Damn, Justin thought.

The girl picked up the bottle from the floor and calmly made her way to the kitchen ready to find a clean replacement while trying to soothe her baby. "And honestly, if that was your reason for abandoning us, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought."
The brunette followed the girl into the kitchen. He sighed. "An..."
"There's nothing you can say that will change my mind, Justin. Just don't say anything," she settled her son in her arms and put the new bottle with the contents of the old one in his mouth.
"Please, at least let me explain."
"I don't need any explanation from you. I don't want to hear anything about that man. Now I'd really appreciate it if you'd step outside for some fresh air."

Justin grabbed his coat and, taking a last sigh, made his way to the apartment door. He had to leave her alone, it was for the best.

"I know you've only just met him, but Daddy is a fool sometimes," Anne told her little boy as she wiped away a tear that had managed to escape from her eye. "It's too hard for Mommy to accept him after everything, but Mommy wants what's best for you."

***
"Daddy, I can't find Mommy anywhere," a little brown-haired girl was crying to an older man who was frantically going everywhere mumbling under his breath.
"Get your coat and put on your shoes. We have to go," he ordered her without looking at her.
"But Mom..."
"Make it quick or I'll take you out of the house like this!"

The little 7-year-old ran up the stairs crying. She had to follow her father's instructions or he would get really angry.

Will Mom catch up with us at Grandma's?, she thought. She couldn't ask her father directly right now. All she could do was wait.
***

Justin looked up at the sky. The stars covered the blue blanket flickering every so often. It had been a long day.

He adjusted his coat and walked towards the place marked on the paper in his pocket. It was the second stop he had to make before returning to Anne's apartment.

The door bell rang as he entered the premises.

"Excuse me, we're closed for the day. You'll have to-", the man cut off his sentence as he spotted the brunette.
"Hello, John, it's been a while."
A half smile with a hint of irony settled on the man's face making the wrinkles around his lips more noticeable. "Wow. I didn't think I'd ever see you again. According to your parents, you'd be away for about 4 years. Tell me, what brought you here? Oh, don't tell me! It was the kid, wasn't it?" he laughed. "Kids have a way of attracting everyone, especially the weak-willed."
Justin took a seat on one of the stools near the wooden barstool. There were bottles of liquor taking up all the wall space in front of him. "You know why I'm here."
The man sighed as he walked behind the barstool to pour liquor into a glass. "I didn't think you'd be so quick to find me."
"I've been doing some research."

The man swallowed the contents of the glass and watched the brunette for a few seconds.

"How is she?" he asked after his pause.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her."
"Come on. I know you well enough to recognize her house was the first place you visited."
Justin tensed his jaw. "John, I really need you to focus. I won't be able to get out of it if you keep beating around the bush."
"Misfortunes always bring misfortunes, Justin. You should have stayed in London."
"I can't spend my life running away! Much less for something I didn't do. I have goals and aspirations, I can't be tied to this forever."
"Aspirations? You mean to start a family with my daughter?" he laughed. "You should have given up on that idea by now. She's as stubborn as her mother. After what you did, believe me, she won't want you in her life under any circumstances," he poured more liquor into his glass and gulped it down in one motion.

Anne looked at the clock for the thousandth time. It was almost 2am and Justin wasn't coming back. A lot of ideas were piling up in her head, especially after the brunette mentioned that man.

Okay, Anne, don't panic. You know how long Justin's walks tend to be when he tries to give you space, she kept repeating to herself.

She glanced at her watch again as she chewed on her fingernail. She stumbled against the coffee table for the hundredth time as she heard a few small knocks on the door. She hurried to it and opened it. She sighed when she saw Justin standing in front of her.

"Sorry. I forgot I didn't have keys, did I wake you up?"
The girl clenched her fist to keep from throwing herself at him. "No. I'm fine," she replied stepping aside as she bit her tongue so as not to ask for explanations. "I'll get you some blankets," she announced as the brunette removed his coat.

Breathe, she repeated to herself as she walked towards her room. She had imagined so many things and so many tragic endings. Her eyes stung.

She pulled a pillow and some sheets out of her closet as she tried to calm down. She couldn't live through one of those moments again. Yes, she was too upset with Justin, but if anything happened to him.... He, Ryan and Jason were all the family she had left, despite what the brunette had done.

She sighed and walked back to the living room. She saw Justin drinking water in the kitchen, his back to her. She walked over to the couch and began the process of turning it into a bed. She didn't know how long the boy planned on staying with them, but she hoped his spine would hold up until then.

She felt a hand on her back and startled. She rejoined and turned quickly.

"Anne..."
"Oh, God! You scared me."
"I'm sorry. I know you hate it when I disappear for so long. I wasn't planning on making you worry, there was somewhere I had to go out of town."
"I wasn't worried," she said and went back to her task with the couch.
The boy took her by the hand and forced her to look at him again. "Anne... I can see it in your eyes. You were scared, I know."

The girl bit her lip.

"Come here," he said and wrapped her in a hug.

A rather familiar smell penetrated the girl's nostrils. It must be my imagination, she thought. Maybe it's just a memory. I can't be smelling the same thing I smelled then.