Foster father? Lover?

Part 26

It's been a couple weeks. All the days just mix together but I can tell it's been weeks because my injuries are healed for the most part. Victor has been coming in at least 3 times a day. Somedays he'll sit on the chair by my bed or he'll sit on the windowsill, sometimes to talk, other times just to see me. I've gotten quite used to this routine. He's kept his distance, there have been no threats, he's allowed me to take walks. Of course he will follow close behind but getting out of the room is like a treat for me.

He's talked about my mother often as if she were still alive. I try not to speak at all. I have nothing I'd like to say nor want him thinking I'm his friend or not hating him any less. He's shown me videos of her when she was young. Some had me in them. We looked so happy. All of us including my dad. All the while not knowing Victor was spewing with anger and hate of my father.

"That was one of the last ones we ever took together. Your mother was my entire world. She was mine before your father took her from me. The way she looked at him... she looked at me that way before. She would tell me how much she wanted to get married and have children. She always knew if she had a daughter, that her name would be Harmony. We talked about it so much that it seemed like torture not having it become real. I went on a business trip for 3 weeks and when I came back, she had told me she no longer wanted to be with me. I was very confused and hurt. It was only about 2 weeks later that she start dating your father. Then it all clicked. She had already moved on. I don't understand how 3 weeks could have changed so much."

I didn't know whether to believe this or not. It doesn't seem like something my mother could do but she's not here to tell her side of the story and neither is my father. But there was a sincerity in his voice and such sadness in his eyes that it was hard to believe he was lying. His eyes start filling with tears he quickly wiped away.

"Then you were born. I thought to myself you were the most gorgeous baby I had ever seen. I watched you grow up-"

"I was only 9 you bastard."

"There is nothing I can say or do to change the past. I am truly sorry I ever hurt you. I just loved you. It was driving me crazy.."

"You are sick. You need help."

"I will spend the rest of our lives making it up to you I swear."

"There is nothing you could ever do to fix this. I will never love you or stop hating you. You ruined my life."

"I will fix it. In time you'll see."

We walked back to my room and I laid down staring at my wall. The beautiful painting that looked just like my memories with my mother.

"Did she take you there?" I asked.

"Yes. It was our special place. She took me there on our first date actually. She was the one that asked me out. I was surprised and shocked she wanted to go out with me. That whole day I was so worried about screwing up by saying the wrong thing, wearing something stupid. She made me fall in love with her. The way she told stories, the look and expressions on her face. She just felt everything so deeply. Her laugh was so loud and obnoxious. I'd catch her admiring sunsets and when she spoke about having children... she was everything I wanted."

"And then you killed her husband and then her after keeping her trapped for over 8 years."

" Nothing is as it should have been. For you or me. I messed up many times in my life. I'm trying to right my wrongs but nobody will let me."

"Because there is nothing you can do! All the damage and destruction you've done can never be fixed!"

He stood and walked out leaving the door open. I got up and peeked out the door and he was gone, vanished into thin air. There must be an exit closer than I thought. This was my chance. I booked it out turning any and all knobs I passed. None opened except one to the kitchen. I looked for windows, doors, anyway out. I saw a window in the far corner. I raced over and placed a chair by the wall so I could get some height and look out the window. I could see a car and a barn. I'm in the middle of nowhere aren't I? I hear him calling for me. I quickly moved the chair back to its place and grabbed a kitchen knife and put it in my underwear behind my back.

"Are you hungry? I'll make us something."

"Sure."

"Really?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

"Um okay. What would you like? I can make pretty much anything you'd want me to."

"I'd like a steak and salad if possible. I feel pretty hungry today."

"That's a really good sign. I'm glad you're starting to feel better." He smiled.

"It is. And I wanted to apologize for earlier. I was really upset but I shouldn't have talked to you like that. I can see that you're struggling to be better and I shouldn't try to discourage you from doing that. So I'm sorry."

He just looked at me for a couple mins. I don't know what he was searching for or thinking about. I just hope he believes me enough to put his guard down.

"Thank you Harmony. I really appreciate that. And I am. I am trying to change my ways and be a better person. How do you like your steak?"

"Well done please. Is it possible we could watch tv even just for a little while?"

"Yeah of course."

He turned the tv on and first thing I see is a picture of me! They have me listed as a missing person and are looking for me! Toby, Christian and Toby are all standing together looking very worried. If this were a different situation, it'd be very awkward but they are looking for me! I don't even know how long I've been here but they are still searching. There is still hope. He quickly changed the channel.

"How about Netflix or Hulu? What would you wanna watch?"

"I don't know. I haven't watched tv for a while so I don't know what's good and whatnot."

"Right.. Right. You can start searching if you want. You can head to the living room which is 2 doors down. It's unlocked. This tv doesn't have any of my accounts signed into."

"Okay thanks."

I made my way out of the room trying to keep the knife from slipping down my back. I sat down on and slipped the knife into the fold of the couch. I need everything to go as planned. I am getting out of here today.