All for the Plot

f i f t y (part one)

I stood there for a long time, staring at the dresser, trying to process it all. The realization weighed heavy on my heart--hoe much they must have wanted a family, how much they must have hurt when they realized it wouldn't happen. And how much they loved us, their nieces, for giving them a taste of what they'd always dreamed of.

Finally, I took a deep breath and left the room, closing the door softly behind me. The house was still quiet, but now the silence felt different. I understood now, and it made me see them, and everything they'd done for us, in a new light. All the shit I'd given them. All the chances I've failed at. A single tear fell from my eye.

The energy that was in the room was now resident in the whole house. Me, guilty, empty, and alone, needed away from here. It was too much to bear. And it was probably too much to live through. Poor Uncle and Aunt.

Without thinking, I pulled out my phone and called Cirus. He picked up after the second ring, his voice calm and familiar on the other end.

"Hey," he said, instantly picking up on my tone. "What's up?"

"I need to get out of here," I said, my voice shaky. "Can you come get me?"

"Of course. Um, I'll be there in ten."

I hung up and waited by the door, my mind racing with everything I'd just learned. The minutes felt like hours, but finally, I heard the car pull up outside. I rushed out, grateful to see him sitting against the wheel, waiting for me.

"You okay?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern as I climbed into the passenger seat.

"No, not really," I admitted, slamming the door shut. "Just... drive. Please."

He nodded, pulling away from the house. The quiet hum of the engine and the familiar scent of the car were oddly comforting, grounding me in the present. For a while, neither of us spoke, the only sound the soft music playing on the radio.

After a few minutes, Cirus glanced over at me. "What happened?"

I hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I was snooping... in Uncle Antony and Aunt Teresa's room," I admitted, my voice wavering. "I found some papers... medical stuff. They've been trying to have kids for years and... they can't."

Cirus didn't say anything at first, letting the weight of my words settle in the space between us. I could feel his concern, his attention fully on me even as he drove. Finally, he reached over and gently squeezed my hand.

"I'm so sorry, Vittoria," he said. "That's... a lot to take in."

"I feel awful," I whispered, staring out of the window. "All this time, I found they were just being controlling, and now I realize it's 'cause they never got to have their own kids. They've been using me, Addison, and Ella as a way to fill that void."

Cirus pulled the car over to the side of the road, turning to face me fully. "Listen to me," he said, his voice steady and reassuring. "None of this is your fault. You couldn't have known. And now that you do know, you can be more understanding. You can still treat them with kindness. There's time to make things better."

"But what if it's too late?" I asked, my voice cracking. "What if I've been too harsh with them, too rebellious? I've just been so... angry. I thought they were trying to control me, and I pushed back. I never realized they were just trying to be... parents."