Chapter Thirty-Three: Lost times
I woke up to voices yelling at distance. Someone arguing. Someone yelling. And then I heard Kim's cry.
I snapped my eyes open and looked around. I must have slept through the day at her place. Ugh. It was 6 pm already.
I grabbed the glass of water and chugged some down my parched throat. My head was surprisingly alright. I jumped out of the bed and hastily tied my loose hair in a ponytail as I walked out of her room and down the stairs.
I saw four figures hovering around the sofas in the living room. The tension between them was so thick that I could slice it with a knife.
A sinking feeling settled into the pit of my stomach as I made my way to them.
Martin and Kim stood there holding hands while uncle Travis and Kim's step mom, Jenna, looked seriously devastated.
Whose dog or cat died?
"H-hi..." I waved awkwardly.
Kim ran to me and engulfed me with her warmth. She cried on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her, "It's okay Kim. What happened?" I patted her back as she sobbed and sniffled.
"It's okay... you'll be fine." I spoke again.
"Did you know about it too?" Jenna asked, annoyingly.
She was just like every other villain Stepmother out there. Perfectly cunning. No offense, I still believed some step-mums were just like the real ones.
We pulled apart and I nodded at Jenna.
"I thought of you as my daughter and you too hid this from me?" Uncle Travis's broken voice echoed in the room, making me cringe.
He'd been there when my own parents weren't. I had always felt like family with them. And now seeing him hurt, hurt me too.
"I am not approving of this. You have your whole life in front of you. You can't—"
"Yes dad I do! But, this is my life now. I love martin and I love this little one in me." She touched her belly for effects-- so her. I smiled and looped my arm with her. I glanced at Martin awkwardly standing there and went there looping my other arm with him, letting him know we were all in this together.
"It's not just my part anymore, it's me. It's ME!" She yelled, tears streaming down her red face.
I was hurting for her too.
"Okay... uncle Travis, I need to talk to you in private. Now! Please?" I looked straight into his brown eyes-- which Kim had inherited from him.
I gave him my pleading look and he just couldn't refuse.
"No, say whatever you want right here in front of me." Mrs. Richard again barged in, whining.
I almost rolled my eyes at her.
But, before I could say anything uncle nodded and we strode towards his study. I recalled how much time I used to spent here—reading books while Celeste—Kim's mom, used to do her own work, letting me hang with her.
"Talk." His voice was commanding. I didn't like that.
"I know about... you know." I took a deep breath and took the seat from across him.
He was a man with charms still in his old age with gray hair. But, he was also a person of heart just like Celeste was.
"I know you're worried and all that and I guess I know why.... It's not because of Kim. It's because of you. Celeste was like a mother to me, we spent more time together than Kim did with her. She used to share everything with me and one day she told me a story of a beautiful high school couple who made one terrible mistake they couldn't make it right no matter what.
"The girl got pregnant at seventeen and the guy had his whole future in front of him. He loved her but, he didn't want the baby. So, the girl did what he wanted, crushing her own desires, her wishes... and she never forgave herself for that terrible mistake and neither could she forgive her husband. When she'd told me this... I was twelve or thirteen and didn't really connected the dots back then. But, now I'm old enough to understand who that couple was."
I looked up at him from the floor and he had tears in his eyes.
I stood up and hugged him. "Please, you got another chance. Don't do it again. Please, uncle..."
He wrapped his arms around me crying. I held onto him firmly and felt him nod against my head.
"It's their decision. Please, let them explore their options. I know deep inside of you, you desperately want your grandchild."
He pulled away and wiped his tears, slightly smiling at me, "I loved Celeste and I will always be sorry for that wrong decision of my life. I wish I can go back and give Kim her elder brother or sister back..."
I wiped my tears and smiled, "I think she's happy with me."
He chuckled with me and half hugged me.
"You shouldn't blame yourself anymore. What done is done but you can control the future."
He smiled and patted my head. "When did you grow up?"
I blushed and shrugged.
He nodded, smiling. "You're right, Elle."
"Let's get out of here and decide my grandson or granddaughter's names."
I chuckled and started walking, "Wait," I turned to him, "Kim doesn't know about—I know the high school story... I just want it to be that way."
"I understand. She won't know you know."
"Thank you."
"I understand why Celeste told you... I'm blessed to have two daughters."
"Oh man," I sucked in breath, looking up at the ceiling, "don't make me cry again!" He hugged me again and I let him.
