EVA'S P.O.V
Secrets and pasts go deep, and are supposed to remain hidden - until and unless the right time and person comes to resurface them. The truth isn't supposed to be recovered if the situation doesn't allow. But sometimes the biggest revelations are made in the most unexpected times when you least expect it. For instance the moment right now, I would have never thought in my craziest dreams that I would share my past with Ace. The person who has made my life hell by becoming a part of it.
"What?...I mean how?" Ace was shocked and for the first time in my life I had seen him showing this expression of shock. If the situation was different I would have laughed at him.
Okay fine, I am going to laugh at him. Now.
And so,
I laughed.
"Your...your face." I said between my chuckles. Ace looked at me with the same expression he gives me - 'you-are-completely-and-utterly-crazy.'
What? This is no movie okay? So I am not obliged to follow the cliché things we see on the screen. This is as real as possible.
"Okay, fine. I am sorry." I said and then took a deep breath as I time travelled to the time when it all happened.
THIRD PERSON P.O.V.
May 2009, Virginia
The day was dark due to the stormy clouds spread in the infinity sky. The only house in miles, The John's house, was surrounded with lush green trees and shrubs but their lush seemed to be dull today, matching the darkness falling around. The shouting could be heard even outside as the residents of the sole house screamed and yelled.
"How could you do this to me Liliana?" Zach shouted from one end of the house.
"I am sorry Zach. But please try to understand. I want this baby. I want to raise this child just like we did Eva. I know this will work." Liliana, Eva's mother, tried to convince her husband Zach who was hell bent on aborting the 7 and a half month child in her womb. They both were the happiest couple when the good news reached them the last year. But now Zach had changed, he was not the same person he was the last year. The addiction of drugs and being a member of a gang was bound to have a effect on him. His wife and daughter only knew that he worked in some kind of private company which gave contracts to him but they were oblivious to Zach's dark activities.
"You know we can't raise the child Liliana. I don't have that much of money. I cannot afford another child. My contracts do not give me enough money." Zach reasoned.
"But you were so happy back then. We were so happy. How could I give away all our happiness now? How can we - How..." Liliana was crestfallen as the tears made way in her eyes at the thought of killing a 7 months child yet to be born. How can they do anything so insensitive?
Zach rushed to her wife's side as she was about to fall. He supported her and made up sit on the sofa nearby.
"Honey. We have to do this. We can't have a child whom we cannot raise. No one deserves such a life. It's better if we don't get him/her into this world. It's better to end it's life then to-" But Zach was slapped hard by his wife before he could complete himself.
He was shaking with anger. But he controlled it and left the room, leaving Liliana contemplating her actions until she reached a decision. A decision which was going to have serious consequences but she knew that even after the days of fighting, her husband was never going to accept the unborn child. She had to leave.
And that is what she did.
She left everything behind and ran. She wanted to take Eva with her but she didn't know what she was about to do. She can't ruin the life of a 10 year old girl for her other unborn child. Eva would be fine with Zach, she thought and with the reassurance that her daughter would be fine with him she left town with her unborn child.
But it was not that easy. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. But she never gave up. She made way for herself.
September 2009, somewhere in south America
The labor pain had subsided. But the sore body reminded Liliana of the pain she just went through. But it was all worth the happiness she possessed in her hands at right now. The just born child was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. His tiny hands were curled around her one finger as he held onto her tightly.
"He knows his mother." Liliana cooed softly.
"I have worked so hard for this, baby. I left everything behind and started a new life in this small town, away from our family. The three part time jobs I do, the loneliness I had felt, the life that I left two months back - you are worth it. I know your father doesn't understand this. But I do. I do and I will always protect you. No matter what happens I won't let anything or anyone ruin your future." She talked to her baby.
"Have you named the baby yet, Lily?" The nurse asked entering the room. She knew her as Lily often came there for the daily check ups.
"Oh not yet. But let me see." I said and started thinking.
"Yeah. I have been looking at thousand names every day. I got the one best for him. His name would be Aaron. Aaron Johns." Liliana said smiling at the small child who just entered this new world, not knowing what life had in store for him.
"Cute name!" The nurse squealed and they celebrated the birth of the boy.
"I love you so much, Aaron." Liliana said as she hugged the baby.
2011, Beaufort, North Carolina, US
The thing about small towns is that you can blend in the surroundings and people and live a normal, boring and peaceful life. But these alone were not the only reasons for which Liliana had chosen to take shelter in a small town, it was so that she could hide. She wanted to hide from her past and start a new life.
Everything was going well at first but after two years, she was surely having negative thoughts which reflected in her life. The struggles and problems were a constant in her life the past two years. But she was holding onto the fact that it was for her dear child Aaron. But now she was not sure if she had taken the right decision by running away.
