POV: Victoria
“What is it with you and these boys, why won’t you stop hanging out with these boys that are taking you away from your family?
First, it was Raphael Hawkins, he’s the reason why we are hiding out in the middle of nowhere, he brought us here and now your father thinks that we are cowards!” She let out furiously.
“How about you be grateful for once Mom!
He saved you and Claire from Dad, he is the reason why Dad didn’t hurt us at the hospital and even when we got back home. He is the reason why we are alive mom, he saved us!” I shot back angrily, glaring daggers at her. She was taken aback by my outburst, I guess she is used to me being the calm one among her kids.
I never get this upset, I try not to. But this time, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and her er expression softened slightly, but the tension remained.
“You need to focus on Claire. She’s the one who’s suffering, not you. You should be doing everything you can to bring her home. She is your only sister and she should be your top priority.” She said coaxingly, trying to get me to calm down.
“I tried, Mom! I really did!” I exclaimed, my frustration spilling over as I recalled all the hurtful things Claire said to me. I wish she was there to see for herself, I wish she had heard Claire when she warned me not to come back to Dominic’s house to see her again. If she was there, I guess she would understand why I am so angry with my sister.
“Claire won’t listen to me or anyone else. Dominic isn’t holding her captive anymore, Mom. I was right there when he told her that she was free to leave whenever she wanted. But she chooses to stay and blame you and I for ruining her life. Do you even understand what that means?
It means she has fallen in love with Dominic and she has sworn not to let us ruin her relationship with Dominic like we did with Kyle. She even accused you of ruining her life, claiming you are not her mother. “I told her. Mom’s face paled, the accusation hanging heavily in the air.
“Wh… Wh… What do you mean she blames me and says I’m not her mother, where is that coming from?” She asked furiously.
“Exactly what I said, Mom!
She thinks you messed everything up for us, she says you are not her mother and I am not her sister. She kept saying many hurtful things about you, calling me a stranger with no background. I don’t know how to make her see that you love her and want her home. I don’t know how else to explain to her that everything I am doing now is because I love and care about her.
She is so mean mom, she is not the Claire we both know, I have no idea where she is getting all these lies from. It’s not fair to put all the blame on you, I don’t know what else to say to her to make her see that you are not the tyrant she is making you out to be.
Mom, I know how much you love her, and I know how you care about her too. But she is hurting, and she doesn’t know how to handle it. She needs some space and time to deal with her feelings and discover the truth for herself. Do you recall when Dad claimed I was not his daughter?
Claire was there too and she didn’t believe his lies. I think Dad got to her too and she is finding it hard to recognize his lies. But with time she will come around, Mom. Give her some time and you will see that she will change so much and come running back home. Give her some time mom, the truth cannot be hidden for too long, with time, she will see that you are telling the truth and she will come back home.” I told her firmly, holding her hand and caressing the back of her palm.
Silence enveloped the room as my words settled in. Mom’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, and for a moment there, I felt a pang of guilt. It wasn’t just my mom’s fault that Claire was in this situation. It’s my fault too, I’d pushed Kyle away repeatedly and if I am being honest, I would admit that Claire was right.
Our attitude is the reason why Kyle turned on her and decided to hurt her to please his new girlfriend. It wasn’t my fault, we were all victims of circumstances beyond our control. I should never have been mean to him, it’s my fault he hurt Claire and pushed her into the arms of a bigger monster, a man that will not let her leave his sight, ever.
“Maybe I should reach out to Claire again, maybe I can…” Mom finally said, her voice softer now.
“No Mom, you can’t do anything about it. Just leave her alone, she wants to be left alone. So leave her alone, that is the only thing we can do now. The truth is the only way to get her home, let her do her findings and when she discovers that she has been lied to, then she will come home.” I advised once more.
“I need to show her that I care, that I’m here for her.” She sobbed, looking so miserable as the tears dropped down her cheeks. I nodded and pulled her into my arms, rubbing her back softly.
“I’m glad you now understand how I felt when I left Dominic’s house this afternoon Mom. It was so painful to hear Claire calling me names and accusing you falsely. I was so broken and sad, if I hadn’t met my new friend, Miguel, I would have been so miserable all day long.” I told her, smiling to myself as I thought of him again.
“This new friend seems like a nice person, did you tell him all about your sister and her plight?” she asked me, eyeing me rudely.
“Yes, Mom. I did and I’m sorry I divulged our secrets to a stranger. But you also need to understand that I can’t just ignore my own happiness. Miguel is a good friend, and I need that right now.” I told her, smiling sadly as I realized that I shouldn’t have been so quick to trust a stranger with our deepest secrets.
But how could I resist the urge to spill everything and lean on him when he is just so perfect and understanding. Mom wasn’t there to see how cute and observant he was. She didn’t get to witness that bond that we shared, that amazing connection that I could not deny.
If she had been there, I’m sure she would understand why I couldn’t hold back from trusting him with the truth that has been bothering my heart. Mom sighed, rubbing her temples and thinking to herself,
“I just want what’s best for our family. I’m scared for Claire, and it’s hard to see you smiling when she’s suffering. I won’t give up until she is safe in my arms, I miss her,” she let out sadly, turning away from me and wiping off the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.
“I know, and I’m scared too, and I miss her so much,” I replied, my expression softening as I pulled her into my arms for a hug
“But I can’t carry this weight alone, I need Raphael by my side. I need you to trust me to handle my feelings for Raphael, just like I’m trying to help Claire. I won’t let my sister suffer, and I will never abandon my family. That’s a promise.” I confessed truthfully, smiling soothingly at her.
We sat in silence, the tension easing as we both processed the situation. I felt a sense of relief wash over me as she finally understood me. I will definitely be there for Claire whenever she needs me. At the same time, I will also cherish my new friend who unexpectedly brightened my life by just hanging out with me.
Tomorrow’s lunch with Miguel would be a welcome escape, a chance to breathe amidst the chaos. He has no idea the effect he has on me, he is so fucking cute. Tue mere thought of him makes me smile like a damn fool, I’m even smiling right now and my smile is obvious to my mom,
“This new friend of yours, what is his name?” she asked with a warm smile, looking at me curiously.
“His name is Miguel’s mom, Miguel Myers. His family used to live in this city but had to relocate because of a tragedy that they couldn’t bear. I still don’t know the whole story, but I’ll find out soon enough,” I responded excitedly, smiling to myself.
I wasn’t paying much attention to Mom, but when I finally turned to stare at her, I noticed that she has gone numb and lifeless before me, she looked like a fucking ghost with her eyes almost popping out of her eye socket.