"Nothing beats a mother's love." I love you, mom.
KENDRA'S POV.
I got myself comfortably seated on the couch beside Kenna seeing as I had been on my feet for more than thirty minutes now.
"So, Kendra, I am terribly sorry I've missed out on so much in your life already, but I promise to try to be there for the rest of the days I have left." My dad spoke before turning to Kenna.
"And Kenna, I am so sorry again, for everything I did to you in the past. I just- I couldn't stand the pain nor the loss I felt each time I looked at you. I am so sorry, can you ever forgive me?" he wheezed.
"Dad, it's okay. A wise young woman once indirectly told me to cherish and make the most of every little moment I get to spend with loved ones. I plan on actually listening to her." She smiled.
My father's wife had left us to have a moment with him, of course after she continuously apologized.
That made me realize something, she wasn't a terrible woman. No, she was a hurt woman.
A woman whom her husband cheated on, though that doesn't excuse her actions, it does give her a little justification.
My father and his wife had an arranged marriage. And a few months after, they found out she couldn't bear children.
She felt empty. Worthy to be called a woman, just not woman enough to be called mother. She was already broken, and to add salt to injury, she finds out about her husband's affair and his illegitimate child.
She needed some sort of redemption, and taking that child alongside her husband from that woman, gave her a little bit of that sense.
Nineteen years ago, she finally got pregnant, but she was just too deep into maltreating Kenna, she didn't know how to stop.
I could totally relate to her. In her hurt, she used Kenna as an outlet for her pain, whereas I used Ethan to conceal what I really felt.
And unlike her, my errors aren't that easy to forgive, neither is Ethan willing to offer me such luxury and besides, he already moved on with his life.
"Tell me about your baby dear." My father told me.
"That's not a good idea da- "
"Kenna," I stopped her. "It's okay." I turned to my dad.
"I won't only tell you about my daughter but also everything you've missed out on."
And that was how my father, my sister, and myself spent the entire night listening to stories.
My dad told us about how he fell in love with my mom, yet the circumstances of life just weren't in their favor.
Surprisingly, Kenna also had a lot to share. I guess my father had missed his fair share of his time in both our lives.
I also went through a major recovery that night. I opened up about how I began to feel after finding out I had been adopted, which was in high school, opened up about college, Luke, Belinda, Emily, Olivia, and the hardest of all Ethan.
Especially, coming to terms with his new fiancée.
"He doesn't know what he's missing." My dad spoke, placing a kiss on my forehead and going to bed, again, assisted by his wife.
"What is his prognosis?" I turned to Kenna who sighed.
"Kidney failure. That's the most I summed up from the little time I had to read the reports." I gasped as she continued. "I've been thinking Ken, I'm going to take a leave from work, spend some time with dad and Carly before she goes off to college." She told me.
"That's a great idea." I smiled.
We let a few moments of silence pass before speaking again.
"I'm glad you're my sister Kendra. I wouldn't trade you for anyone else." She spoke bringing me into a hug.
Again, I cried on her shoulders.
"I really wanted a brother though," I joked earning myself a slap on my head. "hey! You can't do that. I'm not a kid."
"I can and I did miss out on all the big sister stuff I was supposed to do." She sighed.
"We still have Carly, and I think my parents did a good job on your behalf." I smiled.
"Of course they did." And we both laughed.
"When would you come back?" she asked again.
I really hadn't thought about that yet.
I had nothing keeping me in New York anymore, all around, I had only reminders of the things I would never have.
"You're not thinking of moving to Los Angeles, are you?" she whispered.
"I don't know yet Kenna, but what I do know is that I have my family here too."
So, as I sat in the airplane, contemplating on my conversation with Kenna three nights ago, I knew I never truly could leave New York.
But, maybe, just maybe, I could start a whole new life in LA.
Once we landed, I had a sense of deja vu back to a time when Ethan had my parents waiting for me with smiles on their faces.
I guess that wasn't happening this time.
I lodged myself into a hotel.
I wasn't sure if my parents were ready to see me, I didn't want to push my luck.
I stayed for two days in my hotel room before eventually gathering the courage to go home.
Which explains why I stood on the front porch contemplating whether to knock or bailout.
The last time I knocked on a door to beg for forgiveness, it didn't exactly turn out the way I had hoped.
I sighed and began walking away, that was until a car drove in.
If they had seen me, they didn't make it obvious.
My mom got out of the car, taking out the groceries, while my dad forced himself to look away from me.
My mom didn't even spare me a glance.
Maybe, today wasn't the day.
With that thought in mind, a heavy heart, and tear-filled eyes, I went ahead to hail a cab.
Once, I found one, I told him the address of my hotel.
I laid back and waited for the car to drive off, but seconds later, we still stood there.
"Ma'am please move out of the way," I heard the cab driver yell through his window.
"Not until my daughter grows up and decides to stop running away when she can't fix something." I heard a voice yell back.
A voice that made me step out of the cab and take in the view of my mom, standing in front of the cab to prevent it from moving.
I swear I tried to hold back the tears, but they just wouldn't listen to me.
"Mom," I cried out.
She ignored me and asked the cab driver to leave.
It was only after he left that she finally looked at me.
I watched her anger, her frustration and everything else crumble once she looked at me.
"Mom," I tried again.
"Kendra what is wrong with you. Have you been starving yourself, do you even sleep, why are you so pale, are you hurting yourself?" she fired at the same time checking me out for injuries and crying her eyes out.
"Don't cry, mom."
"I swear Kendra, only you, only you can make me cry like this."
"I'm sorry mom. I know I've said this a million times already, but mom, please, I only need you to forgive me please." I cried.
"My baby," she kissed my cheeks and forehead, wiping away my tears, "of course I forgive you."
That was all I needed to hear.
I hugged her so tight, I didn't want to let her go.
In no time my dad had me in his arms too.
And before I knew it, I was seated at the dining table, with three pairs of eyes focused on me as I ate.
"I'm full," I tried to say with a stuffed mouth, only earning a glare from my mom and Grace, whereas my dad only laughed.
"You have to finish up everything on this table young lady." My mom spoke sternly.
"Moooom," I tried putting on my best puppy dog eyes.
"Kendraaaa," she dragged out before eventually sighing.
I grinned in victory.
Everyone later got seated as I explained everything that had happened after that night, of course excluding the day Ethan used my body, that would put my dad on the next flight to New York.
I hadn't told anyone about that night yet, not even Kenna.
After explaining everything, I then turned to Grace as I spoke, prepared to get all my answers.
"I also found my real parents."
Both Grace and my mom gasped.
Hey loves...
So, I'm still accustoming myself to the pc but, I think I'm finally getting a hang of it.
And, yes, my new phone will be arriving soon, so, we'll hopefully be saying goodbye to Kethan by next week...*jumps*
Thank you for understanding.
Please VOTE and COMMENT.
Much love, Joy.