Saving Mona

Chapter 19 (Part 2)🎼

After the song, his voice took a softer note, and he ended it with some notes from the guitar. Amazed, I clapped for him. The sound startled him as he had forgotten I was there.

"Thanks," he glowed shyly, putting the guitar carefully on the desk. When I had his attention, I gushed.

"That was beautiful, Dwayne. I never knew you could sing."

He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. It was apparent he was not used to compliments about his voice, which made me wonder if I was the only one who knew he could sing.

"Do you want anything, water, juice?" he inquired after quickly standing up. However, before I could comment on what I wanted, he was out of the room. I giggled. He was probably uncomfortable with me, still impressed by his singing skills.

Deciding to know a little more about Dwayne, I stood up. I started with the posters hanging on the wall. I wasn't surprised to see most of them were rappers, but I was surprised to see a sign of Demi Lovato. I saved the image for whenever Dwayne chose to annoy me.

As I continued with the posters, I came across a white wall shelf that held some pictures, medals, and trophies. The temptation to look was too much, and so I succumbed to it.

He was a little younger in the first picture, and the twins were looking three or four. Dr. Miah was also younger, but the difference wasn't much; he still had his kind smile back then. They were all smiling brightly; Ocean, ever the troublemaker, was trying to climb Dwayne, and River was being held By Dr. Miah. It was a happy picture of a happy family, one I didn't have a chance of having.

I quickly moved to the next pictures to distract me from my thoughts. Thankfully, they weren't like the first, so I didn't have to worry about any more depressing thoughts. The pictures were celebratory pictures of him winning medals or trophies. I found myself smiling as I watched Dwayne grow a little through the images. I was about to quit my snooping when my eyes caught two pictures. They were placed almost out of sight like Dwayne didn't want to be reminded by their presence.

I reached out to take one and peered curiously at it. What I saw emitted a little gasp from me. In the picture, a beautiful woman holding a little Dwayne was smiling at me. The resemblance she shared with Dwayne was uncanny; it was apparent she was his mother. But what happened? I had never seen her before.

Her curly hair was styled in a messy bun, and her honey-colored eyes shone with love and playfulness. She had a button nose and full pouty lips that were stretched in a wild smile. Her black skin was glowing as she held a squealing Dwayne. She looked happy. Dwayne looked happy. They looked happy. So what had happened?

It was at that moment I realized I knew nothing about Dwayne. He wasn't secretive, but he wouldn't say anything unless he was asked or unless he felt like telling. I understood that when I first learned about the twins. We could have graduated, and I still wouldn't have known if not for that Brian-caused incident.

Feeling a headache on its way, I rubbed my forehead and dropped the picture to take the other one. In this picture, a heavily pregnant woman clothed in bright colors stood next to a much older Dwayne with a hand on Dwayne and the other on her bulging tummy. She was a clear contrast to Dwayne's mother.

She had straight brown hair that framed her face and reached her waist. Her big brown eyes, similar to Ocean's, were creased as she smiled in pure adoration at the person holding the camera. Unlike Dwayne's mother, her bright smile was full of mischief. Dwayne, in the picture, was staring blankly at the camera. He was looking moody, but it wasn't hard to see it was an act. His mouth was quirked up in a small smile, and his eyes were twinkling in joy.

I put the picture back and went to sit.

Who is the other woman?

Where is she now?

Where is Dwayne's mum?

"Here you go."

So lost in thought was I, that I didn't notice Dwayne's arrival till he tried to blind me with the tray holding a cup of juice. I shot him a disgruntled look and took the juice.

"Thanks," I muttered. I took a big sip of the cold liquid and swirled it around my tongue, tasting it. It was pineapple juice, and it tasted great.

"So, what were you doing while I was trying to locate the juice?" he queried, settling himself next to me. I took another sip as I pondered if telling him what I'd seen was the right thing. What would his reaction be like?

"I was taking a look at your pictures." I gestured towards the self.

Dwayne grew quiet for a while before saying anything.

"I guess you saw the pictures, huh?"

I nodded.

"And let me guess, you have questions?"

Another nod.