Hold Me Tight, Don't Let Go, chapter 4

The years wore on and Billie's father did his best to keep the silent vow he made to his son that night. Even though there was nothing to go on but suspicion Andy did his best to keep Sinteria with them as long and as often as possible even after a year he had her sleeping over for the weekend or he would take her on family trips with them while they were away making up the excuse that they would hate to see Billie Joe OR Sinteria so miserable without the other because they were a pair that he couldn't stand seeing apart even though every now and then he couldn't take her, both him and Billie would spend those times in constant worry calling to make sure she was fine. Birthdays for them both were especially great especially Sinteria's 10th since she was a few months older then Billie her parents had already told the Armstrong clan that birthdays weren't a big thing for them so of course Andrew took it upon himself to throw her a pretty big bash since you know you do only turn ten once and he wanted it to be the most memorable once for her so a day after her birthday they told the Santos' that they were going to take her out for the day and they drove to Oakland and threw her a surprise party in a park overlooking the lake. Billie and his father spent most their time together but that afternoon it was Andrew and Sinteria that rented a boat and rowed out to the middle of the lake. Angel looked nervous and was shaking her legs nervously looking on either side of the boat to looking in the water as if expecting Jaws to come soaring out ripping her head off after watching that movie with Billie alone last year she was never going near the water again. And well this was really freaking her out. Mr. Armstrong laughed and stopped the boat starting to cough terribly Sinteria's dark eyes widened with worry when she saw him spit out a bit of blood into a tissue.
"Are you OK Mr. Armstrong?" She said cltuching the stuffed animal Annie had given her just prior to his taking her out to the water.
"Oh don't worry about me I'm fine." He weezed a little Angel started getting scared and then the boat started rocking so she grabbed the ends letting the cat go falling to the bottom of the boat. He chuckled and motioned forher to get closer to him she cautiously did not wanting to cause more turbulence on the boat then there already was. He took her onto his lap wrapping her in a hug she felt like he was her father and he felt like he had another daughter which never bothered him he actually wished he had a daughter like this but it seemed the only way to get a child like this was to smack them about a few times and he wouldn't do that to his children no matter how perfect it would make them no one should ever put their hands on a child the way he knew her parents did to her. No matter how perfect it would make them.
"Angel your a big girl now you know that don't you?" He said keeping a hand on her back while he struggled to grab her kitten for her.
"Uhuh!" She smiled and hugged him tightly when he got her the stuffed animal.
"And you been well like my daughter for the past five years I have seen you grow with Billie Joe and I have seen you two get into your fights and then make up and go conspire against the others." She laughed and nodded and said.
"Your like my daddy cuz my daddy he doesn't even know I'm there." She said putting her chin down herlower lip quivering Andy lifted her chin up and smiled ather.
"He does because if he didn't notice his wonderful big girl it would be a crime against everything holy and we know how religious your family is." She smiled a little tear escaping the side of her eye.
"Well anywho I wanted to give you a special present that I want you to open here." He took out a small box from his shirt pocket handing it to her. She studied it at first looking at it trying to figure out what exactly could be in there then looked up at him as if expecting him to tell her what it is.
"Just open it Angel you'll see." She gave him the cat so she could open the box. It was a shock for her to see the stunning gold locket with a praying Angel on the front. The locket was enough for her and she hugged him tightly nearly taking his breath away.
"Well open it so you can see the inside." She looked down at it and tried to open it having a bit of trouble at first but finally managing to open it. On one side was an inscription and on the other was a picture of Sinteria when she was about five. The inscription was short and read.

