Never set your foot here ever again”, he barked at the top of his lungs. “Lucia, get back inside at once”, he called out to her mother

“I'm so sorry”, her mother wiped tears off Abigail face before turning to walk away from her

“Mom, please don't leave me”, she cried and her mother turned to look at her once more, with tears streaming down her face and Abigail watched her mouth I'm sorry again before she turned to walk away and the door shut closed behind her

“Abbie”, she felt Stephanie's hand on her shoulder, jolting her back to reality again, and she turned to look at her. “I think you should go rest, I'll finish up here”, Stephanie wanted to be there for her, because she too knew the pain of losing a parent, in her case, she lost both her parents all in one night in a car accident.

Abigail nodded her head and thanked her before walking to her bedroom, where she sat on her bed and cradled her knees to her chest. She didn't want to feel anything about his death, she wished she didn't have this burning sensation in her chest and the lump in her throat as she suppressed the tears from falling down her cheeks.

Even after what he did to her, he was still her father and she had to mourn for him but a part of her felt she didn't have to. This was the same person who threw her out to the streets when she was at her weakest. With everything that had happened, she was still his little girl and needed him to stand by her side.

“I have nowhere else to go”, she found comfort in Austin arms as he immediately dropped everything he was busy with to be by her side the moment he heard what happened. She was homeless, but the moment Austin put her arms around her, she was home.

“You're with me, Abbie. I'll be your home”, he said as he stroked her hair softly, and she pressed her head on his chest. “I'll always protect you”

It was the day she was leaving for her home for the funeral. Thought flooding in her mind. How does she face everyone? How does she tolerate the looks of pity when they look at her?. Deep down she was more worried about Emily and how people will react to her.

“Hey Steph?”, she called out to her friend as she was helping her pack a suitcase for Emily

“Yeah?”, she answered as she handed Abigail neatly packed clothes to pack inside the suitcase

“Can you please come with me to my parents house, for the funeral?”, she asked and Stephanie's eyes softened as she knelt on the bed. “I can't face my family alone after all that's happened”

“You didn't even have to ask Abbie. You know I'll always be there for you when you need me”, she said and Abigail engulfed her in a tight hug.

“Thank you”, she sobbed as she held onto her friend

“It's okay”, Stephanie gently rubbed her back

“I don't know what I would do without you”, Abigail wiped off the tears off her face

“Was grandpa a nice person Mommy?”, Emily asked and Abbie and the two women exchanged looks before Abigail knelt in front of her, brushing a few loose strands from her face

“Yes, he was sweetie”, she smiled at her

“Then why haven't I met him? Did he hate me?”, she asked innocently and Abigail didn't know how she'll answer that and was at the verge of breaking down.

“It's not like that sweetie”, Steph intervened as Abigail sat on the bed. “He didn't hate you. It's just that your grandad didn't have the chance to meet you. There's no way he couldn't have loved you chubby cheeks”, Steph reassured as she pinched Emily's cheeks gently, and she smiled.” He would have been proud to have you as his granddaughter”, she held Emily's tiny hands in hers.

“Did you pack all your favorite toys?”, she asked and Emily shook her head. “Go and get them”, she said and Emily ran out to go to her room.

Steph stood opposite Abigail. “Do you think Austin going to come to the funeral?”, she questioned, Abigail shook her head.

“I doubt it. There's always been bad blood between our families. I don't think he'll come. He hated my father”, she half-chuckeld, half sobbed. Steph sat beside her.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to go back to that place?”, she asked and Abigail shrugged

“What kind of daughter will I be if I don't bury my father?”

Stephanie looked at her, seeing the seriousness in her eyes and shrugged, she was right. It wouldn't look okay, she had to be at her father's funeral to pay her last respects. “Okay, I'll go pack”

The drive back to her hometown was long. She kept looking out of the window, as events of her childhood played in her mind and a smile played on her face. She was once really happy.

“Are we booking into a hotel or something?”, Steph asked with her eyes focused on the road

“I think it's for the best, it's only for a few days anyway”, Abigail answered as she turned to see Emily sleeping in the backseat

“Thank you for coming with us Steph”, Abigail said and Steph smiled as she looked at her for a mere second before turning to focus on the road again

“Of course”

She stood outside the gate of the house she once considered as her home. She could still see herself, sobbing as she packed her scattered clothes in a trash bag her father threw at her to gather her clothes in.

She took a deep breath as she stretched out her hand to unlock the hook of the gate and opened it. Stephanie and Emily walked behind her until they reached the door. She hesitated before pressing on the buzzer. “I can't do this”, she breathed out as anxiety took over her body.

“Okay”, Steph shrugged as she pressed the buzzer herself and avoided Abigail's gaze as she looked forward, waiting for the door to be pulled open

“Coming”, they heard a voice shout behind the door and within seconds, it pulled open

“Abbie”, Calvin's lips spread into a smile as he engulfed his sister in a tight bone crushing bear hug. “I missed you so much”, he breathed out as Abigail hugged him back, finding comfort in his arms.

“I missed you too”, she whispered as they broke away from the hug, and he invited them in

“Cal, this is Stephanie”, Abigail introduced, and they shook hands. “Steph, this is my baby brother, Calvin”

“Pleasure to meet you”, they both said in union before they broke their contact. “I've heard so much about you Steph. I don't know how to thank you for all you've done for my sister”, Calvin said and Stephanie smiled warmly at him.

“No need to thank me really. I'm glad I was able to help her. I earned more than a friend with her, I also earned a sister”, Steph said as she side hugged Abbie.

“Well, thank you”, Calvin said before he noticed a tiny figure hiding behind Stephanie, peeking a little. “Who do we have here?”, he said as he knelt down to Emily's height, he opened his arms wide for her, gesturing a hug.

“I'm Emily”, she said sweetly as she took a step closer to Calvin

“Well Emily, aren't you going to give your uncle Cal a hug?”, Calvin smiled reassuringly at her and Emily wrapped her tiny hands around Calvin's neck and her wrapped his arms around her and picked her up. “She's so beautiful Abbie”, he said as he kissed Emily on her forehead. Abigail walked towards them and rubbed Emily's back as she rested her head on Calvin's shoulder.

“Calvin, who was at the door?”, their mother appeared in sight before she froze as her eyes landed on her daughter. A sob left her lips before covering her mouth with her hand wept. Abigail walked to her and wrapped her arms around her, telling her everything is going to be okay. Her mother looked sad, she had suffered a great loss. She loved her husband, dearly. At one point, her life revolved around him. Abigail didn't even want to think of what she was going through. She seemed weak and pale, the glow in her eyes was gone.

“I'm sorry I neglected you”, she cried onto Abigail's shoulder, triggering something in Abigail, as tears streamed down her face. This was the reunion she was always longing in her heart, just now it's one member short. She wondered how it has been like if her father was still around for this reunion, how would he be like?

“Emily, this is your grandmother”, Abigail guided her towards the open arms of her mother. Lucy planted a thousand of kisses on Emily's face before holding her like her life depended on it. It bought a smile to her face as she saw how fond her mother was towards her daughter. They're felt welcome, and at home.