The Point of No Return {sequel to The Arbitrary life of Avery Blake [teacher]}

The Point of No Return {sequel to The Arbitrary life of Avery Blake [teacher]}24

Chapter 24

Ignorance over Responsibility- ‘We did it.’ I whispered.

 ‘Look, it’s only a suggestion, Avery. Don’t look so shocked. I was just curious about your opinion, that’s all.’ Kimberly shrugged and turned away.

‘N-no! I was just surprised . . . I’m sorry.’

 ‘So . . . you mean I-we actually have a mother somewhere out there?

‘I cannot guarantee that but the last I heard of her, yes, she was alive.’ Kimberly hesitated, waiting for a possible response from me.

I took my time, taking in the information and letting my mind process it.

I imagined all the possibilities, all the apologies, the making of all the lost Christmas’ and birthdays.

Then my mind went to the negatives; what if she rejected both Kimberly and i? Or worse, what if she took back Kimberly but decided I was not her child?

‘I, I’m not sure about this, Kim.’ I approached hesitantly.

‘I know that face, Avery; you’re overanalysing it.’ Kim smiled kindly to me as she seated herself next to me on the bed. Her weight didn’t even impact any movement on the bed as she was very light. She continued, ‘Tell me what you think. Show me that Avery logic, I want to see how you’re viewing it.’ She shrugged, urging me on.

I raised my eyebrows, clearly off guard at her words.

‘My…ugh, logic?’

She simply nodded softly, a kind smile taking over her face.

In the little time that I had known her; her face had taken such an unexpected turn. Her expressions were now less sinister and emotionless and more happy, kind and affectionate. It was like she didn’t know how to show such positive emotions before and took on a persona of her own. It was as though she simply needed a tug, a positive push to show her in the right direction. It was weird to admit, but I at times thought that I possibly was the obstacle that was set in which would show her, her true self.

Stupid, I know.

‘I, I guess I was just thinking that there are two sides of this possibility. There’s an incredible and quite satisfying one with a brilliant end result where we would end up with a mother, you getting her back, me discovering a new one. But then I thought about the rebuffs. Kim,’ my face hardened as I spoke, ‘what if she doesn’t want to know me? What if she doesn’t want to take either of us? To be fair, I’m certain my luck has run out by now and karma will hit me hard.’ I admitted.

Kimberly’s face instantly transformed and clouded over.

‘You think all you went through was luck? Was it luck that my-our mother gave you up? Our father killed himself and was it luck what that boy had did to you? No, I don’t think so. It may have been satisfactory how things had turned out, only leaving you scarred and damaged, but alive, the very least. So Avery, please don’t humour me with your nonsense.’ She said but her expression showed anything but humour.

I put up my guard instantly and wished I had said nothing. I avoided my sister’s regretful gaze as I tried to hold back the tears.

It wasn’t her fault; I just hadn’t expected it.

But what stung the most was the realization that she was right. My life was a pile of lies, deceit and regret.

Kimberly hesitated, too afraid to break me and so the conversation instantly dropped. Instead, Kimberly sighed and whispered my name before taking me in her arms. I would say it was a sisterly embrace, but I’d be lying. It was more. I wasn’t quite sure exactly what it was. It was like, in this position, in this moment in time; things were how they were destined to be. It felt like Deja-vu with a strong compulsion running through me.