When Love Dies | 1 ✔

Chapter 50

I reminisced my childhood and how great he was to me. Jason,  my second best friend. I knew we were meant to be Soulmates from the day he called me ‘Princess’ and promised to marry me. He was my Prince Charming!

Although he left without notice, and I felt downcast by his sudden disappearance from my life, he returned and made me the happiest girl in the world.

He was the reason behind my crazy butterfly sensations, my first date, my first kiss, my fist Love. He was literally my first everything and yet death knocked, entered and took him away from me.

"I wish I could turn back the hands of time."  I whispered to myself, eyes still shut, "At least he'd still be right here with me."
There was surprisingly no tears left to shed. It was apparent that I had lost him. Perhaps if I had told him not to go, to stay with me when he begged to be with me during the final stage of the surgery, then he'd be here. He'd gaze at me with those eyes I've always wished I could see. He'd tell me that everything was alright and boost my confidence.

I wish he had stayed behind!

"Now that your Love is dead, you have to move on Cassieopeia!" Mom's voice startled me. She sat on the armchair so close to me but I didn't know she heard my soliloquy. Whenever she called me by my full name, I knew she meant business.

"You have your eyes back, so you can see now which means you have a great life ahead of you. Forget about Jason!" She replied again.

But could I forget him?

"How dare you talk to her like that Stephanie? You are her mother for Pete's sake." Dad startled us both.

"Yes, I am her mother and I am doing the right thing. She needs to see the truth." She stated matter of fact.

"Poppycock! Can't you see how miserable and forlorn she looks? You can't just say something like that to her and expect her to feel better." Dad argued. I had never seen him this enraged. He looked at mum with disgust which gave me a fright.

"If I don't, who will? I believe it's high time we opened her eyes to see that this Jason has brought nothing but misery ever since he stepped into our lives." She retorted and we all gasped.

"That's the absurdest thing you've ever said. We both know that this man has been responsible for almost all the good things Cassie has ever experienced. You owe him so much instead of this trash you're insinuating." Dad spat.  I didn't know whether to butt into their conversation or remain quiet. I opted on the latter, waiting for what mum had to say.

"They are both Gold diggers. Himself and his sister." Mum replied. Tess fumed and stood up, ready to defend herself and her brother but Ana held her back. That didn't stop her though as she lashed angrily at mum.

"With all due respect ma'am, my brother and I want nothing to do with your money. Not now, not ever!" She said.

"Then stay away from my daughter. Stay away from us! We don't need you in our lives. It's your fault that my daughter is in this deep pain." Mum yelled and couldn't hold myself anymore. I sat upright and gave her a piece of my mind.

"Mum, you can't dictate who comes and goes away from my life. I'm not a child anymore. Jason and Tess are one of the most amazing people I've ever come across. They've never asked for money, never tried to defraud or swindle me. And how can you ever say that Jason is the reason behind my pain mum? How can you?" I sniffled, my voice was getting husky as a result of choked up tears.

"Have you forgotten when I wanted nothing to do with school and education in general? It was Jason who helped me. He made me want to read, he encouraged me to go to school. What about when Ana was too engrossed with cartoons that she paid less attention to me? Jason carved his way into being my friend and managed to play with me in my moments of isolation. What about when I got into the University and no boy seemed to glance my way because I was blind? Jason refused to acknowledge my flaws but loved me in the fiercest way possible. He refused my wish to make love to me when I literally begged him to. He saw more than what I or anyone else saw. He wanted to marry me; to make me his princess and we'd live in a mansion where he would be my forever Prince Charming." I grinned in thought.

"When I gave up and didn't want to get operated on, he calmed me down and encouraged me to fight; Life gave me an opportunity to be happy so why didn't I grasp it? He made me see reasons to fight and here I am. I can see, all thanks to him." I answered.

"So you see mum, he was more than you imagined him to be. I fell in love with that man and no matter what you or anyone has to say about it, you can't change my feelings towards him. I love Jason and choose to believe that he's alive." I ended with a strong conviction which made dad, Ana and Tess beyond impressed.

"But you heard what they said; he fell from the Brooklyn Bridge. I doubt he'd survive." Mum said after a while of silence.

"Keep your doubts to yourself. We're all worried about the young man but we've got to hope that he made it." Said Dad. I wondered if mum would debate on that again but she fell silent.

"Fair enough!" That was all she said before looking away, her head towards the window.

We became still, each one of us, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. No one said a thing, we all just stayed still, only our eyes, noses and minds functioned.

Well, not until the shrill ringtone of dad's mobile phone startled us all. I clasped my right hand against my chest to fully recover from the shock. Dad muttered an excuse and walked back to the former position where he made calls to certain people concerning Jason's whereabouts. My instincts told me, he was on the line with the same source.

I tried reading his lips to grasp the conversation but I sucked at lipreading. I barely began to see and I was jumping into watching how lips moved to know what someone said? Yeah, good luck with that!

I switched my attention instead to Ana who typed away on her own mobile phone. I watched as her forehead creased a little and her fingers quivered. She was definitely in panic and I became petrified of the cause.

"What's wrong Ana? You don't look okay." I asked.

Oh God, please make it a good news or something that has to do with her boyfriend giving her a happy surprise text through the phone. I prayed, ish.

"It's already on the internet. News reporters have posted so much on it, it's totally gone viral." She replied, making my heart skip and my body perspirate.

"Go on." I urged her to finish her explanation.

"Well, according to this post, they found some blood left in his car which matched Jason's. There was no body found but in totality, they believe he's dead." Ana finished. There were tears in her eyes and that turned up the switch in mine.

Tears blurred my vision as dad walked up to us, with a look of downright melancholia. I scooted over to him and grabbed both of his shoulders.

"Dad tell me it isn't true! Tell me Jason is alive and well. Please... Tell me." I whimpered as another round of tears flowed. This time I had no control over it and frankly, I cared less. Not with this sort of news. Through the corners of my eyes, I saw Tess go on her knees in agony as Ana offered her comfort. I stole a glance at mum, even she had a look of worry which she struggled to hide.

Dad pulled me to his warm embrace. I felt his heartbeat accelerating and I knew he was about to speak, to confirm the one news I wished would be a lie.

"It's true my darling. Jason is dead!"