Love Journey

2. Painful Memories

18 years ago 
 
Jason returns home, 3 weeks after I give birth. The most painful thing I could experience watching the love of my life leave me with our baby. Being away from him hurts me. My father still hates Jason, but loves Troy not sure how he can hate half of Troy. Jason is Troy's twin they are inseparable. My mother and Ava loves Troy, Ava still doesn't talk to me. 
 
17 years ago 
 
Troy's first birthday is the best, Jason  flies in just in time for the party. My father and Jason actually stop fighting, just for Troy. Troy is the cutest little bundle of joy Jason and I could have, unfortunately Jason returns to England shortly after but goes back and forth to be apart of his life. 
 
16 years ago 
My father is Troy's part time father figure, he's completely star struck by Troy. He would walk Troy around the neighbourhood and spends every evening with him, showing him to every stranger who passes by. Troy makes me so happy, I love my son so much.
 
15 years ago 
Troy is well into school and he has a little friend who lives around the corner, a little girl a few months younger than him, her name is Samantha. Troy drags me to her house everyday, to give her a flower. He is going to be a ladies man I know it. 
 
14 years ago  
 
My mother suffers a stroke and it leaves our household shaken up. Ava and I repair our friendship, I missed her. My father apologises to Jason for all he puts him through. Jason proposes. I say yes. 
 
10 years ago  
 
I sit in the waiting room of the lawyer's office, after my mother died 3 months ago, my family becomes closer in our time of grieving, 8 year old Troy sits between his Aunty Va as he calls her and I. I sit twisting the ring Jason gave me on his last visit. He is home working hard trying to get enough money for our wedding I feel useless because I don't work, I spend most of my days taking care of my father, he is the most careless diabetic I know. 
"Good morning" the lawyer says addressing us, 
"Good morning" we respond,  as he gestures us to follow him into his office, 
 
"We're here to discuss your mother and wife's will" I sit with Troy on my lap, waiting for the lawyer to begin reading my mother's last wishes when Troy's little voice catches my attention, 
"Mummy" he whispers 
"Yes baby?" Troy is very inquisitive he ask so many questions, it’s hard to keep up sometimes, 
“What’s a will?” his green eyes quiver as he stares into my eyes, 
“It’s a list of things a person who dies leaves behind with their family” he nods content with my explanation. My father did not like that I told Troy that his granny died, but I wasn’t going to lie to him with something like “She’s in the sky” like he suggested. The lawyer goes through the routine of telling us the will is valid and it was my mother Angela Greene’s final testament. 
“To my first daughter Ava Greene, I leave a total of $25’000, to pursue your dreams, which ever one you decide on” Ava smiles but it quickly withers as tears pool in her eyes, Troy hops off of my lap and gives her a hug, 
“To my second daughter Stacey Greene I leave a total of $26’000 and my house in Edgehill Heights, I leave to my beautiful grandson, Troy Stevens” the lawyer reads, I look at my father and he nods, I did not know my mother had so much money and that she owned the house. “This will was revised December 1998 in the presence of Andy Greene” he finishes placing it back in the tan envelope. I bow my head, thinking of her. My mother worked hard her entire life, and I couldn’t even give her the one thing she wanted which was for me to succeed​ in life. I won't fail her again I will raise Troy to be a loving young man, I won't fail you again mother I think.
“What the hell!” Ava shouts “You two always give Stacey everything.” her eyes on our father’s, 
“Ava stop this nonsense!” daddy says standing to leave 
“No! You always give her everything, wanna never cared about what I did, but always gave little miss princess” she says blocking the door, 
“Ava this isn’t the place!” my father roars, anger creeps across his face,
“Ava don’t do this now.” I try calming her down 
“Shut your ass up, you know they love you more. That’s why you get pregnant with that bastard child” she screams I hardly ever react to anything Ava says but as those words left her mouth a surge of anger takes over me. I don’t remember much after that, I just remember being kicked out of the lawyer’s office, Ava pushing Troy to the floor as she got in her car, and I having a bill for a back windshield. I couldn’t live this life anymore, my sister is too bitter and I can’t raise my son in a home with so much hatred. My plan is to take the money from the will, and take my child to England.  

Present day 

Troy Stevens 

I wish things could go back to the way they were. I lie in bed my thoughts conjuring up many ideas of what could happen to my mother as she drove through the thunderstorm outside. I close my eyes trying to drown those thoughts when I hear the front door close, She's back. I sit up listening to her actions as she moves around the house, just as I am about to go apologize I hear her voice,
"Hi daddy" 
"Yes I know, I ain't hear you in long" she is talking to my grandfather the last time I saw him was 2 years ago when we visited on vacation. 
"Troy's fine, just misses him as expected"
"Yeaaa, how is she?" 
"That’s great"
"Dad I think I'm coming home"
"You sound happier than I do" she chuckles
"Yes yes, I know I'll call again soon, I love you" and with that her conversation is over. 
Barbados was my first home but I don’t remember much about it, I know I sound like a Bajan because my mother speaks Bajan dialect all of the time. Barbados was more of a vacation place because we only visited about 5 times since we moved to England, because my aunt Ava is a demon or something like that. I can't believe my mother wants to go back to where we left, we must have left for a reason. Right?