Leaving
Late night update! YOLO!
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Cole's P.O.V.:
Seliel and I just got back to Kai and Skylor's place from Jay and Nya's. We met them outside and Kai and Skylor took their own kids to bed and I put my daughter down on the beanbag chair in Amber's room. Those two were best friends.
Kai and Skylor were tired after working all night, so they went to bed. Seliel and I stayed up and talked for a bit.
"Honey there's something I need to talk to you about." Seliel sighed.
"Oh no you're not pregnant again are you?" I worried.
"No! No more kids!" She laughed. "Actually this is about our daughter."
"Oh ok." I was relieved. "What is it?"
"Well, you know how we go back to Nom tomorrow?" She asked and I nodded. "What if you guys didn't go back?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you and Allison could stay here, and I could stay in Nom to help my dad." She said. "It's just, you guys are so happy here and I feel like I took that away from you."
"So are you suggesting that you go back and I don't?" I was so confused.
"It's what's best for our daughter Cole." She took my hand. "I love you, and I want you to be happy."
"But you make us happy Seliel." I told her. "We're a family and we stick together no matter what."
"And we can still be together, but Nom isn't the place I want our daughter to grow up."
"To be honest me neither, but if we moved up here who would help your father?"
"That's exactly how I feel." She frowned. "That's why you two will stay here and I'll go back to Nom alone."
"But I don't want to raise her without you."
"I'm sorry Cole, but we can't do both."
I couldn't believe it, but it was true. Allison had been happier the past week that we've been here than she was in the five years she had spent in Nom. Don't get me wrong, Nom is a great village, but not if you're a five year old girl with two working parents. In the end it seemed that this was the best option for our family, but I lost my mother as a kid, and I didn't want our daughter to grow up without one like I did. Unfortunately, trying to change Seliel's mind was pretty much impossible.
"You're right." I frowned. "We're gonna miss you so much."
"I'm gonna miss you guys too, but we have too do what's best for her." She sighed.
I gave her a long hug. She said she was going to write to us often and come visit whenever she could, but I didn't know if I could handle not seeing her everyday. I definitely didn't know how Allison was going to take it. I thought letting her go would be the hardest part, but it wouldn't even compare to us telling Allison that her mother was leaving.
I know that first hand because I remember how sad I was when my father told me that Mom was gone. Given that this was a completely different situation, I still knew how hard it was gonna be for Allison not to have her mother around. I was worried she was going to run away from home like I did.
*********Flashback**********
I was around twelve years old and it was only two weeks after my mother's funeral. Her death was so sudden and I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. I decided to run away. My mother always said to follow my dreams, but my dad wanted me to become a singer or a dancer, which is something I didn't want to be.
I was living on the street because I didn't know what else to do. I think what bothered me the most was that my father didn't even care. All he did was sing and dance with his quartet, he didn't even notice when I left.
I was walking through the marketplace in town when I noticed that I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything in days and I thought I was gonna die. A part of me wanted to go back home, but my dad didn't even notice I left, so he didn't want me. I was on my own, I had no money, no friends, and no food. I had to do what I had to do to survive.
I knew it was wrong, but I was so hungry I couldn't help it. I snuck past one of the fruit stands and stole a few apples.
"Hey! Get back here kid!" The owner of the stand yelled.
I made a break for it as he started chasing after me. It had been so long since I've eaten anything or had any water so I started to get lightheaded and I started slowing down. I felt so tired, but I had to keep running.
He chased me through a couple of alleyways until I couldn't run anymore. Next thing I knew I had passed out.
I woke up in the hospital with my dad and the fruit stand owner, who apparently knew my father. He was brothers with one of the guys in his quartet and recognized me. I sat up but I was still hungry and I had a headache.
"Cole!" My dad ran to my side.
"Dad?" I looked around and set up holding my head in pain. "What happened?"
"Take it easy, you passed out and Terry drove you to the hospital." He said pointing to the fruit stand owner behind him.
"Oh, thank you." I said to the man. "I'm so sorry I tried to steal those apples, I hadn't eaten anything in days and I was just so hungry I thought I was gonna die."
"Don't worry about it, just next time ask me first ok?" He winked.
"Ok. I will." I said.
With that he left to go get me some food from the hospital cafeteria, leaving me alone with my dad.
"Are you feeling ok?" He asked.
"A little lightheaded but I'm alright." I answered.
"Well I'm glad you're alright, but don't think this means you're off the hook for running away and trying to steal." He crossed his arms.
"I'm sorry, I was hungry, I hadn't eaten anything in days." I frowned.
"That's not what I'm talking about!" He yelled. "Why did you run away?"
I frowned and looked at my feet. He knew exactly why I ran away.
"Look son, I know I haven't been here for you since we lost your mother, but I..."
"You didn't even notice when I left!" I cut him off. "I don't even think you cared when Mom left!"
"I loved your mother Cole." He sighed as he set down next to me. "And when I sang for her, she loved it so much. So I still sing because it makes me feel like she's still with me."
"It's just that's all you've done lately is sing and dance. You never spend any time with me anymore since Mom passed away." I sighed. "Face it, you've always hated me."
"Is that what you think? Son, I love you. I'll admit that I've been busy with my quartet lately, but that's only because with your Mom gone, we have to book twice as many gigs."
"I know that, but I need you now more than ever." I wiped the tears off my face. "I... I miss her."
"I miss her too son, but we have to be strong."
My father pulled me into a hug and I hugged him back and started crying into his shirt. My mother had I always told me that I was stronger than I think I was, but at that moment I couldn't be strong anymore. I just let it all out.
