Chapter 61 Whose fault?
MIDNIGHT PACK: CLARK’S HOME
“Are you really not going to eat this burger with me?” Jovy teased Alice as she munched on the burger. Every bite of it was sumptuous and she wasn’t joking when she tried explaining how much Alice was missing.
“Leave me alone, Jovy.” Alice grumbled.
“To think that I came running towards you with the hope of seeing you cheer up.” Jovy scoffed. “Oops…such a waste of time and concern.”
“No one asked you to.”
“Don’t act all sassy, it isn’t really your thing.”
“I know what my thing is.”
“Beating people up?”
Alice glared at her. “I really don’t like you. Are you trying to condemn me like mom? You were just with me causing some trouble too.”
“I was only a sidekick who practically did nothing and innocently watched.” Jovy tried to defend herself.
Alice couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore so she let out a deep one. “Sometimes I forget how humorous you can be.” She said.
“I would become a comedian for you.” Jovy professed.
Alice snickered. “You don’t fool me.”
Alice laughed as she handed a burger to her friend. “Here you go. You need all of the strength you can muster since you practically exhausted them all a while ago.”
“Shouldn’t you be more concerned of being suspended than having me eat a burger?”
“I don’t want to be suspended alone while you call in sick. I need to ensure we both get the same punishment.”
Alice giggled lightly. “You are super chatty today.” She noticed.
“Anything for you.” Jovy winked.
Some minutes later, Jovy paused mid air with her meal and watched as her best friend ate with less enthusiasm. To think that she had come to her friend to escape her own troubles made her feel guilty knowing that it was someone close to her that inflicted such painful act on Alice’s family. It was still hard to wrap her head around the fact that Amelia would indulge in such terrible act.
Money wasn’t a problem for Amelia cause Tommy and Ava gave her whatever she needs at every snap of her finger. Unlike, Jovy who had to work her ass out for survival. Things were becoming more complex. On a part is her own situation of reconciling with her father to enable her return home and there was the case of her involvement in confronting Amelia. knowing how egoistic her step sister was, Amelia would definitely make things hard for her and that would be possible if she would ever be able to return home.
Alice was on her last bite when she noticed Jovy had zoned out and completely lost in thought. Sitting up from the bed, she moved close to the lone couch Jovy sat on and she tapped her.
“Hey.” Jovy looked towards her in a slow motion. “What the hell got you thinking so much?”
Jovy let out a light chuckle. “Oh…it’s nothing.”
“Spill it.”
Jovy heaved a sigh. “Okay. I have a whole lot going on in my head but first I think you should talk to your mom.”
Alice pouted. “Right now?”
“Yes, now is the time. It might be too late to express how you feel exactly.”
“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden? You have been playing my line all morning.”
It took Jovy a few seconds to get through Alice’s sarcasm. “Shut up!” She laughed.
Alice took in a deep breath. “I guess you are right. We hardly ever talk on anything because I practically spent all of my free moment with Dad.” She admitted.
“I just need you to reassure her that you both got each other’s back. I really wish my mom was alive, maybe things wouldn’t be as tough as it is for me now.”
Alice wrapped her hands around her friend. “I will always be here for you and I know she and the Moon Goddess are watching over you and protecting you.”
Jovy hugged her back. “Thank you, Alice.”
“No. I should be thanking you instead. I love you, Jovy.”
“I love you too. Now please go meet your mom. I have a feeling she might step out in a minute.”
Jumping off the bed, Alice held her feet down. “Give me a minute I will be right back.”
Jovy smiled lightly as she chew on her cold fries absentmindedly. “You definitely would need more than a minute.”
Alice’s footsteps echoed in the hallway as she went towards her mother’s room. Just as she held the doorknob, Anna opened on the other side of the room and has Jovy had envisioned she was ready to go out.
Alice gulped hard as she stared awkwardly at her mom. “You are heading out? Don’t worry, I will just talk to you later.”
Anna heart missed a beat, she had been thinking of ways to talk to Alice about what had transpired between them in the morning and try to sort their misunderstanding. It took her by surprise that Alice had come down herself.
Anna waved her hands. “Not at all baby, I can always spare time for you. Please come in.”
Moving stealthily into the room, Alice sat on the edge of the couch. It felt so strange and unfamiliar. How did she not notice that her parents don’t share the same room? She had been in her father’s room so much that her subconscious had tagged it as both of her parents room. It’s not like Anna wasn’t always around, but most times she was back tired and needed rest.
Alice had been able to build a bond with her father because he was always ensuring to be present, especially times when both parents were very busy. Their absence gave her the leverage to attend as much parties she wanted and skip classes for as long as she could.
“About the other time.” The both of them blurted out at the same time.
Alice let out a nervous chuckle. “You go first mom.”
“You sure about that?” Anna inquired, hoping she really meant it.
Alice beamed at her. “Yes mom. I want to hear you out first.”
Anna sat down and worked her hands together. “Your father and I really love each other. We have been together since I was nineteen. We were just fresh out of high school and was hopelessly in love and obsessed with each other. He was the only best friend I had and my first love. Our parents did well to accept our decision and it was easy for us to start a life. But then I became ambitious and sort the need to earn just like Henry was. I don’t think that was too much for me to ask. We were very young and since we had tried to get pregnant for a whole year but didn’t work out so I decided to take a different turn.” She sniffed, trying to keep the tears back. “I guess our problem began from that moment. I know Henry loves me so much as it is an undeniable fact. Everyone who knew us, knows just how much he cares and cherishes me. Maybe I took it for granted. I resulted to living near campus after I gained admission to college when I could have easily done that from home here. I was only trying to take my stand. Henry needed to be loved and babied since his job was also taking a toll on him. He needed the affection of a woman…” She paused for a long while now, not being able to hold back the tears any longer.
Alice moved closer to her and she held her mother’s hands. “It’s okay if you don’t want to keep talking about it mom. It’s all good.”
Anna wiped off her tears. “Don’t worry baby, I guess you need to know about everything. I hope this isn’t too much for you?”
“As long as it relieves you mom, I am ready to listen.” Alice assured her.
Anna stood up and walked towards the open window. “It was all my fault.” She muttered.