Blake
“That was epic, wasn’t it?” Cindy reminded as she sounded so enjoying herself. Enjoying the situation. Enjoying torturing me. “I bet you have done something to make Olivia’s boyfriend say that. Now, brother. You better tell me now or I’m going to find out by myself. What have you done?”
I was in the middle of an interrogation, by my own sister. Taylor was sitting beside her with him had no idea what the hell was going on. He was confused while the wife was pissed at me.
“Blake, you better—”
“Cindy, calm down. Don’t do that to your brother and tell me what happened.”
“Well, darling. My lovely brother had made a mess and it involved our daughter. She came back home last night, crying, even asking Javier to not leave her. He told me Blake was the cause but he didn’t explain what’s going on,” Cindy explained. I knew Javier won’t tell her and he had no idea what I had done to the poor girl.
I had crossed the line. I had sex with Olivia and she probably couldn’t tell anyone about it, especially Javier. Well, she won’t tell anyone.
“Are you going to answer me now?” Cindy asked again as I stared into her brown eyes.
“This is my problem with Olivia, Cindy.”
She scoffed. “Olivia is my daughter, Blake.”
“She used to be mine and I understand her better than you are.” My words made her silent as Cindy and Taylor were looking at me. Surprised. Unexpected. “You just live with her for two years, same goes for you, Taylor. But I have lived with Olivia for five years and I know her well than anybody else. So, stop saying that you are defending her because she’s your daughter, it’s not like you are her real mother.” Oh, fuck!
I just used the magic words. I went too far but Cindy was merely looking at me. With no emotion from her eyes.
“You’re right. I’m not her mother. But I’m trying to. I try to be a mother for her because she lost Chloe at a very young age. I never tried to take Chloe’s place because that position belongs to Chloe and Chloe only.” The more she said that the more I could see her eyes became watery and ready to spill. Guilt started to fill me up and it sickened me. Although Cindy sometimes made me annoyed, I never wanted to make her cry. “I wanted to be someone that Olivia would see as her mother, as someone who could support her anytime. And even though I just live with her for two years, I always stay by her side and never running away just unlike a certain someone because he realized that he developed a feeling for her.”
I was glaring at her but I didn’t say anything. Cindy was right. I won’t counter her words. “I couldn’t be her real mother. You realized you couldn’t be a father to her but I never ran away. I never leave her and try to keep a distance from her. Unlike you…who could only self-pitying yourself by trying to make Olivia the villain.”
“Cindy, stop,” Taylor tried to put a stop to Cindy’s wrath but I raised my hand to him, silently asking him to not do that. I wanted her to let it all out. I knew Cindy always held it back and she was releasing it now.
“You should be fucking grateful because even though you have hurt Olivia too much, she never said that she hates you. She could never understand unless you told her your fucking reason and not running away like a fucking coward!” she slammed the table hard with her hands and walked away from us. From me.
“Cindy!” Taylor called but she didn’t respond and continued her steps. He let her and turned his attention back to me.
This situation was pretty damn awkward. I never got along very well with him. I never tried to. My mind was still blinded by the past. I knew I should get over it. What mattered now was the present. I never heard or seen Taylor did something to Olivia. In fact, he was trying to be a proper father for Olivia. Him and Cindy were trying.
Cindy was right. I was self-pitying. I gave Olivia away without giving her the proper reason. Only saying the cruelest words I have ever said to her, to where I didn’t want her anymore and I wanted to return to my perfect life. I never got one. My life got worse once Olivia walked out of my house. Karma just came into my life.
Taylor coughed out and drank his coffee as his brown eyes were directed to me. He smiled lightly and stating, “I know you don’t really like me at all. Ever since I abandoned Chloe and Olivia, you are still hating me.” Damn, right. “I never blamed you, Blake. But I always hope you will forgive me one day. Maybe by taking care of Olivia, that would be my redemption,” he said and went silent right after with me didn’t do any talking. I didn’t know what to say. “Do you still remember the day when you phoned Cindy and telling her that you wanted us to take Olivia?”
“What about it?”
“Although I couldn’t see or hear you clearly, you sounded desperate. It’s not because you can’t take care of her anymore. But you can’t handle yourself. You can’t trust yourself with Olivia anymore.” I looked at him and I scoffed. Taylor knew. Cindy knew. John knew. Everybody knew. Olivia didn’t.
The reason was so fucking simple yet me being the stubborn bastard always refused to voiced that out and looked at what happened. I saw Taylor smiled and stated, “You’re in love with my little girl, Blake.”
