The daughter of Danielle and Nour Abdul graduates college and finally has the freedom to build the life that she wants for herself.
But what happens when the college graduate starts to unravel family secrets & encounters forbidden love that causes...
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- - - - - - - - - - The white envelope haunted Adrien. They stared at it, its color contrasting with the dark wood of their kitchen table in their shack. They felt sick, nearly gagging as the tears welled in their pained eyes. Adrien wasn't sure where they went wrong. They loved her with everything in them, but they weren't sure anymore.
Maybe she was right. It was a coping mechanism.
They hated the thought, but knew that it was the truth. She was there, and so were they. It wasn't organic, it was grief. It pushed the both of them together and completely fell apart before it could become anything else.
"Fuck.." Adrien whimpered, holding their stomach as their cigarette dropped ash against their sweats. They didn't care, the stinging reminding them that they were still alive despite the turmoil that ripped their soul apart. They grabbed the envelope, letting out a shaky breath as trembling fingers glided through the flap, swiftly ripping it open.
They pulled out the folded piece of paper, the young woman's narrow hand-writing neat and legible. It made them smile, Nubia always being a perfectionist which they admired from time to time. She always wanted everything to be okay, but when it wasn't it broke her especially if she couldn't find a solution.
Papa..
I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I had to do it this way. I wouldn't have gone through with it if I didn't. Seeing your eyes and hearing your voice wouldn't have allowed me to. I have to go, baby. I'm not sure where or for how long, but I have to go..
It would be better for me..for you too. I'm losing myself and the small piece that I have left is pulling at me. It's haunting me. The person I could've been before all of this. I just...it's so hard. It's so hard choosing to love myself more than I love you knowing it's not what I want. But it's what I need.
I love you. I love you so damn much, Adrien. You've always been different and so kind. You're so youthful and so full of light and I'm sorry it's been ignored for so long. But baby..we have to heal. We have to see if it's really love or if it's grief that started this. If it was both of us being there when no one else was.
I want to make sure this is healthy. That I'm okay and that you're okay. I'm not..at all. I'm losing it, Dre. I'm fucking losing it and I don't want to explode. I'm on the verge. Me hitting you and bruising you up was it. I can't walk around being okay with myself knowing I'm that low. I'm so low that I'd rather be with Mason than take another breath in this world.
Both of them.
Please. Don't come looking for me. I'll be okay. I'll come back. But for now..love your son..find someone on your level. Get some therapy. Take care of mama and baba for me, okay? I love you.
Forever your princess.
Their chest ached as their heart beat escalated. They felt pained, gripping the paper as the tears streamed down their face. They weren't too sure where they were gonna go, grabbing their car keys and pushing the shack door open.
"Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck did I do to deserve this?! Huh?! Every fucking person-" Adrien punched the car door nonstop, screaming about how tired they were of everyone leaving them on their own. Their knuckles bled, hands grabbing their arms as they sobbed.
"I can't fucking take this shit no more. Everyone just keeps leaving, bro. Everyone just keeps fucking leaving! And it's my fault!"
"Stop it! Stop it right now! Reagan can see you!" Anita whispered harshly as she held her son from behind. They heaved, looking over at the car to see Reagan staring with sad eyes. Adrien sniffed, wiping their face aggressively before looking down at their shaky, bleeding knuckles.
"Go inside..clean that up..and then pack a bag, you're coming to stay with me."
"But-"
"I don't want to hear it. Danielle and Nour are feeling it the same way you are and all I can do is pray for them and be here for you. You either let me or expect to get pulled into that car by your hair." Anita growled. Adrien swallowed hard as they stared down at Anita before nodding. Her vibe was different, the woman less soft with her son than she usually is.
"Are you okay-"
"I'm fine. Just a little winded. Go do what I asked, please?" Anita panted, holding her lower back as she walked back to the car.
- - - - - - - - - - - Danielle stared at the view from on top of the roof as she sipped her coffee. She couldn't sleep, the dawn breaking into hues of light pinks and blues causing her to smile sadly. She's been on the roof for some time, her mind thinking about the letter that she daughter left before her disappearance.
She finally read it, the tears being uncontrollable to the point where she kept having to stop because she couldn't see. She cried and cried, her daughter's words resonating with her more than anything in the world.
I just gotta go, mama. Please let me go. I've gotta go so I can get right. please.
"My babygirl needs to be free. The same way I needed." She whispered before sipping from her mug. The steam warmed her cold face, the early morning breeze crisp and wet with humidity.
"Hey." Nour's voice was dull as he climbed the window. His wounds burned, but it didn't hurt more than the emotional turmoil that plagued him. Between his sister and his daughter's son, Nour wasn't sure who to grieve first. He wanted nothing more than to hug Nubia, wishing that he was there for her more instead of lecturing her about her choices as an adult.
"Hey.." Danielle's voice was soft, void of any emotion as she continued to stare down. Everything and everyone looked as small as she felt, Danielle hoping to see her daughter's bouncy curls even though she knew otherwise.
"She's gonna come back-"
"She's not." Danielle interrupted. Nour squeezed his lips shut, Danielle shaking her head as a small, pressed smile lifted at the corner of her lips.
"She's not, Nour. At least not now. And we can't force her to. It'll just drive her away."
"But we're her parents-"
"God, I love you but you're such a stubborn son of a bitch sometimes." Danielle scoffed, tossing her mug onto the street before standing up on the roof. Nour followed suite, his eyebrows pushed together as they climbed back into the house through their bedroom window.
"What the hell did I do?" Nour asked. She simply rolled her eyes, plopping down on the white bedsheets before staring up at him.
"You have a habit of seeing things one sided. Why would we force her to come back just because we're us?! She's done nothing but choose everyone else and how they feel. Look where it's got her. Hurt and alone. She deserves a break the same way everyone else does."
They both stayed quiet, Nour slowly sitting down next to Danielle on the edge of the bed. They both stared down at the wooden floors of their bedroom, Danielle's feet bare against the mahogany wood and Nour's in black Avia socks with hot pink seams. The size difference made Danielle smile, the heaviness in her eyes beyond physical exhaustion.
"Our baby is all grown up and got hit with life like no other. Let her go for now. Please." Danielle whispered. A sniffle from Nour caused her to look up, Nour's face twisted in regret as he started to sob. Danielle pulled his face into her chest, her own tears welling as she rocked him back and forth.
"It's okay. We can go too. We all need it. Just some space to truly process and heal. Her of all people. I got you back. Adrien got Reagan. I'm sure she feels empty and as if she has nothing left for her. Allow her to feel it through."
"Is that how you felt?" Nour mumbled. Danielle smiled sadly before nodding.
"Yes. With Alfred and with you after that whole thing with Iyana. I kept giving parts of myself until there were none left for me. I had to pour into myself and so does she. So let her."
