Defying Desires

Chapter 27- Disbelief

"How's Jay?"

"He's doing well. Better than last week." I gave her a sparkling beam.

"That's how it is. One step at a time. You'll see. Everything in your life will be restored back to normal."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm going to get ready now. You can close early and go home and be with your family."

I nodded. "Extend my greetings to Daniel."

"Oh I will, dear."

An hour later, Mrs Cooper had left. I spent two more hours in the supermarket as customers trooped in and out. As compared to initial weeks I started working in Clayton's, the sales had been good. More customers came in and purchased items worth two hundred dollars and more. The supermarket had been nearly stocked and the hooligans who took advantage of Mrs Cooper in her wretched state had stopped venturing in like the scumbags they were.

My phone beeped and it was a text from Jane. We had lunch at a later time in the day. I wanted to take a rain check but I was reminded that was how I would free myself from this chain of thoughts that was trying to kill me. I didn't know where all these succumbing thoughts and depressive moods were coming from. I'd  admit a lot had happened especially last week but was that all to make me feel like crushed soda can?

I texted her back and commenced to close the supermarket. I took the lead and met her at the same diner we ate at during the time Papa was undergoing his prosthesis.

I sat in the booth, gazing outside at the different people who walked up and down the streets. You'd think I was looking at them for very long, but that was only a few seconds. My mind started to wander off an obscure place in no time. The sudden jolt of the glass door brought me back to life, thankfully it was Jane.

"Hey, how are you." She straightened her in the seat. I realized the small dark circles around her eyes. With how everything was going, she barely even had time for herself.

"I've been good and you." I let out in bored undertone.

She shrugged and averted her gaze to the transparent windows. "Hope Jay's fine?"

"Yes." I rubbed my eyes to ease the hurting sensation that was cropping in them.

"That kid. He's very strong." Jane chuckled.

"He is."

"So have you pressed the charges yet?"

I clenched my fists as the words ran out of her mouth. Then it struck me, what if that was why I'd been losing my sanity these days. That the imbecile who almost killed my brother was being let off the hook. I swore if we had ordered something, I would have brutalized it with my bare hands.

"No!" I get so irked whenever the whole thought appeared in my head. "Papa said he should go. That it doesn't matter."

"What? Why?" Jane had called the server but shrugged him away at my reply.

"I don't know. I swear I want to put that bastard behind bars." I knew I was sounding vindictive and I didn't care. Alaric had caused me so much pain already and the one time he could get the taste of his own poison, the chalice had been turned to another person. Which was me again. I had to bear the pain of his stupid acts. At this point, I was boiling in a fit of rage. 

"I can't believe he'll let him go scoot free." Jane chimed.

"He said the fact that Jay is fine and that Alaric took full responsibility of his actions, he's should be forgiven. And what even tore my veins was when he said Alaric is a public figure. So that can cost him reputation and good image."

"Alaric has no image. The only image he has is that of Frankenstein."

"Can you believe Papa?" I ran my hands through my hair as I shut my eyes tightly, allowing the anger to slip down. "I hate him Jane. I would gladly kill him and I wouldn't care the ankh I'd have to bear."

"He was supposed to pay for the bills. Heck, that bike bastard had no option. He ran into Jay."

"You think. But the moment, I try to engage Papa into this conversation. I end up getting forgive like Jesus talk. I'm tired. This whole thing with Alaric has made me tired. Mentally, emotionally and physically. He's draining me, Jane."

"Well I'm sorry about that sis. I really wanted to see him behind bars." She pounded her fist gently on the table.

"You know he's not worth it. Let's order something and get out of here." All this talk was even making me more hungry than angry.

As we proceeded to gobble our meals, we engaged in a different small talk. One that took my mind off my detest for Alaric. Not even Alan would change my mind if I had to point a gun to his brother's head. I should even slapped him some more at the hospital. Next time, he wouldn't mess with me.

We spent an hour and half at the diner and decided to head home. Jane came with me as she wanted to see how Jay was doing. We hauled a cab that would take us directly home.

"Thinking about it, maybe Papa has a plan for letting Alaric go." Jane said when the cab made the another turn on the road.

"He doesn't. He's too good. I said, disdainfully." Maybe for the first time, I was vexed with Papa. Pissed off at him for taking the side of a complete stranger who was a complete asshole. Was that how to seek justice for your son?

As the cab made the final turn to our apartment, I could spot a black car parked at our house. It was visible as our resident townhouses were aligned horizontally. Just three houses to mine, and I saw Papa, Jay and Leigh Anne on our front yard.

"Is that Alaric?" Jane sat upright and turned to me.

Oh, it was him alright. I couldn't believe it.

"What the hell is he doing here!" I barked, slamming my fist into the headrest of the passenger's seat. The driver gave me grim sallow features all of which I ignored.

My eyes followed Alaric as he waved a final goodbye to my family and hopped in his car. Just then the cab parked right behind his.

I jumped out of the cab in such a speed that I tripped and fell. The time it took for  me to wince in pain and get up, the vile bastard was long gone.

I felt my teeth seeth and my muscles tense.

This was getting so much worse than I ever imagined.