Chapter 6, enjoy!
Hailey's alarm woke up her from her few nightmare free hours of sleep. She opened her eyes and found she was wrapped up in Jay's arms.
"Good morning," She greeted him once he opened his eyes.
"Morning," He replied as he unwrapped his arms from her so she could turn off her alarm.
"I should probably text Voight and tell him I'm going to my parent's," She stated as she typed out a message to her boss.
"So you're still going?" Jay asked her.
"Yeah, I think it would be best if I went," She answered before pressing send.
"Sure you don't want me to go with you?" Jay asked.
"Yeah," She answered with a sad smile. "I want to introduce you to my family as my boyfriend under better circumstances. Thank you though."
"If you change your mind let me know, and if you start to feel uncomfortable you can leave at any time," Jay informed her.
"I know, Jay."
"I was just reminding you," He replied. "I'm going to work," He added as he placed a kiss on her lips and left their shared condo. Hailey was left alone with her thoughts. She looked back down at her phone to view the time. There was approximately one hour until she had to be at her parent's house. As she waited, she paced throughout the condo and questioned her decision.
•
She put the her SUV in park outside of her childhood home. She took a deep breath and looked up at the house that held so many memories for her. Some good memories and a lot of bad memories were made in this house. She hadn't been back or talked to her dad in nearly three years. Hailey would occasionally made contact with her mom, she would call and check up on her or see her when she visited Derrick and Sarah. Now she would have to be facing them both, and the memories they brought back, but avoided her dad at all costs. She ran a hand through her wavy hair then mustered up the courage to make her way to the house.
There were a few cars already lining the street in front of her parent's house. She checked her phone to make sure she wasn't late as she climbed the front steps of the house. Her small hand made a loud knock on the large wooden front door. The doorknob twisted as the door was pulled open. Hailey's mom's small figure stood in the doorway.
"Hailey," Her mom greeted with a soft smile. She opened the door wider.
"Hi mom," Hailey responded.
"Come in," Carol, Hailey's mom, invited. "Richard, Hailey is here," Carol announced to her husband. Hailey nervously fidgeted with her fingers.
"Hi dad," Hailey greeted, hoping her politeness would make the gathering more pleasant.
"Hailey," He simply responded from his recliner in the living room.
"Hey Hails," Hailey's oldest brother greeted as he made his way into the living room from the kitchen area.
"Hey Jared," She responded as he pulled her into a hug. "Everyone is in here," He explained as he led her into the kitchen from the living room that was occupied by her dad and a few distant cousins.
"Derrick, Hailey is here," Jared told Derrick.
"Hi Hailey," Derrick greeted his sister.
"Hey," She replied.
"Mom said to help yourself to any food, everyone is just snacking around," Jared informed as he motioned to the table covered in a variety of finger foods. Hailey nodded and helped herself to some snacks.
"How is the investigation going?" Derrick asked.
"We are making some progress, all my colleagues went in early this morning to get back on the case," Hailey answered.
"You're working the case?" Jared questioned.
"Yeah, my unit was called to the scene," Hailey responded.
"You are going to find out who did this right?" Jared asked.
"That's the goal, but these things take time," Hailey replied.
"Do you have any suspects?" Jared inquired.
"I-" Hailey started.
"Jared, quit pestering your sister about her job," Carol hissed, interrupting Hailey.
"She's working Alana's case," Jared explained, catching everyone's attention.
"Really Hailey?" Carol asked. Hailey nodded in response.
"Who did it?" Someone crowded in the kitchen asked.
"We haven't-" Hailey began.
"Did you arrest them?" Someone else asked.
"What's going on in there?" Richard shouted from his recliner in the living room. Hailey winced, getting flashbacks from when she and her brother made too much noise and he shouted those exact words before punishing them with any available object.
"Hailey is working Alana's case," Carol informed as the close family made their way into the living room.
"Why aren't you at work then," He rudely remarked as he stared Hailey, who was now standing before him, down.
"I, uh,"
"Richard, she is here supporting her brother," Carol replied moving to stand beside him in his recliner.
"I asked her, not you," Richard scolded as he roughly grabbed Carol's wrist.
"My coworkers are working on the case right now," Hailey answered, voice thick with fear for her father. "Please let go of her," Hailey pleaded as her father still held onto Carol's wrist.
"Please," She begged through gritted teeth when he didn't let go of her. He reluctantly dropped his wife's wrist which she rubbed and made evident was painful.
"Alana's killer is on the loose and you are sitting around here, what good does that do?" He hissed. "At least use that no-good career choice to bring some peace to our family."
"I think I need to leave," Hailey fearfully responded. "Good bye mom, Derrick, and Jared," She added before fleeing the house.