Dearest, You Said

10

NOVA`S P.O.V

It has been about two weeks now that Steven has been staying in Hawaii and living with me and the girls it is quite refreshing having him here. I will not lie. I thought he would end up being and acting like Cody by now, but he hadn’t. Well, at least not eventually. He hasn’t, anyway.

He has been so helpful. I am grateful for how much he does. He doesn’t even need to do half of what he does, even though he does. I am still curious about why he does and also why he helped save us, but when he feels ready to open up about it, if he ever does, I know, then he will.

“Hey mama, uncle Steven said he would take us to the beach for a while after dinner. Is that alright? Please mama, please answer mommy.”

“You girls sure like spending time with uncle Steven, don’t you? I giggle as the girls in unison say to me, yelling in an excited tone, “YES WE Do MA!”

“Well, alright that is fine with me, however not extremely late you girls are going to visit your new school tomorrow, so you need to get a good night’s sleep. I will let uncle Steven not to keep you out too late, okay, my princesses.”

“Aw, but do we have to? We all like staying home without, mommy.”

“Yeah mama don’t make us go,, please. I promise I will start eating all my vegetables and not feeding them to sissy.”

“Sorry my lovelies, but it is not a choice of matter. You girls are already super smart, but you still need to go to school if you want to one day become even brighter than mommy or n uncle Steven.”

The girl’s sigh then inquire, “even smarter than daddy, too.”

I feel so hurt when they ask anything about their father. I just look at them, trying to hold my down face and reply with “yes girls, even brighter than daddy too. Now go wash up for dinner while I get yo plates ready for you.”

“Alrighty mama.” They all responded in unison once again.

After getting some barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes and rice on their plates, and then placing them on the table, I call for them to get back out and to take their seats at the dinner table. I then yell out Steven, who is in his room.

“Hey Steven, dinner is ready. I made barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes and corn tonight. Come and help yourself whenever you are ready.”

“Alright thanks Nova, I will be out in a few. Yes, I know, don’t fort to wash up before coming to eat.”

With that, I just chuckle, thinking about how he has been saying that every night to make sure the girls keep wanting to wash up before supper. I then get myself a plate after putting the younger two in their highchairs. After a few, just like Steven said, he comes out and gets himself a plate before coming r to the table and joining us to eat.

“Uncle Steven, mama said we could go down to the beach with you after supper, but she said we can’t stay out too late because we have to start at a new school again tomorrow. It isn’t fair. Please, mama to change her mind. Pretty please.”

I glare at my middle daughter as we are eating. She just looks back at me with her poor, pitiful puppy dog eyes, of course, I did not let slide at all.

“Well girls, as much as I also don’t wish to seem like the bad guy here, your mother is right. If you wish to be the smartest little girls in the entire world, you need to go to school. There is going to be school for a long while in the future, but I promise you it isn’t all bad as it seems. You will make a ton of new friends. Don’t worry, Nova I will not keep them out any later than seven.”

I mouth to Steven thank-you as we finish eating. I then wash them up and get them dressed properly, so they can play on the beach for a little while before getting ready for bed. While the girls are outside with Steven, I decide to tidy up the house from the and get their beds ready for once they come back.

After a while, they all walk back into the house tired and yawning. I bathe them one last time, tuck them all into their beds and then read them a story until they end up falling asleep. Which does not take too terribly wrong with the lovely help from Steven. He has been a wonderful help to me here these past few weeks. After I plug in their night light and quietly shut the door, leaving it open just a c***k, go outside to have a glass of wine and a cigarette.

Steven ends up coming outside to sit with me. For a while, we just sit in silence, until I decide to walk over and give him a hug. “Thank you so much for all of your help here. You have no idea how much I appreciate it, Steven. By the way, do you mind if I ask you something? If it ends up being personal, you can tell me. I won’t get upset if it is.”

“First off, it’s no problem at all. You and the girls have become family to me. Which means I will help, no matter how I can, as well as make sure I keep you and those three precious beautiful princesses safe from any harm. Then second, of course, you can ask me anything. I do not mind it at all He says, looking up at me, smiling while nodding his head.