The next day, my dad took me on a camping trip for the weekend. We went hiking and fishing and had fun father son time. Then the day after we got back, he went right back to singing and dancing with his quartet and ignoring me. It was like nothing ever changed.
I couldn't take it anymore and I wanted to run away again, but my Dad would kill me if that happened again, so I needed a plan. I had read about the Marty Openhimer School of Preforming Arts in a magazine and I had an idea.
I had told my father that I auditioned for the school and got in on a full scholarship. Of course he believed me and that was where he thought I was for years up until the day I unlocked my true potential.
*******Flashback Ends*******
Not long after I ran away, I climbed up Mount. Ninjago and met Master Wu. If that hadn't happened, I probably wouldn't be where I am right now. I'm glad my dad and I patched things up, but I just didn't want that same type of relationship with my daughter.
The next day...
We had talked to Seliel's father about her plan and he said that he was fine with it. He even said that we could spend one more day here so Seliel could have one last day with Allison before she had to leave. Kai and Skylor were willing to let us stay another day too, but they had to work so Amber and Blake were at Nya's so we were spending the day alone together.
We took Allison on a short bike ride around the park, then for ice cream, then to Mega Monster Amusement Park. It was a lot of fun and Allison had a great time. Then my dad invited us over to dinner so we headed over there. I thought it would make things easier on her to have one last day with her mom, but on me it was worse. How on Earth was I supposed to raise her by myself?
My father had made spaghetti, which was Allison's favorite food, and we were almost done eating. It was time to tell her.
"Did you have fun today cupcake?" I asked her.
"Yeah daddy, it was awesome!" She exclaimed.
"We're glad you had fun." Seliel smiled. "Allison sweetheart, we have something we need to talk to you about."
"I'll give you guys a minute." My dad excused himself and left the table.
"What is it Mommy?" Allison asked.
"Well sweetie, I'm going on a little trip." Seliel told her.
"Where are you going?" Allison frowned.
"I'm going back to Nom to help your grandpa for a while." She sighed.
"What do you mean?" Our daughter asked.
"What we mean is, you and I would stay here instead of going back." I said.
"Without Mommy?"
"I promise I'll come and visit anytime I can, and I'll call you everyday." Seliel assured her.
"Why don't you want me there?" I could see a teardrop run down Allison's face.
"All-Star of course I want you there, but I also want you to be happy." Seliel pulled Allison into a hug. "If you stay here with your dad, you'll be able to see your friends all the time and you'll be able to play with Daddy more. It's what's best for everybody."
"Then why do you have to leave?" Allison leaned into Seliel.
"Because your grandfather needs my help up there." Seliel explained. "He can't take care of the village by himself."
"But I'm gonna miss you." Allison looked up at Seliel.
"I'm gonna miss you too, but I promise you'll be much happier here." Seliel hugged her.
I joined them both in the hug. I was gonna miss Seliel so much. I wasn't sure what I could say to make the situation any better. There was nothing I could say.
"Why don't I put you to bed tonight ok?" Seliel asked Allison as she picked her up.
Allison nodded and Seliel took her into the other room. Then my dad came back and saw how upset I was. He set down next to me on the couch.
"Is everything ok son?" He asked.
"No not really Dad." I sighed. "Seliel says that the best thing for Allison is for her and I to stay here while she goes back to Nom, but I don't think I can raise her all by myself."
"I understand." He said. "It's hard raising a child on your own, especially when that child is as troublesome as you were." He laughed.
"Yeah I deserve that." I smiled and scratched the back of my head. "I want what's best for Allison too, but I just wish Seliel didn't have to leave."
"Well maybe it won't be so bad. You'll be here with your friends and get to spend more time with your daughter."
"Yeah, but I also have to be without my wife." I frowned.
"Did you let her know how you feel about all this?" My dad asked.
"Yeah, but you know her. Once she makes up her mind, she doesn't change it." I sighed.
"Well you and Allison are welcome to stay here until you settle back into the city." My dad offered.
"Thanks Dad, that helps us out a lot." I said.
"Of course." He smiled and hugged me.
So the next morning we said our goodbyes to Seliel and watched as she took off to Nom in the Earth driller. I walked Allison back into the house and she laid down on the couch. She was really sad, and in all honesty so was I.
"You wanna watch TV?" I asked her.
"No thanks." She sighed.
"How about a snack?" I suggested.
"I'm not hungry." She frowned.
"Trip to the movies?"
"Daddy, I don't feel like doing anything right now."
"It's ok to be sad, take all the time you need." I told her. "Just know I'm here if you need to talk ok?"
"Thanks." She nodded and sat up. Then I set down next to her and put my arm around her.
"Look cupcake, I know how hard this is, but she's only doing this because she loves you and she knows how happy you are here."
"I was happy because I got time to spend time with both of you!" She screamed.
"But in Nom you didn't get to spend time with either of us." I reminded her. "Plus your mom is gonna call you everyday and she'll still be here with you."
"I guess you're right." She wiped the tears off her face. "Thanks Dad."
"You're welcome." I smiled.
As I was hugging my daughter, I realized, what was worried about? I could totally raise her on my own. Plus it's wasn't like Seliel and I would be getting divorced, she would still be in my life and I considered myself lucky for that.
"Hey Daddy, can we still go to that movie?" Allison looked up at me with a smile.
"Of course we can cupcake." I smiled.
My dad and I took her to the movies and then for ice cream afterwards. We had a great time. When we got back Seliel called us over my phone and she had been correct, Allison was happier here than would've been in Nom. I tried my best to keep it that way.
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