"What do you want, James?" I asked, my tone cold and steady, my gaze unwavering as I fixed it upon him. I maintained eye contact until the small baby in his arms let out a loud cry.
"Can I at least come in?" he whispered, to which I wordlessly acquiesced, shifting aside to allow him entry. He moved swiftly into the house, and in that moment, I noticed a stark change in him. He appeared disheveled, his once vibrant demeanor now replaced by a pallid complexion and dark circles under his eyes, more pronounced than my own. His belongings were in disarray, and the presence of the infant in his arms piqued my curiosity further.
"Who is the baby?" I inquired as I closed the door, preempting his attempt to sit on the couch. His steps halted at the question, and he turned to face me, a familiar expression in his eyes. It was the same look he had given me the night before he departed, leaving me alone with my father. Instead of answering, he studied me for a moment, a silent exchange passing between us.
"Didn't you read the letter I sent you last week?" he asked, catching me off guard. I had never read any of the letters he had been sending over the past twelve years. Since I was eight years old, an orphan, he had diligently sent missives, none of which I had ever bothered to open. Instead, I had relegated them to a box under my bed, untouched.
"It's quite evident that I didn't read your letter," I retorted, my voice icy, causing his face to pale with sadness.
"Why?" he asked, a hint of tears in his eyes.
"Why should I be expected to read them?" I countered, meeting his gaze squarely. "Why would I have to subject myself to those words after you abandoned me, leaving me to fend for myself as an orphaned child?" I shot back, my voice rising in volume. My outburst seemed to startle the baby in his arms, prompting another round of cries. I fell silent, offering no consolation as he attempted to soothe the child.
"Shhh... Adie, don't cry... daddy's here," he murmured softly to the baby, a faint smile gracing his lips. Despite his evident weariness, he displayed a remarkable amount of tenderness towards his child, simultaneously warming my heart and stirring up old wounds. As I watched them, he stole a glance in my direction before resuming the conversation.
"She is my daughter, Adeline Alison," he announced gently, lifting the infant in his arms for me to see. "She's five months old," he added, a broad grin spreading across his face. His joy and affection for his daughter were palpable. I couldn't deny that James was a genuinely kind person, perhaps one of the best I had ever known.
"So, you got married," I stated, my tone still frosty. His grin slowly faded as he regarded me, nodding slightly before responding in a whisper, "Yeah, I did."
As soon as he finished speaking, I let out a cold chuckle, earning a look of confusion from him. "So, you've been enjoying a blissful family life with your five-month-old daughter and your wife, while I've been enduring hell here," I spat out bitterly, my anger palpable. He shook his head in denial.
"No, Jen. That's not true..." he began, but I cut him off.
"Bullshit... James!" I interrupted, raising my voice. "You've been living a beautiful life while I've been suffering every single damn day, both here and in the Orphan School," I continued, my voice growing louder.
"Jen... please lower your voice," he pleaded, cradling the baby's head against his neck and covering it with his hand.
"Oh! Now you care about your kid? Your own kid?" I scoffed, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Now you give a damn about your own child when you didn't even care about me," I shot back, cursing under my breath as I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to regain composure. As I took a moment to collect myself, the baby continued to cry in his arms, held tightly against his chest. With another heavy sigh, I composed myself to continue the conversation.
"Now tell me..." I paused, gathering myself. "Tell me why you're here?" I inquired, but before he could respond, I interjected once more. "What? You came here just to make sure I'm still alive?" I added, a sharp edge to my tone, provoking a reaction from him.
"That's enough now, Jennifer!" he shot back, his eyes reddened with tears. "I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have left you alone, and... I know I should have stayed," he paused, struggling to contain his emotions. "But, I'm still your brother, Jennifer. You shouldn't speak like this," he implored. His words stung, but I refused to back down.
"Why? Because it hurts you?" I retorted sharply. "Come on, James. It doesn't hurt as much as how you and mom betrayed me, leaving me alone," I added, biting down on my lower lip and clenching my fists to control my own tears. I quickly wiped them away, clearing my throat before continuing.
"Now, just tell me why you're here?" I asked, meeting his gaze directly.
"I need some space for a while, and..." he paused, his eyes softening as he looked at me. "I want to talk with you," he added. I merely hummed in response, looking away from him.
"But I'm not," I shot back swiftly. "I have nothing to talk to you about, James Alison," I added before storming into my room. After a few moments, I emerged holding a coat in my hand.
