Hope

 

  My heart sinks with father is the reason his parents are dead.

  ‘I'm so sorry,’ I say, crying. He grabs my chin to force me to look at him.

  ‘It's not your fault. It's not like you had anything to do with it,’ he says, before kissing me on the lips.

  ‘Hope? You’re shaking,’ he says, concerned. He rests his forehead on mine. ‘You’re burning up,’ he says, standing, lifting me up.

  He grabs his coat, covers me, and walks nude, upstairs to our room. I’m trembling and shaking. He lies me on our bed and goes into the bathroom to fill the bath.

  He scoops me up, and...