Anna.
Upon seeing me, he smiled-a smile that made me want to cry, his teeth stained, presumably a result of drugs. He approached me and hugged me. His arms encircled my shoulders, and I finally felt my brother. I hugged him back, and we stayed like that for a long time. I allowed myself to shed a few tears; I had needed to hear from him for so long…
“You look beautiful,” he whispers hoarsely in my ear.
“You look awful,” I tell him, and he laughs.
“I know. I came back to salvage what little is left of this Adonis,” he says, releasing me and looking at the little one beside me.
He kneels to be at Jeremy’s eye level.
“So, you’re the little troublemaker they’ve been talking so much about since I got here.”
Troublemaker? What did Mama tell him about my son?
“Whatever they told you, please, take it with a grain of salt,” I tell Liam, glaring at my mother. He smiles at me and nods in understanding.
“Are you my uncle, right? Mommy told me on the way here,” Jeremy’s shyness in his voice melts my heart. I caress his cheek as he grips a part of my jeans tightly.
“Yes, I am.”
“You have hair just like my dad.”
Damn it.
“Dad? ” Liam looks at me confused. I never imagined that Jeremy would bring up Henry, I didn’t even think about it. This was a bad idea.
I took Jeremy into my arms, ready to run. Only God knows how Liam gets when he’s angry.
“Anna, will you tell Dilas, or shall I?” he asks, prodding us to start a war. I knew he wanted to achieve something with this.
Is she my mother or my enemy? Right now, I don’t know.
“Did he meet his father?” Liam’s voice starts to turn harsh, the warmth in it completely disappearing.
“Yes, he did. That was his right,” I respond.
“He had no right, Anna…”
“I meant Jeremy…” I begin to say, not very sure if I should continue, “And Henry had his reasons.”
“Don’t mention him, please,” he mutters through clenched teeth. Dave and my mother are watching the scene almost with popcorn. And they expect me to come back? They’re insane.
“Really? I missed you, Liam. I love you. Don’t do this now. You have no right to do it.”
“I thought you were smarter,” he says. I recoiled as if he had slapped me in the face. Does he dare say that to me?
“I could say the same to you.”
“And now what? A happy family?”
“Is it any of your business, don’t you think?” His face tightens and ends in a grimace. “Was this your idea of a reunion, Liam? To fight?”
“No, I just… It makes me mad that of all the damn human beings, it had to be him.”
“He’s no different from all the other human beings.”
“But he has a particularity that no one else has-he’s your relative.”
This was already too much for me; I didn’t need this, considering everything I’m dealing with in my life. Jeremy shouldn’t be in the middle of this nonsense either.
“This was a bad idea. If you want to talk to me on good terms, come to my house. Mom knows exactly where it is.”
My mom started following me as I walked towards the door. I was faster than her and got there first, closing it in her face.
Jeremy didn’t say anything on the way, but when we reached the sidewalk of our home, he spoke. “Why don’t they like Dad?”
“Because they’re foolish, my dear,” I kissed the top of his head, and his furrowed brow deepened. He’s so much like Henry; it’s scary.
“Then you’re foolish too,” he replied, coming to a sudden stop.
“What?” My incredulity reached the heavens. Did my son just call me foolish?
“You yell at Henry a lot.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, unable to deny it. “I love your father, but sometimes he makes your mom very angry.”
“But… but you don’t have to yell at each other.”
“I know, love, I know.”
Upon reaching the door, there was some kind of note, and beforehand, I knew who it was from.
“What is that, Mom?”
As I began to read it, I felt my heart in my mouth. I miss him so much; not a day goes by, and I’m already crazy to see him. Why am I so codependent on him?
“You have my number. At every doctor’s appointment, I want to be there, and every time Jeremy needs me, I want to be there. We won’t go back; I swear I won’t have those intentions. I just want to see my kids grow. I love you, Anna. I’ll try to make things better for myself, just give me time. I hope you do the same. You complete me; I can’t live without Jeremy and without you, you know that. Don’t give up on me; I won’t give up on you.”
We entered the house, and I didn’t tell Jeremy anything about what Henry had sent me. I cooked for him, he helped me clean, and he asked too many times about his father, making me feel guilty.
“Mom?” Jeremy got my attention as I finished organizing his clothes.
“What, sweetheart?”
“I want to see him.” His sad expression broke my heart. He walked to the kitchen, and I collapsed on the bed. Henry’s scent still lingered there.
I want to see him too.
I don’t know what I was thinking, but I just let myself be guided by what I felt and what my son wanted. It wasn’t fair for them to be distant because we have relationship problems.
As soon as he answered, Henry quickly picked up the phone. “Jeremy needs you.”
“I’ll be there in five.”