"Where are you going?" James asked as I headed towards the door.
"I'm not going to spend my time having a conversation with you," I declared, slipping on the coat. "So, just stay at my home and leave tomorrow morning," I instructed before swiftly stepping out, slamming the door behind me. Standing outside, tears quietly streamed down my face. I quickly fled from my house, running down to downtown along the main road.
As I walked through the bustling streets, lost in my thoughts about Chris's betrayal and James's sudden return, I found myself wandering aimlessly for miles. It wasn't until an hour later that I realized I hadn't eaten dinner. Exhausted, I let out a heavy sigh and scanned the area for a restaurant or fast-food joint. Spotting a pizza shop on the corner, I wasted no time in heading inside.
As I entered the shop, I placed an order for a small pizza and found a seat by the window. Evening had settled over the small town, with a handful of cars and people bustling about, lending a sense of life to the streets. Through the window, I watched as cars passed by, some returning from work, others heading out for dinner or a night on the town.
Amidst my observations, a small family a few tables away caught my attention. They were a picture of warmth and happiness, celebrating what seemed to be the youngest girl's birthday. The older boy clapped his hands along with his sister and mother, singing the "Happy Birthday" song, while their father captured the moment with a camera, his face beaming with pride. Unconsciously, a small smile tugged at my lips.
"What an adorable family, isn't it?" remarked the waitress as she brought my order, noticing my gaze fixed on the scene. I turned my attention to her as she set down my pizza.
"Yeah," I replied softly, a hint of a smile lingering.
"Almost enough to make jealous," she continued with a small smirk, glancing towards the family. "But I guess I shouldn't be jealous of a five-year-old, should I?" she added, not looking at me.
"Maybe," I paused, redirecting my gaze to the little birthday girl who was joyfully celebrating with her family. "But we all have plenty of reasons to be envious of a five-year-old," I added, settling back into my chair. The waitress turned towards me, intrigued.
"You too?" she inquired, to which I nodded in agreement.
"Twice," I confirmed, meeting her eyes. "The first time was on my fifth birthday, just like that girl," I gestured towards the little one. "My mom left me alone with a drunk dad. She only took her son, my brother, with her. A few years later, I became an orphan," I recounted, taking a sip of water. "And then, on my 19th birthday... I found out my boyfriend had cheated on me and didn't bother showing up," I added with a wry smirk.
"Damn, that's rough," she sympathized with a frown, to which I simply nodded. "So, what about now?" she pressed, leaning closer.
"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled by her question.
"Girl, you look like you've been through the wringer. Something's up," she prodded, resting her hand on my table. "Come on, spill it," she urged, prompting a small chuckle from me before I responded.
"Well, my brother," I began, carefully choosing my words. "He showed up at my door after 14 years, since he followed our mom," I revealed, meeting her gaze.
"Why did he show up?" she asked, her brow furrowing. I shook my head slowly.
"I don't know. He just said... he wants to talk with me," I replied, and she nodded in understanding before offering her thoughts.
"Then why don't you talk with him?" she suggested. "I mean, maybe you're upset or harbor resentment towards him. But, in some ways, it's not his fault. It's just because of your mother," she reasoned.
"Yeah, I know... I know," I groaned, covering my face with my hands in frustration. "I know it's not his fault. But, somehow I don't want... I mean, I can't. I don't have the courage to face him and have that conversation," I admitted.
"Oh, girl," she exclaimed, gently squeezing my shoulder. "You need to get out of here now," she urged before I could respond. I frowned, looking up at her, but she continued before I could interject. "You still have a chance to fix all of this mess. He's come back to you because he wants to do the same. So, get out of here and talk to your brother, rewind it before it's too late," she urged, offering me a reassuring smile, which I reciprocated.
"I think you're right," I conceded, standing up from the table. "I think I need to listen to him," I added, reaching into my coat pocket to pay for the untouched pizza.
"No, no... you don't have to pay," she quickly interjected, stopping me in my tracks.
"Are you sure?" I asked, surprised by her generosity.
"Yes, I'm sure. You don't have to pay for this," she insisted, giving me a wink. "Just go back to your house and talk to your brother," she urged, gesturing for me to leave the shop. I nodded gratefully and quickly exited. Before disappearing from view, I turned back towards her.
"By the way, I'm Jennifer," I introduced myself.