The angel that brightens our lives.
Love Andy

Her tears were falling to her lap and she hugged him again with full force kissing his cheek whispering into his ear.
"I love you daddy Andy." The 53 year old man's heart swelled with joy when he heard her say that and he hugged her."
"I love you too my baby Angel." He put the locket on for her as she tucked it neatly under her shirt to make sure that it wouldn't get pulled off she didn't want to show it off if someone asked yes she would show but she didn't feel like she needed to go off and flaunt to the world it was a special gift and she knew it.
"Uhm daddy Andy?"
"Yea Angel?"
"Can we go back?" She said still looking nervously around the boat." He laughed and placed her off his lap and grabbed the oars.
"How bout we go pick BJ up and we take another stroll around the lake?" She thought about it and nodded if Billie was there she could somewhat live through the experience. They rowed back to the dock calling Billie over who was playing his own version of soccer with Chris and Josh. BJ ran over all sweaty and full of grass stains his father frowned looking at him.
"Oooo your mother is going to get upset with you!" He joked.
"No she knew I was gonna do it and brung some extra clothes."
"C'mon Billie we're gonna go around the lake a few." Billie smiled and hopped into the boat sitting next to Sinteria who sorta leaned into him. The movie had taken much affect on Billie's love for the water but Angel was a different person she was paranoid around water and the movie just worsened her fears and the sequels never helped out much. But it made Billie feel manly to comfort Sin the way he did. They were off quickly strolling the water in silence peacful silence thoguh looking around Billie casually slipped his hand into Sin's never looking that way. Andrew noticed and smiled he knew his son had fromed acrush on the older girl he had known that the day they met but now he was taking action of his feelings no matter how much Billie had said he didn't like her and no matter how many times he denied the accusations against him it waas true his father was right he knew that he would never think girls were icky for long hell he knew that when his father had told him he just didn't want anyone to know. Everytime the boat would rock and she tightened her grip his heart did a little summer sault and jumped up to his throat like it wanted to pound right through it. It just mad him and his father smile though he looked at his father who winked at him and smiled. Billie did to and feeling his face warm up turned away. When the boat started to start rocking harder but not because Andrew was doing it but because someone was rocking it from under Sinteria jumped into his lap hugging him. Billie was about as red as a tomato and did his best to make sure she wasn't looking at him but she was to preoccupied keeping her eyes shut tight to even notice even though his skin felt extremly warm. He looked at his father for helped but he was too busy laughing and instad of helping him out he pulled her skirt down so as to not give Billie Joe any eyeful.
"Al are you down there?" Andy said looking into the water.
"Yeah dad." He said swimming up the other end his stepfather looked at him using his fingers to tell him to come closer when he was at arms distance he slapped him behind the head.
"Are you crazy are you trying to scare Angel to death?" He pointed to her and Billie she was still waiting for the boat to stop moving and since Andy had just tipped it over a bit more it started allover again. Al looked in great amusement as Billie's red face reddened even more when she squeezed him tighter.
"Looks like I helped you more then hurt you buddy eh?" He winked laughing before disappearing again under the water hitting the boat from under them making Sin yell.
"Calm down Sin it's just Al."
"Get me off the water now please!" She screamed hugging Billie even tighter. Andy frowned a bit he wa trying to get her to conqer her phobia of big areas of water but the restless teenager had to screw it all up... Oh well tomorow was always another day. They made it to the dock and Billie informed her they were on land.
"Ok Sin no need to worry we're on the shore again." She loosened her grip a bit just enough to look andsee if he was telling the truth when she found out he wasn't lying she jumped off the boat and to the grass laying down on the grass with her legs down hugging the stuffed cat fighting back the major urge to cry scowling herself for even wanting to cry.
"I'm such a scaredy cat." She sighed.
"Oh it's fine Angel don't worry lots of people are scared of water." Andrew assured her.
"Really?"
"Sure tons of them some go all their lives with out ever going near a beach." She frowned a bit she liked the beach it scared her to death but she loved going to the beach and collecting seashells.
"But I like the beach."
"Well how do you expect to ever go to the beach again if just being out on the lake scared you half to death?"
"I dont know but I wanna go to the beach."
'Well one day it'll just be me and you and we'll go out to the beach and collect all the seashells you want and I can help you put them on your lampshade how does that sound?" She smiled and nodded hugging him.
"Fun!"
"Well one day I promise we'll go and we could stick our feet in the ocean and let the waves wet us."
"But what about sharks?" She said looking at her feet she had grown quite attached to them in the past ten years she didn't want to get them chopped of in an instant just like that.
"I don't know what Anna was thinking letting you kids watch that movie but don't worry there are no sharks that would eat you alright?"
"Alright."
"HEY EVERYONE TIME TO CUT THE CAKE COME ON!" Ollie screamed out to all the people who were off doing their own thing. It was the perfect time to cut it the sun was about to set and it seemed like a picture perfect time.
"Ooohh cake time lets go kid," He smiled as she nodded and ran up to the table where Ollie and Annie were setting up the candles for her Billie of course had the reservation next to her. The candles were lit by the time Andy had gotten to the table and they started singing to him.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOU! HAPPBY BIRTHDAY DEAR... This part was parted between Sinteria's and Angel's with Billie the only one saying Sin they all burst out in laughter and she blew them out without the finishinf of the song they told her that something was in the cake and when she bent over to see what exactly it was Anna and Allan both shoved her face into the cake shoving frosting up her her nose into her mouth and even getting it around her ears.
"ANNA ALLAN!" Their parents screamed.
"What? It's tradition." Allan said laughing as Anna took a snapshot then she bent over towhisper something into her ear she smiled and looked at Billie Joe best she could considering the frosting was everywhere and saw he was laughing to so she gave him a big kiss on the cheek which shut him up and made him turn beet red as well as get frosting all over the side oh his face Anna quickly took about three or four pictures during this whole scanario she put together.
"Oh god Andy dear take them to the bathroom so they can clean themselves off." Ollie said tryng her best not to smile but couldn't help at the reaction her son had given and the face that was plasetered in cake. He smirked and grabbed Sinteria's hand to guid her into the girls bathroom while he helped his son over to the boys side.
"Dad why did she do that?" Billie said wiping the white frosting off of his cheek and neck with a moist paper towel.
"Because and told her so and you know how well her and Annie get along almost as good as you two son."
"Yeah but still."
"Oh don't worry I'm sure no one noticed you blushing."
"You saw that?! Oh no Chris and Josh are never gonna let me live it down." He groaned in frustration.
"Well Chris and Josh are just jealous that you gotthe prettiest girl in town and they got diddly squat." Billie laughed diddly squat sounded funny.