Chapter 90 - Miracle

***
Sheridan's POV:

Two months and a half later, everything was perfectly well. My company was doing great and my friends and love were fine. Elijah was still not found but that wasn't a worry to me.

Heather and I had travelled to New York for a week because we needed to see a specialist who would give her some very important pregnancy and maternity tips, along with vitamins that would help in the good growth of our baby.

Everything was perfect.

"That was perfect," Heather told me as we left the doctor's office.

"Yeah," I smiled at her.

Her tummy was already beginning to poke out. Pregnancy was something that agreed with her because she was even more radiant and beautiful. And, our love was stronger with each day that passed.

"Baby, I'm hungry. Let's go to a bakery so I get some hot buns. Please," she pouted and I chuckled.

"Sure. Anything for you, love," I kissed her as we walked out of the building.

We got into my car and we drove off to a bakery. We parked on the other side of the street and crossed over towards the bakery. I noticed about three homeless men in dirty grey sweaters, caps and warmers (neck warmers) and very bad shoes with holes. They stared into a restaurant close to the bakery. I felt bad for them. They were probably hungry. Once I'd buy some bun for Heather, I decided would give the homeless men some money.

We entered the bakery and I bought her everything she wanted. I paid the bill and just when we were about to leave, we heard someone shouting angrily outside. Everyone in the bakery, including us turned to see what seemed like the owner of that restaurant with a stick, angrily driving the homeless men away, hitting them. Two ran away but one fell and the man started screaming at him, threatening to hurt him. Heather and I immediately went to intervene.

"Hey, Hey, hey! Calm down!" I yelled, holding the owner and pulling him away while Heather helped the homeless man up. The angry owner got out of my grip and entered his restaurant. I immediately opened my wallet, looking for money.

"Hope you're okay, sir," I said to the homeless man, my eyes still in my wallet.

"Give him this " Heather said, looking into my wallet too.

"Yeah," I took out a hundred dollar bill. That would be enough for him and his two other mates, to get a good meal.

"Here," I said, without looking up as I struggled to close my wallet and put it in my pocket.

The man, shyly stretched out a hand. Heather and I looked at it. We realises he lacked three fingers. I looked up immediately at the man's face.

My heart almost stopped beating.

He had the warmer covering half his face, exposing only his eyes.

I recognised those eyes!

Heather's grip on my arm tightened and her face was as pale as mine.
With a trembling hand, I gathered courage and slowly pulled the man's warmer down. A sharp gasp escaped Heather's mouth as she stepped back in shock I froze, my eyes wide.

Right in front of me, was my supposedly dead father!

I stepped back in shock. My eyes beginning to water, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest and my body weakening. The money dropped out of my hand. Was my  mind playing games? Was my vision tricking me?

He stared at us, lost. And without a word, picked the money. He then looked at us in confusion.

"Uh, thank you, sir," he said and turned to Heather, "Thank you, miss."

He was about to leave but I grabbed his arm. He looked at me with fear and at the same time, wonder.

"Any p– problem?" he stuttered.

"Un– uncle Paul??" Heather's gasped and he looked at her, confusion written all over his face.

"I'm Paul, b– but  I don't think I'm your uncle? You are?"

Tears rolled down my cheeks. My father was in front of me! I opened my mouth and managed to say only one thing, with the heaviness in my throat.

"D– dad?"

He stared at me and frowned,  even more confused.

"W– what? I'm sorry but you must be mistaken," he muttered.

"Dad, it's me," I said, unable to control the tears rolling down my cheeks.

He stared at me for a long and silent moment. And then, his eyes widened, as if he'd realised something. He looked shocked.

"Sh– Sheridan??" he stuttered unsurely, his eyes growing wider.

"Yes," I replied lowly, "Yes, it's me. Sheridan. Dad?"

He stared in shock and immediately, his eyes began to water.

"Sheridan?!"

"Yes, dad. It's me, you're son. I'm Sheridan!" I cried, stepping closer to him. I couldn't believe what was happening. Was this real??

"You– you're alive! Sheridan!" he cried and opened his arms. I immediately hugged him.

Yes, it was real! This was my father! After all these years, it was a miracle. My father was alive!

I cried in his arms. I cried and cried. I didn't care if we were on a public sidewalk. I'd found my father. At last! And he wasn't dead! He was alive and right in front of me.

Heather watched us in joy, sobbing continuously.

"I've found you!" I looked at him.

"I've found you too! My son is alive!" he cried and stepped back, "And is now a young man!" he looked at me, a proud smile on his face, through the tears. I smiled back with the same joy in my heart. He then looked at Heather.

"Who's this pretty girl?" he asked me.
Heather stepped forward.

"Heather, dad," I said.

My father's mouth dropped open as he turned to her.

"H– Heather? Heather Welds??"

"Y– yes, uncle Paul," she smiled through her own tears.

"My little Heather?!"

"Yes!" she rushed into his arms and they hugged tight, Heather crying against his shoulder.

"Oh my gawd, you too have changed. Look at you!"

She smiled at him.

