The Eleventh Hour

Chapter 49

Picture on the side is Roxy :)

The room was quiet, deadly quiet.

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, and the tension was radiating everywhere as everyone waited for me to speak.

But I couldn’t.

Anything, say anything!

I was absolutely stunned, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Eventually, I was brought back down to earth as my father’s last words echoed in my mind.

“My... what?”

My voice had risen as I looked back at my dad. Roxy flinched back against the sofa, her wide, sparkling grey eyes starting to water.

“See?” she exclaimed, “she hates me! I told you she wouldn’t like me!”

My mouth dropped open as Roxy lifted herself up and ran towards the bedrooms.

“N – no,” I stuttered as I instinctively followed after her. As I reached the end of the room, I heard a door slam, and my ears told me she’d gone into my room.

“Roxy!” I shouted after her as I barged into my room.

I looked around, and my heart constricted as I saw her crouched in the far right hand corner of my room, hugging her knees tightly. I heard someone approach behind me and turned to see my mum who was staring at me with wide, horror-struck eyes.

“Mum,” I whispered. “Let me talk to her alone.”

“Don’t hate her,” she whispered in an agonising breath, making me flinch inside.

“I don’t hate her!” I whisper shouted with annoyance. “Why would you say that?” I glared at her. “We all need to talk, but let me speak with her first.”

I walked fully in the room and closed the door behind me without another word, so it was just Roxy and I in the room.

I had no idea what I was going to say. I didn’t know how this was even possible, but there was no doubting the resemblance. My parents sure had a lot of explaining to do, but none of this was Roxy’s fault. As shocked and stunned as I was, Roxy should not be crying, it’s agonisingly breaking my heart.

I approached her slowly, as quiet as a whisper. She didn’t look at me, she had her head buried into her knees as she continued to sob.

“Hey,” I soothed as I reached her. I sat down on my knees, maintaining a few feet apart. It felt like I was approaching a scared kitten that would flinch with every tiny movement. “Roxy, please look at me.”

She shook her head, keeping her face hidden.

“I’m so sorry,” I breathed. “I didn’t mean to shout like that. I was just shocked, I still am. I don’t hate you. Roxy?”

I leaned closer to her as she slowly lifted her head to look at me. Her eyes were red and puffy.

“Wow, you do look like me.” I smiled, causing a small smile from her in return. 

“I... I know this is weird. I mean, this is totally weird for me too. And I’m only ten! I think I’ve been lucky, most ten year olds would be traumatised by the fact their parents were killed just like that...” she trailed off, her lip quivering. She blinked the tears away and took a deep breath, composing herself like someone ahead of her years before continuing. “And instead of going to a foster home like I thought, I find out I have the same parents as Lola Rose Summers. Come on, you’re twenty-two. I’m ten.”