“She’s not a little girl anymore. She’s a beautiful grown woman.”
“You’re right.” He smiled. “Ever since she started to live with us, I saw her growing up more like her mother every single day. It’s like looking at the copycat of Chloe. It reminds me of my sin but it’s in the past already. I can’t look back anymore. I have to move forward. I was the one who abandoned my girls before, I have to live with that and do my best for my precious girl.”
Listening to his explanation only made me think that I underestimated Taylor a bit. I made the wrong impression on him. Taylor was not an asshole like before. He was fully aware of his action and ready to take responsibility.
“I never hated you, Blake. And I’m sorry that I made you the bad guy before. I was just a kid, a stupid fucking kid. Although it couldn’t count as a reason before. But I couldn’t do anything when all I could do at that time was by obeying my father’s words.”
“I’m sorry too. Because I couldn’t convince you to take responsibility at that time. And because I never give you any chance before.” I gave my hand to him as Taylor gladly accepted it. We shook hands. Thinking that maybe…this was what I needed as well. I had enough hating Taylor and I had seen his redemption. He took care of Olivia greatly and with lots of care.
He pulled his hand back. “You should go and talk with Cindy. She needs it as well and I should remind you of something. I never disagree with your relationship with Olivia. I know you care about her. You were desperate before because you cared about her too much and you don’t want to hurt her.” Taylor drank his coffee again as he scoffed. “My, uh, father’s instinct always kicks in. I couldn’t trust guys around her, just you.” That was…surprising. I never expected Taylor would say that. If I was still in the war with him two years ago, I would immediately consider Taylor was trying to get on my good side.
I scoffed and drank my coffee as well. “What about Javier?” I could see Taylor was hesitating and was looking at his cup.
“He’s a good guy but I don’t know. I saw something else about him. I know he could make Olivia happy but something is hindering me to say so.”
“Maybe because I’m around,” I joked and drank my coffee again.
He smirked. “You’re overconfident as usual. Come on. Just go and see my wife. She’s must be in our room.”
“Okay. Thank you, Taylor.” I stood up and went to the stairs after Taylor pointed out where his room was. As I went upstairs, I was trying to hold myself to not go to Olivia’s room. I wanted to but I had other matters I had to solve.
I went to Cindy’s bedroom and when I stopped in front of the door, I inhaled and exhaled. I was about to knock until, “come in,” Cindy’s voice boomed from inside. She could sense me outside. I entered and found her holding Eric. Cindy turned to me.
“He’s sleeping,” she said and laid him back to his crib as she smiled sweetly at his son. Guilt kicked me again. How could I fucking say that to her?
“Cindy, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean it.”
Cindy looked at me again. “That’s pretty rare for you to apologize.” I was aware of that. I just apologized to Taylor as well. Maybe I should get myself a trophy for my action.
I closed the door and walking further inside until I decided to just let her know. “I had sex with Olivia last night,” I confessed. Her eyes spoke volumes. She was shocked but I better confessed now than later. “I snapped, Cindy.”
She smirked. “Finally, huh? That’s why you sent her over to us.” Cindy went to look at Eric again. “That’s the wrong thing to do. You fucking my daughter because you couldn’t hold back your lust to her anymore.” I fucking knew that but I never regretted that. “But it should be done.” Say what?
I was rather surprised by her words as she looked back at me again. “Why don’t you just give up and tell her? Olivia deserves to know, Blake. Both of you have gone through the dark path for too long and look at what you have done? She ended up with someone else not because she’s truly in love with Javier but because you made her too. You were the trigger.”
“I know that, Cindy. And I want to make things right.”
“Well do it now!”
“What?”
“I said, do it now. Go to her and tell her! Besides…” she paused. “The cat is practically out of the bag and Javier has noticed it as well, proven on how he said fuck off to you and slammed the door right on your face.”
There was something odd about her statement. “You never approved Olivia’s relationship with Javier?”
“I approved what she’s trying to do. I wanted her to be happy, and although it would be painful to Javier-only you could make her happy. Her true happiness is in your hands.” That was enough. That was what I fucking needed.
I smiled, probably grinned, and went to her. Pulling my sister close, hugging her. “Thank you, Cindy.” She wrapped her arms around me. I loved Cindy so much. She was my sister. My precious sister. The family I needed. The family who saved me before falling into the darkness even further.
I let her go and kissed her forehead. “I’ll go to Olivia now but I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?” I lowered myself to her ear. She was my family. She needed to know.
Although it would make her cry in the end.