Hometown hang up

Waking up

"AHHHH!" I screamed as I woke up. My breathing was quick, and I could feel my anxiety running rampet. I hadn't dreamed about that night in years, but seeing her last night brought it all back. I still remember the look on her face when she left us. The weird thing is that I never saw any hate in her eyes at us. I saw extreme sadness. I learned over the years that women can get post partum depression and for a long time I thought that's what had happened and she would come back to us. However, that never happened.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm my nerves as I pulled my blanket off of me and made the couch. Casey would be up soon for school and I wanted to make sure that we both got a good breakfast in us before our days. I was pulling a double at the mill today and Casey was in the middle of her state testing.

Grabbing a few pans, I got to work making each of us two eggs, bacon and some hash browns. "Daddy?" Casey's soft voice called as she came out of the bedroom. Yawning, Casey walked to the couch and curled up on my pillow, closing her eyes. "Why were you yelling?"

"I had a bad dream, sweetheart," I said softly, as I made our plates.

"Was it about mom again?" Casey yawned, nuzzling into my pillow as much as she could.

"Unfortunately," grumbled softly, I walked over to the couch and handed her the plate, "sit up and eat. You have to head to school soon and your brain won't work without food."

"Bacon does feed my soul," Casey sighed happily as she turned so her back was on my pillow and ate. "Have you heard anything from mom?"

Frowning, I shook my head no. I hated lying to Casey, but I didn't want her to know anything about her mother. Considering how famous she is now, I didn't want my daughter getting dragged into that life. Celeste left us and that was all I needed to know. I told my daughter that she had joined the military and was stationed overseas. I knew the lie wouldn't last much longer, but when she asked me about her nine years ago, I didn't have the heart to tell her that we had been abandoned.

"Daddy?" Casey's voice pulled me out of my thinking. "I've been calling you for a few minutes... you sure your okay?"

"I will be," I smiled softly, moving to wash my plate. In the time, I was thinking Casey had already washed her plate and gotten dressed for the day. I swear the girl made me feel like a slob on a good day. I staired at her in awe. She had my attitude and that was probably because of how I raised her. However, she was all her mom at that age. Celeste and I had been friends since elementary school and I had loved her just as long. Casey had her eyes, her round face, she loved her hair in a braid just like her and she had this light in her soul that couldn't be duplicated. Even though they had never met they were so alike.

"Daddy?" Casey pulled me out of my thoughts once again.

"Yes sweat heart."

"Auntie Hailey said that I could stay at her house tonight is that okay?"

"You want to stay at a house with 6 babies?"

"Well someone needs to be there, incase the 7th baby decides to make his presence known." Casey beamed as she packed here bag full of candy.

"If you are sure honey."

"I am!" She beamed happily. "I have a test first period so I have to get going. But if you were asking my opinion I would tell you to take the day off."

"Good thing I wasn't asking your opinion."

"You look like hell!" She giggled as she ran out of the house.

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but laugh as I watched her crank up the music in her car as she peeled out of the driveway. She was definitely my personality twin. I watched her until she faded into the distance and my smile slowly faded. How was I going to keep her from her mother now? I had never stopped her grandparents from seeing her but they agreed with me that it was best not to tell her the whole truth about why her mother wasn't around. The problem was that I swore to myself that I would never stop Celeste if she wanted to see Casey, but now that the time might be here all I wanted to do was hide my daughter from her.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my coat and headed for town. If I stayed in my house I was going to do nothing but think about Celeste and my rage. If I went to work I may seriously injure someone because I wasn't in my right mind. Therefore it was time to go into town and do some grocery shopping.

I made my way to the local market and began to pick up everything I would need for burgers tonight and taco's tomorrow. The day was moving peacefully until a scent of cherry blossoms filled my soul. "Go away," I almost hissed as I grabbed some lettuce from the merchant.

"I was hoping we could talk," her voice was soft as if unsure to say anything.

"Its been 12 years. Why should I stop my grocery shopping because you suddenly have something to say?"

"That isn't fair..."

"How is it not!" I snapped turned to her as I growled. However, my anger subsided as soon as I saw the fear in her eyes. "I have't moved Cel. You are the one who left on a world wide tour and never came back. So yes it is fair because I was easy to contact."

"Charlie..." She said softly pulling at her shirt. I hated how familiar her nervous ticks were. "I wanted to call... To check in."

"And yet you didn't. She's in middle school you know? Looking at her you'd think she was in high school but she's only in 7th grade and smarter than everyone around her."

"Is she...'

"She's healthy."

"Pretty?" She said at the same time as me and then I saw her wince when she realized how she sounded.

"She's your twin," I said happily with a smile. However, Celeste looked ready to cry.

"I... my poor girl."

"STOP!" I growled, not caring that she jumped. "I'm leaving!" I hated her at that moment. She dared to feel pity for my daughter because she looked like her mother! The angry words I had to say needed to stay in my head.

"Charlie, please just give me ten minutes?"

"Why should I?" I whimpered, turning to face her. I could tell by the look on her face that my pain was clear. "You didn't give me a choice when you left. You didn't even ask me my opinion, you just yelled at me and left. I gave you the benefit of the doubt thinking you had postpartum depression, but a day turned into a month and then a year and then more. Then, after all this time, you finally come back and its to feel pity for my little girl because she is as beautiful as you were back then! She is smart, beautiful and amazing and you can't look through your own insecurities still. You may be a hundred pounds lighter and have a music career but you never out grew your insecurities." Shaking my head I turned around and left her standing there.