Dear daddy!
I haven't written one of these in a while but things are bad again he's dead he's gone but he's still here he's haunting my dreams. Poor Brooke's stuck with me I told her about the dream last night I told her what he was making me do. I'm scared I don't know you as well as I think I do but I guess I have to move on daddy I love you and mom so much I know she didn't mean to hurt me but I love Brooke and Nathan too they are also my family I don't know if I have to justify that to you maybe I do maybe I don't I'm not sure I want you to know they can't replace you no one can.
Happy birthday daddy
Love you lots like jelly tots
Alex.
Alex placed the letter on her dads grave she was skipping school again and knew she would get in trouble as
Soon as Haley found out but couldn't bring herself to be in a class room she has used Brooke's phone to text the school saying Alex was ill so she wouldn't be marked as an unexplained absence and maybe Haley wouldn't mention it.
Alex stayed at her fathers grave for hours talking telling him everything it was almost time to head home and face the music but as she looked up she saw a familiar face making we way over.
"Hey mrs shouldn't you be at school!" Payton said as she reached over to Alex "wasn't feeling it!" Alex said confidently "Would you like a lift home?" Payton asked Alex nodded in response as Payton put her hand round Alex waist the drive was quiet till they reached Brooke's house Brooke and Hayley's cars were in the drive way "caught!" Payton said elbowing Alex in the ribs "maybe we should just drive around for a little bit" Alex pleaded "come on I'll come in with you!" Payton said "ALEX!" Brooke yelled as they walked through the door "Brooke im..." Alex began before being cut off "ROOM!" Brooke finished her sentence Alex looked at Haley to see how mad her step mother was Haley a stern look on her face pointed to the door.
"She was at her fathers grave!" Payton said "looked like she had been there all day! She couldn't face a class room" She finished. "Why didn't she just tell me she needed the day off? I thought we were making progress! We take one step forward and then two steps back!" Brooke said I want her to talk to somebody she can't bottle things up not like that it's not healthy" Brooke said worried "do you mind if I try kind of have experience in hiding feelings" Payton asked "thanks P sawyer!"
Payton made her way into Alex's room after knocking softly "hey kiddo? Okay so you have to talk to me or to your mom your choice!" She stated "I'm fine I don't have to talk" Alex said not looking up from the book she was reading "not good enough why skip school?" Payton said taking the book from the girls hand "it is my daddy's birthday today!" Alex said sadly "usually mom would let me stay off school and I'd have a day in bed and not move and then take a card to his grave! I mean I know it's ridiculous he can't see me or hear me and I'm talking to a slab but it helps I guess to pretend for a little while!" Alex explained "if you told Brooke that she would understand you know she is a pretty awesome person that best friend of mine!" Payton smiled "yes she is but" Alex started "your mom" Payton finished "yeah it's weird I know I can talk to her about these things and I just handle things on my own its how I've always done it it's easy that way" Alex surprised herself on how much she was saying to Payton "that's okay but just let her know when your having a bad day so she doesn't worry to much!"
Payton explained to Brooke and Haley who calmed down after that and Haley and Payton headed home it was a few minutes before Alex emerged from her room. "Hey?" She said as she sat on the sofa beside Brooke who turned of the television "hey! You okay?" Brooke asked shifting to face Alex "yeah, sorry about today I sometimes forget I'm not alone anymore!" Alex said looking at Brooke apologetically "hey it's okay your grounded for a week but I understand!" Brooke said brushing the hair from her daughters face "grounded?" Alex asked "yes grounded no going out straight home from school and work! Considering the circumstances I will allow you to keep your phone" Brooke said "okay seems fair but I have a dance competition on Saturday I have to compete in would that be okay?" Alex pleaded "yes yes okay! Is it local?" Brooke asked "yeah intensity it's pretty big in the leading to nationals!" Alex answered excited to compete again being 15 this was most likely her last year competing "could I come?" Brooke asked "um yes it's pretty long though like four hours and I only dance three times are you sure?" Alex asked kind of excited to have Brooke there "yeah of course I want to see what all the time in the studio leads to" Brooke laughed "your okay though right?" Brooke asked still worried about her daughter "Brooke I'm going to have bad days and they are going to suck but I promise if I'm having a bad day to tell you okay?" Alex said looking Brooke in the eyes "sounds good I'm always here Alex no matter what!" Brooke said with this Alex wrapped her arms around Brooke's neck "I love you Brooke do you know that" Alex said making Brooke's eye's fill with tears "I do now I love you so much" Brooke said softly so happy that she had her daughter back in her life and was never letting her go.