Chapter Four: Babysitter

It was early the next morning, Jackson made me dinner last night but after I ate it, I just went to bed. I didn't want to face my mum after what she told me, I know it's not great to blame her for what's happened, but if she didn't do the work she does, dad would still be here. Or maybe if she was honest with him, he would have been prepared for something like this to happen.

I walk out my new bedroom heading towards the stairs, as I continue down, I see someone in the kitchen. I slowly hover on the stairs to see my mum sat at the counter; she was drinking what looked like coffee reading what looked like a file. Once I reach the bottom she looks up, closing the file smiling at me. I don't send her one back but instead look to the floor.

"Good morning, I've made you some pancakes and there's orange juice in the fridge." She smiles taking another sip of her coffee, I still don't talk or move from my spot by the door. "I get it, you're mad at me for not being honest with you, but I had no choice." She tells me which causes me look up at her gobsmacked, she's really turning this around to be about her again!

"Not everything is about you! My dad is still out there somewhere! You told me you were looking for him, but you're just sat drinking coffee." I exclaim losing my rag, she was partly right though about her not being honest.

"I'm making breakfast for my daughter; I know you might not believe me but do still love you." She says trying her hardest to be honest, I look up at her than over at the pancakes sat on the oven. "My team and me are doing all we can to find your dad, I still get time to sit and have breakfast with my daughter." She continues placing her coffee down, I cross my arms looking at her.

"You've had twenty-three years to sit and have breakfast with your daughter." I mumble looking off to the side, she sighs but places a plate on the counter.

"I'm not leaving until you sit and eat with me, if you want me to continue to look for your father, come sit." She says point blank with no expression, I give her look but sigh taking my seat at the counter, her plan worked.

She smiles reaching back picking up the pancakes, placing a few on my plate. She slides over the syrup to put on top. I mutter a thank you taking a bite, I thought dad makes good pancakes there nothing compared to these, not that I was going to let her know they were nice.

"How are you acting so calm when dad is missing?" I ask finally open to having a conversation with her, they were married three years before I was born and got together when they were at school, I thought she'd be more alarmed.

"In my line of work, you learn to remain calm in moments like this, how would I be of any help if I'm running around panicking?" She asks looking over at me, which starts to make me feel bad about the way I spoke to her. "I'm just as worried as you, but I know I have to keep my feeling at bay, they'll be time for me to feel the feelings after." She tells me taking another sip of her coffee, I just nod looking down at the table.

"Please find him." I say not looking up, she smiles reaching over slowly taking my hand in hers giving it a squeeze.

"I promise." She smiles honestly at me; the door knocks which makes her pull away from me standing up. "That'll be Jackson, I'm going to head to work he'll be to look after you.” She tells me cleaning her things away, I just nod as she walks out the kitchen and towards the front door.

That's the first conversation we've had for years, not counting the screaming match we had yesterday, I saw something different in her this time though, it's like she actually cared. Jackson walks in the kitchen smiling as usually, he goes to the counter taking a knife and fork out eating some pancakes.

"Your mum makes the best pancakes!" He exclaims shoving more pancake in his mouth, I was scared he was going to choke, I knew CPR but that doesn't mean I want to preform it!

"So, you're my babysitter?" I ask annoyed, he looks up about to nod but quickly catches himself. “You don't have to lie to me, I know you're here just in case whoever has my dad doesn't come for me too." I say my face not changing, he looks down nodding while grabbing the syrup dumping a load on his pancakes.

"Your mums just worried Ally, don't see me as a babysitter, see me as a new friend who carries a gun and isn't afraid to use it." He smiles jokingly, I just smile looking to the side where I could see the road that led away from the house, my mother's car driving down the road.

"So, what can we do?" I ask taking a look at him, but he sighs placing his fork down after nearly devouring all of the pancakes, but surprisingly got zero mess on the table.

"Not a lot, your mum wants me to keep you out of eye shot of whoever has your dad." He tells me, I just sigh getting up off my seat with my arms crossed.

Great! So, I'm pulled away from my whole life, where I'm being forced to stay hidden away from the world. Just because the line of work my mother chose to do, I know she's the only chance of my dad being found, but I'm not down for the whole hiding from the world thing.

"My intention is not to make your life hard, but there is no way I'm staying in this house, either you take me out or I find a way out, I'm good with either." I smile crossing my arms, I didn't want to sound like a you know what, but I'm not being told what I can and can't do, I want to be out there looking for my dad.

"You really are your mother's daughter." He smiles whilst finishing the last of his pancakes, I didn't know if I should take that as an insult or not. "Fine, but we're staying on the sidelines and if I see anything I don't like, I'm taking you back home." He points at me, I just nod thanking him running to get my coat, I might get a little excitement!

I meet Jackson at the door, he kept looking out the side window as though he was checking the surroundings. In my mind he was overthinking this whole situation, but I know in his mind he is taking the necessary precautions to ensure my safety. He unlocks the door while holding his finger up, he opens it slightly just enough to pop his head around. I give him a look saying seriously as he turns to look at me once again, I think this is a little too much.

"I understand to you this is ridiculous, but Ally trust me when I say this, these guys are monsters, one of the worst people we've dealt with in a while." He tells me before looking into my eyes, I give him another strange look as he points to his eyes. "Contacts" is all he says, this makes me remember I was told to wear contacts whenever I leave the house, I did forget about that for a while.

I run back up to my bedroom where the contacts were sat at my dresser, luckily, I like to go in for Halloween, so I knew how to take them in or out. It takes me a few seconds for the contacts to go in, I take a look in the mirror to check they were in fully which they were. My green eyes were now replaced with brown, hopefully this doesn't go on for too long. I shake that feeling off before joining Jackson at the door, he looks up saying much better before taking my arm.

"Oh, one more thing, when we're out, we're a couple for cover." He quickly says before opening the door wide, I was kind of shocked as I'm pulled outside and down the path.