"Let's have some red velvet cupcakes."
I smiled, wiping away the tears. "I'm famished!"
***
I grabbed two cupcakes and laughed at a joke Martin cracked. Jenna left when Uncle Travis announced his final decision of letting the kids decide. It made her ferocious and she couldn't bare it.
Good thing!
Kim had been asking me what I said to change her father's mind, but I'd been dodging her questions. Finally she let it go and said she loved me and that we were sisters from different mothers.
I was about to take a bite of my cupcake when my phone buzzed. Hoping it might be Nobody, I fished it out.
Not only was I disappointed, but nostalgia hit me hard. It's been a week since I had talked to mom and dad. A week of not seeing them. It shouldn't bother me since they had never really been in the picture but no matter what, I had started to miss home. Miss arguing with Mom and miss making funny faces at dad when he wasn't looking. Miss Marissa and her cooking, talking with her, and telling her about Evan.
Tears swelled in my eyes and Kim noticed. She grabbed my phone and then looked up at me. "You should go. No postponing it anymore, Elle. Face your problems. Go..."
She yelled, "John, pack some cupcakes for Elle."
I heard John's faded acceptance. I stood up said my bye to Martin and Uncle Travis.
She kissed me in the cheek at the door, smiling. "Go Elle Make things right. I know you can."
I hugged her one last time, took my to-go cupcakes and sat in the backseat. Because I didn't bring my car, she let her driver drop me home.
I texted mom 'On my way', and kept my eyes shut and relived last night like crazy in my head.
I walked up the porch steps and rang the bell. Marissa opened the door, grinning at me and opened her arms to hug me. I wanted to step aside and ignore her for what she did to me but, I broke. I needed her.
I let her wrap her arms around me. "I missed you Ms. Michelle."
I smiled against her but, didn't say anything.
Pulling away I only nodded and made my way to my parent's study.
I knocked once, and walked inside not waiting for them to let me in.
Mom was sitting on one of the chairs in front of dad's wooden desk while he sat on the other side of the desk.
Mom looked like a mess and even dad looked like himself.
I felt awful for letting them get through this because of me. I didn't mean to hurt them. I was hurt.
Mom stood up and hugged me. "Elle... we have missed so much honey."
I hugged her back, nodding against her.
I glanced at dad and he had a small smile. "Good to see you back, Michelle." His tone was still professional but, I could tell he was trying to make efforts.
I sat on the other side where bookshelves were lined and opened a random book with a strange looking bookmark.
Mom walked to me and took the book from me. Her eyes never leaving the front of it. "I remember reading it when I was pregnant."
A bile formed in the back of my throat and I looked back at dad. He was standing and slightly leaning against the desk, looking at me. His face not giving away anything.
I looked back at mom and she had tears running down her cheeks.
She sat on the couch beside me and grabbed my hand in hers. I could feel her shaking and it made me worry.
"Mom..." I whispered.
She sniffed and nodded. "There's something you don't know Elle."
I swallowed that stupid bile and nodded at her, prompting her to tell me.
"I-I wasn't pregnant with just you. I was pregnant with twins."
And just like that I felt my world turn upside down. My stomach dropped on the floor.
"W-what?" My voice broke.
She nodded, tears never stopping. "You had a twin brother."
Had a twin brother.
It echoed in my entire body.
"He was dead by the time doctors pulled him out of me." My tears broke free. I had a brother?
Oh my god....
I couldn't breathe.
"That's why we were never around for your birthday. The wounds inside us are still fresh and raw, Elle." Dad spoke and came to me. He knelt down and wiped my tears. "It's not your fault. We know. But it's just a painful reminder. Excruciatingly painful."
I nodded. "I understand."
I did understand now.
Mom shook her head. "Not anymore. We understand something too. If we had lost your brother, we still had you. Alive and healthy."
Dad nodded, tears swimming in his eyes. "We won't be missing another birthday of yours. We promise."
A sob escaped my lips and I hugged them both.
We all just stayed like that for hours and I still didn't want to leave but they got pulled in for urgent meeting.
Mom didn't want to leave. So dad pulled some strings and she got to stay with me.
We watched couple of movies and I forgave Marissa too. Because I realized it wasn't her secret to tell, no matter what.
It wasn't enough to make up for all the lost times but I could feel it was at least a beginning of something better.
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