“Okay well, um if you do not care for me asking you, Steven, why did you help us and do everything for us you have done?” I asked him while playing with my fingers, and staring down at the ground, trying to avoid his gaze. He sighs and walks back into the house. “Well, they went differently than how I thought that it would.” I quietly mutter to myself. To my surprise, he comes with my bottle of cupcake wine and a bottle of jack for him.

I looked up at him, shocked. “Well, if I am continuing to answer that question I am going to need a drink, and I don’t want to be the only one drinking so come on let’s fill that glass of your back-up. This is definitely an overdue conversation that I knew would come up eventually.”

I hand him my wine glass as I catch a glimpse of hurt and pain in his eyes. “Really, Steven we do not have to talk about it. I am truly grateful for you and everything you’ve done for not only me but my baby girls. So I am fine if you do not want to talk about it.” He just shakes his head then pats my head while twisting off the cap and taking a huge swig of ack. Once again he sighs as he looks at me and begins to tell me.

“Well, you see I used to have a little sister. She was three years younger than me, I was super protective of her. She was a very bright and beautiful woman, but then one day she met a vile excuse of a man. Somehow he had managed to brainwash her into thinking that he actually cared about her. At first it was alright, the relationship was a little rocky, but it was okay. Until she a little boy. He became very abusive after that. At first it was just calling her names whenever they would fight.

However, after she had his son, he began to hit and beat her. He even s****l assaulted her when she would tell him no. After about three years she had finally decided she had enough of his sh*t. However unfortunately he found out she was planning on leaving him. So the night that she was supposed to meet me down the road, he shot not only my sister but my nephew as well. Killing them both instantly. Which is why once I found out how Cody was I knew I had to get you out of there. Not just you but your little girls. I could not let that happen again. So Id to play along with him so he did not become suspicious of anything.”

I looked up at the amazingly kind hearted man in front of me. I saw a single tear run down his cheek. “Oh, Steven I am so terribly sorry for asking you and bringing back all of these horrid and painful memories for you. I am so sorry.” I say as I start crying as I hug him. “You truly are amazing. I greatly appreciate every that you have done for me and my girls, thank you so much, Steven.”

He wipes away my tears, hugging me back. “Hey now, no more crying alright. You are very welcome and as i said it is alright, the question was bound to come up sooner or later so it is okay. I am just glad I was able to save you from anything happening as well.” Smile at him hugging him once again as he took another swig of his jack.

“I think we should probably go in. It’s getting late and you have to work early Steven, come on go get yourself a shower and go to bed. I will see you in the morning before you head off to the hospital. I’ll make sure that you have lunch ready as well.”

After he had taken a shower and we cleaned up some, I gave him one last hug. “Good night Steven, I will see you in the morning.”

“Good night Nova, have a good night sleep alright.”

“I will not worry Steven, trust me on it.” I smile at him as I wait for him to head to his room. After I knew he was there for the night I started preparing his favorite meal so he would one not have to pay for his lunch, and two would have something that I knew that he would genuinely enjoy as well. After making his lunch i put it in his lunch box and left a note saying.

“STEVEN, HAVE A GREAT DAY AT WORK, S A SPECIAL SOMETHING TO MAKE YOUR DAY BETTER. STAY SAFE - SINCERELY NOVA AND THE GIRLS.”

I smiled leaving the note inside his lunch box on top of his meal. I then proceed to clean up and head off to bed myself. It is going to be a long day of chores and shopping and chores for me tomorrow. I truly do hope that he likes his lunch, and the note that I had left on top of it. It would make me so beyond happy knowing he liked it and that it had made him happy. It would also be really fulfilling as well.

I also hope that he knows that I truly do care for and about him very deeply. Even if it may not seem like it very much at this time, I can solemnly and completely promise you and anyone else at that point that I do one hundred percent truly care for and about him VERY VERY DEEPLY! Hopefully one day, preferably one day here very soon he will come to see, know and understand that. As well, that he just maybe he might just possibly feel the same way back towards me that I now feel towards him. Because honestly if he didn`t, doesn’t, or every will it would most likely crush me for a very long time. If not forever to be completely and fully honest and open with you.