A week had passed. I quit my job at LAC, and I hadn't heard from or seen Andrew since that night. I spent most of my days looking through help wanted ads and sketching. I was doing okay some days, or I thought I was. But, in reality, I’d shut down and barely existed.

I visited the Starbucks around the corner and ordered my usual latte and sat at my usual table. I opened my purse, and as I took out my phone, a piece of paper fell to the floor. I bent down and picked it up. It was the paper with the address Andrew gave me. After studying it, I looked out the window and gasped when I saw Andrew coming out of the shop across the street. I stared at him through the window as he crossed the street and headed towards Starbucks.

"Fuck," I whispered.

I crumpled the paper in my hand as he walked through the door. I didn't move and prayed he wouldn't notice me, but he did. He looked straight at me. I expected him to walk over and say something, but he ordered his coffee and then left. In an instant, he was gone, and I felt my heart ache. I looked at the crumpled paper in my hand. Andrew gave me this for a reason and he said all my questions would be answered. I wanted answers. I needed them. And the only way I was going to get them was by going to this address. The words, “I’m done with all this” still haunted me. What did he mean by that? Done with what? The answers I needed were at this address in Florida and I was going to get them. I picked up my cell phone and booked a flight to Florida.

After I finished packing, I left a note on the table for Jasper and Emma. I couldn’t tell them what I was doing or where I was going.

I flew into the Daytona Beach Regional Airport and hailed a taxi cab. I didn't know what I was going to find in Palm Coast, but I was ready for some answers. I gave the driver the address and I asked him what kind of neighborhood it was. He looked at me through his rearview mirror.

“Lady, this is the address of the Palm Coast Marina. It's not a neighborhood.”

I looked at him in confusion and my chest started tightening. Why would Andrew give me the address to a marina when he knew I couldn't be near them without having a panic attack?

Way to go, Andrew. Fuck me over one last time, I thought to myself. I grabbed my bag as I stepped out of the cab at the entrance of the marina. My heart started racing, but I was not going to let my insecurities stop me from what I was here for. I took in a deep breath and started walking down the marina, looking at all the boats that were docked there. I was here at the address Andrew gave me, but what was I looking for? I hadn't a clue, so I just kept walking.

It was a beautiful sunny day and much warmer than it was in New York. I took in the beautiful green grass along the marina and the perfectly kept boats, trying to stay in a positive state. I passed by a boat where a man was washing his deck. When I glanced over at him, he looked at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. I kept walking and looked straight ahead.

“Addison Rose?” the man called out.

I instantly stopped dead in my tracks and my heart started pounding uncontrollably. I slowly turned around and looked at him as I shielded my eyes from the sun.

“Don't be scared, please,” he spoke.

“How do you know my name and who are you?” I asked as I stood away from the boat.

He motioned for me to come closer, but I was frightened, and I couldn't get my legs to move.

“I didn't mean to scare you. I'm harmless, I can assure you of that.”

His voice sounded familiar to me. I slowly walked closer to the boat as the sun blinded my eyes. When I approached it, I looked up at this all-too-familiar man standing a few feet in front of me. His hair was black with a bit of gray throughout and his eyes were a deep brown. He had age lines on his face that could tell stories. Just like — no, it couldn't be. It was impossible. As I stood there with my racing heart and the feeling like I was going to pass out, he walked closer and stood in front of me.

"Daddy?” Everything went black.

I opened my eyes and looked at the man sitting on the edge of the bed beside me. I quickly sat up and brought my knees to my chest. Fear should have been coursing through my body, but somehow it wasn’t. He extended his hand and placed it on mine.

“It's okay, Addison. You passed out on the deck.”

I looked into his eyes, the same eyes that lit up every time he saw me since the day I was born.

 “Charlie?" I whispered.

“I know it's a lot for you to take in, especially with what you've been going through, but just relax and I'll explain everything.”

I swallowed hard and the tears swelled in my eyes as I lunged toward him and hugged him for what seemed like hours.

“Oh God. I've missed you so much, Rosebud,” he cried.

“I don't understand. You're supposed to be dead.”

“I know, and to everyone, Charlie Belle is.”

I pulled back and wiped my eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Addison, you can never let anyone know about me, do you understand?”

I nodded my head.

“Let's go up to the deck. I'll grab us a couple of beers and we'll talk.”

I followed him up as he grabbed the beers and we sat down at a small round table. He placed his hand on mine.

"I was hoping this day would come." He smiled.

"Dad, I don't understand any of this.”

To me, this felt like a dream and I was so scared that I was going to wake up and he’d be gone.

"I'm in the witness protection program, sweetheart.”

My eyes widened at his words.

"Addison, you're not a little girl anymore. You’re a woman and you're strong. You have to be strong enough for me to explain all this to you.” His words were stern.

“Okay.” I nodded my head.

"I took on a case I shouldn't have. The defendant was very powerful. I came across some evidence that not only proved he was guilty for his crime but also for jury tampering and extortion. I confronted the opposing attorney about it, and during the trial, I received many threats. Trust me, these people weren't playing around. They threatened that if I didn't drop my client, they were going to rape you and your mother and then kill me in front of you."

My eyes swelled as I gently squeezed his hand.

"Addison, these people were serious, and they were very bad people. They carried out their threats. When I petitioned the judge to be dismissed as my client’s lawyer, he refused, saying it was too far into the trial. I went to the police and the District Attorney. They said if I turned in the evidence I had against the defendant to the FBI, they would put me in the witness protection program and make me vanish, then you and your mother would be safe and out of harm’s way."

“Dad." I sat there shaking. "How did you know they would believe you were dead?”

“The FBI had it set up to make it look like I fell overboard and drowned."

"The broken railing?" I asked.

"Yes, the broken railing. When you and your mother were asleep, a boat came to pick me up and took me away. Between news reports and media coverage, the defendant and his people were convinced I had died."

“Couldn't we just have run away?" I asked.

"No, Addison. These people would have found us. I had to protect you and your mother. I had no choice. I wasn’t going to spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulder.” His voice was chilling.

“I don’t understand. If you turned the evidence in to the FBI, wouldn’t the defendant have gone to prison?”

“Yes, and he is in prison. But he still has people out there who would have come after us if I didn’t die.”

I closed my eyes for a second to absorb it all.

"The only thing that mattered to me, Addison, was yours and your mother’s safety. I didn't care about me. Keeping the two of you safe was all that mattered.”

Suddenly, an overwhelming anger infiltrated me.

“You fucking left your little girl to grow up without a father!” I spewed as I got up and walked over to the railing.

"I know, but I had no choice. They were going to do bad things to you and it was my responsibility as a father to protect you. That is something you will never understand until you have your own children,” he spoke.

I turned away from him and stared at the calming water.

“Mom knows nothing about this?” I asked.

“No, and she can never know. You know your mother.”

“Damn it, Charlie. Do you know she married your best friend?”

“Yes. I do know she married Edward. He’s a good man, Rosebud, and I know he has taken good care of the both of you all these years.”

I gripped the railing as tight as I could. I was here because of Andrew and I wanted fucking answers.

“How did Andrew have your address? How does he fit into all this? Because I know damn well this is no coincidence,” I spoke through gritted teeth.

He walked over, stood beside me, and took in a deep breath. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a picture.

"I've kept this picture on me for the last seventeen years," he said as he handed it to me. “I took it the day before—”

“It’s a picture of me and AJ. But why?” I asked.

“Turn the picture over, Addison.”

I did as he asked, and written in black ink was our names, Addison Rose and Andrew James. I gasped.