"I'm Maria," she replied with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Maria," I said with a wave before turning to leave. Without hesitation, I sprinted back home, the hope of reconciling with my brother spurring me on. Arriving at my doorstep, I took a deep breath to steady myself before swinging open the door and stepping inside. To my disappointment, James was nowhere to be seen in the living room. Guilt and worry gnawed at me. "Has he already left?" I muttered to myself, scanning the empty room.
"James!" I called out as I searched the kitchen, but my search was interrupted by the sound of a small voice coming from upstairs, from my room. A wide smile spread across my face as I recognized the sound, and I hurriedly ascended the stairs and rushed to my room.
"What are you doing in..." I began, but my words trailed off as I found no sign of James. Instead, lying on my bed, crying softly, was Adeline, the 5-month-old baby. "Where did he go?" I muttered to myself, puzzled. Slowly, I approached the baby, who continued to cry and kick her tiny legs.
"Shhh... Adie. I'm here... Jennie is here," I cooed, gently cradling her in my arms and swaying back and forth. Tentatively, I reached out to touch her cheek, but my movement was halted by her sudden grip on my finger. She clutched onto it tightly, and her crying ceased, replaced by the sweet sound of my giggles at her adorable reaction.
"You're a really lucky girl, Adeline," I murmured, gazing at her tenderly. "You have a wonderful father, even though I don't know who your mother is or why he brought you here with him," I added, softly stroking her tiny hand. "But I'm certain that you have the best dad in the world," I concluded with a warm smile as she drifted off to sleep, her grip on my finger loosening. Carefully, I placed her back on the bed, then left the room to continue my search for James.
"Where could he be going?" I muttered to myself as I made my way back downstairs. "James!" I called out once more, scanning the living room and then the kitchen, and even my workshop room. The thought crossed my mind: had he already left, leaving his child behind? I quickly pushed that unsettling notion away. "No, he wouldn't leave his child alone," I assured myself, shaking my head.
Returning to the living room, my steps halted as I heard a noise emanating from the bathroom. "James, is that you?" I called out, cautiously making my way towards the bathroom. As I approached, the sound of running water reached my ears, easing my worries that James was still in the house. Standing in front of the closed door, I addressed him.
"It's me, Jennifer. I just got home," I announced, my voice soft. "So, if you're finished... we can talk, if you want," I offered, intending to give him space. As I turned to leave, I noticed that the door was slightly ajar, unlocked. Frowning, I called out to James once more, my hand gripping the doorknob.
"James?" I tried again, hoping for a response. "Are you in there?" I waited for a moment, then added, "I'm going to come in, okay?" before pushing open the door to the bathroom.
"What are you..." My words trailed off as I stepped into the bathroom and saw the horrifying scene before me. James lay in the bathtub, his wrists slashed, blood mixing with the water as it flowed down the drain. Panic seized me, and my legs gave way beneath me, sending me crashing to the floor. "James..." I called out, my voice trembling with shock and fear. I knew what I was seeing, but I desperately hoped it wasn't real.
Summoning all my strength, I pushed myself up and rushed to his side. With trembling hands, I turned off the water and pulled him into my arms. Blood and water soaked my clothes as I held him close, trying to rouse him. "James, can you hear me?" I pleaded, shaking his cheek gently. "James... please!"
Leaning over, I pressed my ear to his chest, praying for the reassuring sound of a heartbeat. But there was nothing, just a dreadful silence. "No... no, no," I muttered, my voice breaking as I reached for my phone. "James stay with me...stay with me" I keep holding him while I was calling to the emergency.
"Hello it is from emergency" as the call center answered from the other side I swiftly replied by reporting the urgent situation.
"Please, come quickly... please," I pleaded, my voice desperate. I relayed the urgent situation, begging for help. Once the call ended, I held James tightly, pleading with him. "Please, James. You can't leave me alone. You can't leave your daughter alone. You can't leave us alone... PLEASE!" I cried, shaking his lifeless body, clinging to a glimmer of hope, even though I knew deep down that it was too late.
"I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, James. Please... don't leave me again," I whispered, my voice breaking with sorrow as I held him close, wishing desperately for some miracle to bring him back to me. But as I cradled him in my arms, surrounded by the eerie silence of the bathroom, I knew that he was truly gone. The weight of his absence pressed down on me, a crushing weight that threatened to suffocate me with grief. But even in the depths of my despair, I clung to him, unwilling to let him slip away from me completely.
"I think I am already too late ..."
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This part will contain a little bit violence !!!
I wrote this part, while I was having a huge fever with lots of cry 😭
I cried a lot for 3 of them. 😭😭