The Parent Trap

Chapter 56

Chase Jacobs

POV

Three days.

That’s how long it took Carly to wake up.

It’s been four days since someone took my daughter and her mother and tried to murder them. It’s been four days since Carly shielded my daughter from the fire using her own body.

It’s been three days since I sat at Carly’s bedside and basically confessed my feelings for her. Not that Carly knew about that.

I was supposed to be onset yesterday already, but that was the last thing in my mind while I sat with Stella at Carly’s bedside these last few days Cole has brought me a change of clothes and I’d wash up at the hospital. Stella wouldn’t leave Carly’s side either.

Stella has been discharged but refused to go home, we’ve been camped out in Carly’s hospital room waiting for her to wake up and she finally did this morning it was okay for about an hour but it was enough to send relief through my system. She remembered who I was and who Stella was though she seemed a little different, she was still the Carly I fell in love with.

I didn’t know how to explain it. There was something different in her gaze.

My daughter chatted up a storm she was her normal energetic self, but I knew there was something different about Stella too, she was clinging to Carly and I. It seems she’ll have to go back to see Dr. Roberts.

Other than the few scrapes and bruises Stella was fine and I knew it was because Carly had made sure about that, made she had made sure our daughter was unharmed.

The doctor said she’d be in pain but Carly didn’t show a hint of pain. The doctor said her pain tolerance was extremely high.

I watched as Stella and Carly slept peacefully on Carly’s hospital bed. Stella tugged under Carly’s arm careful not to touch her wounds.

Finally having a moment I stepped out of the room quietly so I don’t wake the two of them.

I tried not to think about how the firs thing Carly asked when she woke up this morning was if Stella was okay. Only breathing a sigh of relief was she saw Stella.

It broke something in me.

Michael is standing outside the door when I step out.

"How are they? He asks.

A lump forms in my throat. "They’re asleep..." I tell him.

I keep thinking about how I nearly lost them. And by some miracle they were in the basement and not in the farmhouse.

The thought sends a shiver down my spine.

"I want them found Michael..." my voice is ice cold.

Knowing both Carly and Stella was fine. Something in me hardened. I’ve been holding out since I was worried about Carly but she was fine now. She’s expected to make a full recovery. But that didn’t mean I was going to let those bastards get away with what they did.

I was stuck here for the last three days now I was ready to make someone pay for their actions. I didn’t care who it was but they were going to pay.

"I already have people tracing the van, we’ll find it and the guys behind this." He assures me.

"That’s not enough for me Michael." My voice is even colder. " I bet those assholes were only paid to take them and toss them. I want the mastermind behind this. They nearly killed my fucking daughter!" I roar.

At first Michael doesn’t say anything but study me quietly. "I’ll do everything in my power to find out who is behind this and make them pay. I promise you. I watched Stella grow up from a baby to a toddler She’s more than just my boss’s daughter..." for the first time since I’ve met Michael, he is showing emotion.

He is just as upset as I am.

"They tried to burn my daughter alive Michael every time I think about it I feel like murdering them is letting them off too lightly..." The words came out far calmer than I felt. I felt like burning them alive is not enough.

I was truly fucking pissed off. "I want everyone responsible for traumatizing my daughter in front of me before the police find them..."

Michael doesn’t say anything but give me a firm nod. "I need to make some calls" he says before turning around and walking down the hallway.

I watched him walk away not daring to move. I was all sorts of pissed off. I was scared I’d punch a hole in the wall if I moved. I didn’t trust myself.

I needed to think happy thoughts good thoughts. I think back on the day Stella was delivered to the company.

She was so tiny, I was scared to pick her up in fear of breaking her. Bringing her home the first night when I had absolutely nothing for her was torture. You could say Michael and I figured it out together.

Michael was like an uncle to Stella.

I knew he would do everything in his power to make sure they pay for what they did. How I wasn’t sure how much I wanted them to suffer yet.

The only thing keeping me from going to crazy is picturing how the bastards were going to pay for what they did to Stella and Carly, nothing was ever going to be enough I knew that yet I still wanted them to feel the same fear Carly and Stella experienced being trapped in the basement.

I lean back against the wall rubbing a hand over my face trying to calm myself.

My phone vibrates in my pocket.

I take it out only to see a dozen of missed calls and texts from almost everyone I know and reporters to boot. Seems like word about what happened is already out there.

I wondered if finding who was behind this would be harder now.

I wonder if whoever was behind this has ran already, oh if they did chasing them is half of the fun... making them pay is the other half.

I call the director back, I’d forgotten to ask for time off. I was so busy with everything else. I’d completely forgotten to ask for time off.

Director Howard answers almost immediately. "Chase, thank God you’re okay. I saw the news, I wasn’t sure if you were in the fire as well..." I could hear him sigh in relief on the other side of the line.

"I was hoping I could get a week off, I know it’s unprofessional and we’re going to be behind schedule but I don’t want to leave Stella right now..."

"Of course you can, I was just calling to find out if you’re okay. We’re busy shooting all the scenes you’re not in while we waited for you. You can take as much time as you need." He adds quietly.

I close my eyes, to stop the overwhelming emotions I am feeling right now. "I appreciate it Howard." I really did.

We’ve been working together for years. We’ve worked on at least three movies together. We’ve become friends the more we’ve worked together, although we often fight and argue onset about direction, we respect one another and often listen to the others opinions. It makes for great movies.

"How’s Stella?" he asks.

"She’s alright other than a few scraps and bruises she’s back to her old self." I tell him.

"Oh thank God. I was worried about her." Relief filled his voice. "The whole cast has been asking about the two of you, the news reported that you and your family was caught in a house fire." He explains.

I haven’t even checked my phone the last couple of days so I didn’t know what was happening outside of this hospital. And I assume Cole was handling our parents. Plus he wouldn’t report anything until after he has spoken to me.

"Thank you Howard, I promise I’ll be back in a week I have to settle things here." I tell him.

"Like I said take your time."

"I appreciate it."

"Take care of your little girl." He says before hanging up.

I slip my phone back into my pocket.

I had one week to find out who is behind this and to make them pay.

I didn’t know how long Carly will be in the hospital for. But I promise I’ll be here daily to make sure she has everything she needs. And so she can realize she has a family now to loves and cares for her.

She wasn’t alone anymore.

My phone buzzes again.

Cole:

How’s my niece? And my sister-in-law?

I stare at the message, my eye twitching.

Me:

They’re both okay, Carly woke up this morning.

Three dots appeared almost instantly, like he was waiting for my response.

Cole:

Thank God. Mom and dad has been worried sick. One of us can come relieve you if you want to come home and get a shower or just take a nap.

I smile faintly, warmth fills my chest. My family has always been there for me, even when times were tough and I had to be a child actor, my parents weren’t exploiting me, after a while I started enjoying it, the only thing I didn’t love was the media, I couldn’t go to school without being followed by them.

Me.

No, not yet. Thank you though. I appreciate it.

Another message appeared.

Cole:

Love you, big brother.

After responding to him quickly I lock my phone and place it back in my pocket.

I look into Carly’s room at her and Stella asleep neither of them had moved.

The realization hits me like a truck. Carly and Stella were my family. It didn’t matter if Carly and I ended up together or not she’d always be family.

Even though I wanted her to be mine, I’d never force that onto her. I’d never try to trap her. Though it would hurt me if she moved on with someone else, I just want her to be happy even if it’s not with me...