Allison
We stepped outside, and Jayden led me to his car, opening the door like a gentleman. I slid in, and he closed the door behind me before walking around to the driver’s side.
Just as he was about to start the engine, a soft tap on the window made me turn. Tom was smiling and waving at me. “Hey, Allison, can we talk?” he asked, his voice low and soft.
I looked at Jayden, who nodded.
Then, I turned back to Tom. “Of course.”
I opened the door and stepped out, telling Jayden softly, “Hold on, okay?”
“No problem,” he replied.
Tom led me to a nearby bench, where we sat down. “I’ll be right back,” he said, getting up to grab a soda from a vending machine nearby.
I watched him, curious about what he wanted to talk about. Tom returned with two sodas, handing me one. We opened them and clinked the cans together. “Cheers,” Tom said, smiling.
“Cheers,” I replied, taking a sip.
Tom turned to me, his expression serious. “First of all, I’m so happy for you, Allison.”
I turned to him, wondering what he meant. But Tom wasn’t looking at me; he was staring straight ahead.
He continued, “I’m happy that you’re okay now, that you’re fully healed, Allison.”
I gave him a warm smile and nodded, looking ahead.
“I’m also thrilled that you accepted my son,” he said with a warm smile. “Jayden was over the moon, giggling uncontrollably as he interacted with the clients. I had to intervene to keep things professional and ensure the sales meeting stayed on track.” Tom’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he chuckled.
I couldn’t help but giggle and looked down at my shoes which kicked against the scanty green grass beneath.
Tom’s expression turned somber once more. “Allison, I’m deeply sorry for everything that happened. I regret my part in it. When your mom first proposed the idea, I didn’t agree. But she can be persuasive, and I eventually gave in. My greatest regret is not putting my foot down and stopping her from putting you through that. It’s my fault, Allison. I should have protected you better.”
“It’s already in the past,” I whispered.
Tom nodded and looked at me, and we shared a gentle smile.
Then, he said, “Can I tell you a secret?”
My curiosity piqued, I asked, “What is it?”
Tom’s next words stunned me. “The reason why your mom actually wanted to end our relationship was because she felt bad, Allison.”
My eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean? I thought you guys fell out of love.”
Tom’s expression turned somber. “Yeah, we did drift apart, and we thought it was for the best. Especially when she struggled with depression and felt lost. She was consumed by guilt over her actions, and that’s when she suggested we end things. She feared that if the truth about the past came to light, it would only cause more pain. We both played a role in what happened, and we thought the least we could do was spare each other further hurt.”
I felt a lump form in my throat as I processed his words.
He continued once more, “But the truth is, we were falling out of love. Your mom was struggling to cope, and it affected her daily life. She had trouble focusing and making decisions; she seemed distant and preoccupied all the time. Unfortunately, that’s why she had a minor accident at work she just wasn’t concentrating.”
“My goodness,” I whispered, letting out a soft sigh.
Tom’s expression softened. “Anyways, when you get home, send my regards to your family, okay?’
“Sure,” I nodded.
Then, I stood up, and Tom enveloped me in a warm hug. “Thank you for being my father, even if it was just for a little while.”
He smiled, his eyes misty. “Thank you for being my daughter, Allison Bells.”
We broke the hug, and I waved at Tom before walking away, leaving the soda on the table. I made my way back to the car, where Jayden was waiting for me.
As soon as I entered the car, Jayden asked, “Are you guys done?”
“Yeah,” I replied, putting on the seatbelt.
Jayden soon started driving, and I began humming a tune. He glanced at me and asked, “So, what’s up with Sally now? I know Sally and your mom have been having some issues. How’s it going?”
I stopped humming and turned to him. “Oh, you didn’t know, right?” I said, a sly smile spreading across my face.
Jayden’s curiosity was piqued. “What do you mean?” he asked, turning to me.
I took a deep breath before dropping the bombshell. “I recently found out that Sally isn’t my biological sister.”
Jayden’s eyes widened in shock, and he slammed on the brakes. “Allison, wait, what? For real?”
“Yep,” I nodded, “She’s not my biological sister. But she’s still my sister, nevertheless, who cares what anyone says. Mom adopted her, and her biological mom came back three days ago.”
“Oh my goodness…” he muttered, his voice trailing off. “And what’s happening now?”
I sighed. “Her mom wants to take Sally back, but Mom doesn’t agree yet. So, Sally is still contemplating.”
“Okay… but what about the issue she had with your mom? What really happened between them?”
As I hesitated, Jayden’s concerned gaze locked onto mine, and I felt a surge of trust. “It’s complicated,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. “Mom said Sally’s hiding something big from us. Something huge.”
Jayden’s eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed in concentration. “What could it be?” he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
I shook my head, feeling a pang of frustration. “I don’t know. Mom refused to tell me, saying I should focus on confronting Sally instead. But Sally’s not talking.” I sighed, feeling helpless. “I’ve tried to get it out of her, but she’s not budging.”
Jayden’s expression softened, his eyes filled with empathy. “Maybe she’s not ready to share,” he said gently. “You’ve got to wait for her.”
The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Jayden’s gaze never left mine, and I felt like he could see right through me. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice low and soothing. “We’ll figure it out, together.”
As we pulled up to my house, Jayden’s presence felt like a warm blanket, wrapping me in comfort because ever since that I was at my place, away from him, I felt like there was a missing part of me which caused pain and darkness.
He soon helped me out of the car, his hand brushing against mine as he took my walking stick.
As we approached the front door, Jayden knocked softly. My mom’s warm smile greeted us, and she enveloped Jayden in a tight hug. “It’s so great to see you, Jayden!” she exclaimed.
Sally watched from the couch, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and for a moment, I forgot about the secrets and the tension. All I saw was my big sister, happy and carefree.