"Dad, how did you find yourself in the streets?? In New York??" I asked, still shocked and overwhelmed. I needed to know. This was real, my father was alive! But how??

"It's a long story," he said sadly.

"You'll tell us everything once home. Let's get you clean, dad."

We held him and crossed the street to my car.

It all still seemed like a dream!

**

Once my father was clean and had eaten to the fullest, we sat in our hotel suite's living room so he could tell us everything.

"After I left the house to go tell Kenneth about Christina trying to seduce me," he started, "I met with Rob who told me he would drive me to where Kenneth was. I followed him of course. But he drove me to the entrance of the woods and we got out of the car. I asked him if Kenneth was hunting and he said yes. I was about to enter the woods when all of a sudden, I felt a heavy log of wood on the back of my head. I went unconscious."

Heather and I stared at each other and waited for him to go on.

"By the time I woke up, it was dark and I found myself tied to a tree in the middle of the dark forest. I cried for help, shouting at the top of my voice, but no one could here me. Hours passed and I knew I might end up being eaten by some wild animal. Sheridan, Heather, never had I been so scared in my life. I prayed and prayed."

"Then what happened?" I asked, a lump in my throat.

"At around 10PM, I saw two silhouettes approach me with fire lamps. They were Rob and some other teenager."

Elijah.

"Rob laughed at me. He humiliated me and told me no one would miss me when I died."

I felt the anger in me rise. My eyes prickled with tears again.

"He told me goodbye and turned to the young boy whom he called, Elijah. He told the boy to kill me before going away. We were left, only the two of us. I waited for my death. He had a knife.
But to my surprise, he spoke to me, telling me he wasn't going to kill me."

Heather and I looked at ourselves in confusion.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. He told me Christina had paid him. He said he wasn't a murderer and would let me go but under the condition that Christina had to believe I was dead. I was surprised at the sudden change of situation. He said he only wanted money to take care of himself. He then told me he was going to cut off three of my fingers which he would throw on the ground, so that in case the police decided to investigate, I would be pronounced dead. Without waiting to hear my opinion, he cut off three of fingers. It was so so painful. He then wrapped my hand with a cloth so I wouldn't bleed too much. Elijah then untied me and told me to go far away from High Meadows and Blueville. And that he would help me. I refused completely."

"Why?" Heather and I asked.

"Because I couldn't leave my Sheridan in the hands of Christina. I knew Kenneth would be a father to him and take good care of him, but I also knew that in Kenneth's absence, Christina would try to harm him."

He was right.

"Elijah and I argued for long. I told him I would not go and he told me it was for the good of both of us. If Christina discovered, she would kill him and of course, me too. I was stubborn and tried to walk away, but Elijah, having no choice, broke the lamp on my head and I fell.
He then squatted by me and I felt him inject something into me. I went unconscious immediately. The next thing I knew when I woke up was that I was in New York. I didn't know how I got here. I woke up in a park, laying on the ground, at around 9PM, with no money, food or phone. No way to contact Kenneth, you or anyone in Blueville. Worse again, I had no money to travel. I had no phone number in mind to call for help. I was left in the big city of New York, abandoned to myself. Several times I went to the police for help but turns out they didn't really care because I was an adult and was supposed to fiend for myself. And so, as years went by, I lost all hope of seeing Sheridan ever again."

As he ended the story, I wiped my tears away and went to sit with him.

"I'm just glad we've found each other," I hugged him.

"I am too. How's Kenneth doing?" he asked.

I looked at him, speechless. He turned to Heather. She stared at him sadly.

"Where is he?" my dad asked again, a hint of worry in his tone.

"Dad?" I started, "It's time for you to listen to my own story."

I then went on to tell him everything. From the maltreatment, escape, uncle Victor, change of identity and everything else till present date. He'd been shocked, sad and even angry while I told him everything. But in the end, he was happy with how things had turned out for me.

"That witch is finally in jail," he said, "Too bad I lost Kenneth in all this," he added sadly. He stood up and went to console the sobbing Heather.

"I'm happy you're alive, dad. Everyone needs to know. And being a victim, you're experience is enough to send Christina to court."

"Trust me son. She'll regret."

****

Some time after, things were even better for all of us. We were back in Los Angeles.

The news of my father being alive was quickly spread through media. All my friends and Sawyer were shocked and pleased with the news. A big party was thrown in favor of my father's return. All employees, friends  and family were present. Even uncle Victor, his wife and their daughter. Sheriff Bates too was present. My father thanked them with all his heart and was happy to reunite with his family and friends

Christina was shocked with the news of course. My father's witnessing was enough but surprisingly, Elijah too reappeared after hearing about my father's return and decided to hand himself off to the police. Christina was sentenced to life imprisonment along with Rob. With enough favour on Elijah's side, he was given a considerable amount of years and would probably be out in two or three years, if he did not misbehave while in jail.

As for me, I asked Heather's hand in marriage, making her my fiancée. We planned to get married after she gave birth to our child.

Everything ended up well for all of us.
I was happy and so were the people I loved. I wished uncle Ken could be with us, but unfortunately, he couldn't. I prayed every single day for his soul to rest in peace.