His Hidden Wife (A Justin Bieber Story)

Chapter Twenty

20 - Mirror

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'true love takes time— time to know and time to grow'
-anon
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As Sister Grazia called the kids to gather around and start their afternoon activities, I found myself going back at Sister Floresca's office to get my phone inside my bag. I haven't seen Brandon during Justin's performance. And I think he's old enough to grasp the concept of one's preservation. Wherever he is at the moment, his instinct will save him.

Rummaging through my bag, I grabbed my cellular phone and searched for my father's number. I need to tell him I'm visiting the orphanage and will be back before dinner. He would sulk if I won't get home on the dot. It's not everyday I get to spend time with him. He might occupy himself on running an empire but he always finds a way to spend time with me.

I do understand my father's qualms though. After all, its just the two of us now.

It was I, I guess, who took a step back and enclosed herself these past years. The more I wanted him to believe I was okay, the more I distanced myself. I didn't want him to worry and because even if I wasn't saying anything, he'd extract the truth. But he won't confront me for it, instead, he'd make amends behind the scenes. I perceived my father's way somewhere in between the good and bad.

As I made my way back, walking through the (I assumed) empty hallway, I stopped. Justin's broad back captured my line of sight. He was standing still, facing a frame that was placed behind a glass. It was a family portrait... of mom, dad and me. I was still a baby in the photo, wrapped inside my mother's arms.

It was supposed to be mom's self portrait but she chose to have a picture of our family inside the place of her childhood home.

It's not, however, just our family that has portraits around the establishment. But all the children who grew up here and found happiness with their new homes — or wherever the current took them and made them happy — have memoirs as well. Its to remind that hope isn't lost but can always be found when faith never ends.

I was having inner dilemma whether to walk straight ahead and pretend I didn't see him so I could go on with the path I was choosing or forget my inside restraint and be done with it.

Well, I wasn't known to be stubborn for nothing.

Eventually the latter won. And curiosity was eating me up.

With a sigh, I sauntered my way towards where he was and stopped a few inches beside him. My eyes on my family's picture. Dad was wearing his favorite dark blue polo shirt and beach shorts. Whilst mom was in a yellow dress. We were on a beach. It was a casual day.

"I was, I think, around 8 months old that time." I started. Justin didn't flinch. "As what dad told me." I continued, gesturing towards the little version of myself. My voice hovering over the silence. "I was only five years old when I found out mom was an orphan. It's not that she didn't want me to know. It just never was a topic of our conversation. I mean, I was a kid. All I wanted was to play and eat candies around that age. And well, I was only with her for two years of my life."

"I've seen a lot of her portraits inside your family's home. But... this looks different. I mean..." he trailed off.

"I know." I smiled. "It's probably because this was the first and last time we went on a beach as a complete family. Maybe that's why."