It was not like Aaron was a burden or something but as a mother she wanted the best for him but clearly she wasn't doing the best things in his life. The daily wages she earned was just enough to feed Aaron and herself. All the money she earned got used up in the expenses like school fees, grocery, house rent, bills and all the list of necessary things required for survival.
She didn't want to feel helplessness when she couldn't buy her child all the expensive things his friends had.
She didn't want to ruin his childhood by burdening him with the struggles she faced while raising him.
She didn't want to make fake excuses whenever he asked for something which she couldn't afford.
She didn't want this for her child. She didn't want to to look in the innocent eyes of a child and lie about his father and sister.
That day, she was coming back with Aaron after grocery shopping like always. Aaron was riding his bike along the streets while Liliana talked to her manager about some work on phone. Being a two year old, excitement got the best of Aaron as he tilted his bike towards the middle of the road, and at that very second a car was about to pace through that point.
The second Liliana saw Aaron going towards the middle of street, she dashed trying to save him. But she was too far and the car was only a meter away or so. A panicked fear waved inside Liliana as the thought of losing her child came to her. At the spur of the moment, a man came out of oblivion and picked Aaron from his bike just as the car tried to slow down - only to push the bike without Aaron, a few feet away.
A wave of relief swam over Liliana as she was able to breathe again. The car had pushed the bike a few feet and if Aaron would have been there he would have got seriously hurt. She rushed towards the man who had picked up her child in his arms, and held Aaron close to her - never wanting to leave him. She hastily looked over Aaron's body to see if he had got hurt and after being satisfied that he was okay, she kissed his forehead and holding him close to herself. She then turned towards the man and thanked him for saving her child.
That night, she was doing some serious thinking. She was again back where she started two years ago. She was stuck in the same situation wherein she had to do what was best for her child.
The day's events made her realize how careless she was. She couldn't shake the feeling of what would have happened if Aaron would have got hurt. She wouldn't have been able to save him. The amount of money that would have been required for his treatment was something she could not have afforded. The sad reality was that she would never be able to keep him safe. She was not capable and strong enough to raise a child.
She was on the verge on losing her son today which was like losing her own life. She couldn't risk it anymore. She has to think about the long run. Being a mother it was her duty to put her son above everything else. She had been a very bad mother to Eva when she left her but she would not do it to her son.
And ironically, she had to leave him for his own good. She couldn't take him with her to her husband as he would never accept him. She had to leave him in good hands.
The next morning, she went to her nurse friend and talked about the best orphanage somewhere far from here. After many considerations, hesitancies and obstacles she was finally set to leave him. It was a very good orphanage in Ric Hillwood. She visited the place a few times, checked it's facilities and everything and after one month of doing all this, she was finally on her way to the orphanage with Aaron. They reached the place and Liliana knew she was going to have one of the worst moments of her life.
"Why have we come here mom?" Aaron asked her.
The tears were threatening to come as she listened to the child. Years back, she was the one who slapped Zach for talking about killing the child in her womb and there she was, giving away her life's most prized possession. She was thrilled about becoming a mother, it was an emotion which could not be described in words. The happiness and sense of tenderness was something which she could not forget. So undoubtedly she wasn't able to give up her baby that time. But now, it was different. She knew there were no reason which could justify her actions but she didn't know what else to do.
She was not able describe the moment when she left her child, in that orphanage. The lies she told him to keep him there caught up to her as she burst out into tears as soon as she was out of there. She didn't know how long she cried for or where all she cried. The pain was too much. She was on the verge of giving up. But she couldn't.
She had a daughter also to think about. She had to return, she was not fully sure but she knew Aaron would have a good life but she was sure that Eva wouldn't. She had to return, and so she did.
She returned, and was greeted by many questions, accusations, cries and yelling from her husband. She got through everything. She lied the last time by telling him that she ran because she needed space and time to think. She even lied about that fact that Aaron was alive. She told him that she had an abortion and was alone the last two years, figuring herself out. It took time but she explained him all her lies.
But she didn't even look at her. Her child Eva didn't even ask where she was. Eva had locked herself in her room for hours before she spoke her first word to her mother after two years.
"Honey, open the door." Liliana asked Eva.
Inside, Eva was crying like hell. She was very happy to see her mother after two years. But the anger was more. The last two years had been so difficult for her. She was going through a phase wherein she needed her mother the most. Life had been so unfair to her that it was not entirely her fault that she was angry. The time when she needed someone to rely on, someone to talk to - she didn't have anyone. Her father had mostly been out because of the guilt and sadness he had due to her mom leaving. But how was this her fault?
Why was was she the one who had to be all alone?
"Why did you leave me mother?" She said sobbing, with the door still separating her from Liliana.
"I am so sorry sweetheart. I didn't mean to. But I needed time." She tried to explain. But her apology could not compensate for the two years that she was not there.
"I needed you. But you weren't here." Eva cried uncontrollably.
"I know honey. I am so so sorry, Eva. I did not mean to leave you here alone. I didn't have any other choice dear. But I missed you so much. I felt really bad for leaving you. But I couldn't come even if I wanted to. Honey, there are situations when you have to hurt someone to save someone else. I am not saying you are not important to me. I know there is no reason which can give you back the two years you spend without me but I promise you that I would make up for it." Liliana said truthfully. She was crying too, she couldn't see her child in pain.
Eva couldn't take it more too. She opened the door and threw herself on Liliana as they both cried together, trying to make up for the last two years they spent apart.
25th September 2015, Virginia
After the passage of few years, a boring-normal life had followed the John House. But the monotonous life was something which made Liliana and Eva happy. Even though Zach was stuck in the world of the deals and gangs, Liliana and Eva found a way to be happy. Eva had forgiven her mother ages ago and everything was going well.
"What happens to you every year at this time?" Eva asked jokingly to her mother as they both prepared the lunch.
But that small, genuine question made Liliana realize that her tough act did not work in front of her daughter. She felt proud seeing the young 15 year old girl, who was going to be a very strong women in her life.
"Mom what happened? Why are you so tense?" Eva asked her mother. Liliana tried to hide her worry beneath a fake smile but she knew better than that.
"Mom you have been a wreck since the last two days. I think it's high time you tell me what is bothering you." Eva said angrily. She couldn't see her like that, broken.
"Eva..I haven't told you something..something very big..I didn't know how to tell you..but I can't hide it more...I just don't want you to get angry or hate me I don't - "
Eva cut her off by saying - "I can never hate you mom, I love you more than anything else in this world. You can talk to me without any hesitancy." She said comforting her.
"Do you remember the time when I ran away? I was pregnant at that time, the reason why I did that was........."
The clock hands ticked as the stories of past were told which led to tears, relief, realization, shock and many other feeling to stir in the atmosphere around.
EVA'S P.O.V
"So your mother ran away, gave birth to Aaron and then had to come back to you." Ace said.
"Yes." I said taking a deep breath.
"Why did you forgive her so easily even after she left you?" Ace asked confused.
"I loved her. And if I loved her, there was no room for anger. I know I was angry with her, very angry. But more than angry, I was sad. I was alone. She was not there with me when I needed her the most. There was no one with whom I could talk because there are somethings which we talk about with our mother only. But I didn't have her for that for 2 years. But after everything I went through, I could not just be selfish and look at my side of the story. I didn't know about Aaron at that time or I would have not being angry with her for even a second. But oblivious to the struggles she had, I was angry at her. But at the end of the day, I loved her. I loved her more than anything else in the world and I do love her now also. And if you love someone you can't be angry with them forever. Love blooms forgiveness." I said.
"But it isn't so easy to forgive everyone Eva." Ace said looking distantly.
"It is Ace. If you love someone, you will know that it is not possible to live without them. And that is when you will forgive that person instantly." I said looking at Ace.
"So after she told you all this that day, what did you do?" Ace asked me with curiosity.
"That night, it was rough. It was scary......." I stopped as my throat went dry.
"Are you-" I cut off Ace by saying.
"I know that you know that there is more to that night. The night it all happened. I am glad that you don't push me to tell me. So, thank you." I said sincerely. He knew that night only when I told him half the story that happened that night when Zac beat my mother up. I knew from the look he gave me. I don't know why but I couldn't tell him that, at least not yet. It was an incident which I had not admitted even to myself.
"You can tell whenever you are ready. "Ace said.
"So yeah, after she told me. I couldn't do anything at that very second. But after I survived through the night, I ran away from home. I left Virginia and came to Ric Hillwood in search of the orphanage that my mother mentioned. Looking for my brother, I spent days and then I settled there only when I found him. I haven't told him all this yet. He doesn't even know that I am his sister. Hell he thinks I am some creepy friend who visits him often." I said.
"But if you ran away from home after that night only, then did you mom-" Ace stopped.
"yeah, she left me that day only." I said completing his sentence.
"Okay now, my turn of Lights, camera and reveal is done." I said trying to ease up the air around.
He nodded and looked at me, trying to say something. But he could only open and close his mouth.
"You need to stop doing that. It makes you look like a fish, and you do not make a good fish. You would make a egoistic, arrogant, stupid, brooding and hell of a fish who doesn't -"
I shut up when the next words spilled out of Ace's mouth-
"I am sorry. I am sorry for your mother and I am sorry for using your brother Aaron to force you to marry me." He said sounding sorry.
That's a ...... drastic change. But I think I had forgiven him a long ago for that.
"It's fine. And you need to stop apologizing to me unless you want me to die from a cardiac arrest, seriously." I said.
A/N
**I have named the place that EVA AND ACE live with their families and friends(their home) as RIC HILLWOOD. It's a fictional place.**
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