He then looked me straight in the eye. “Let’s go!”
Anthony was by the entrance to the house as I got into the car.
This was goodbye, and may be forever.
We had gone far, yet he remained where he was. His tall and slender frame subtly faded into the distant mist.
“Perhaps it wasn’t so bad that it could not work out!” Jackson said.
I held the divorce papers in my hand. “At times, even when the flesh wounds heal, the trauma remains.”
Am I not able to let go?
From the fate that befell my child to learning about Macy’s death—I kept searching for excuses. I heaped my hatred and indignation upon Cameron in an attempt to absolve Anthony of all blame.
He really was an innocent party—helpless to do anything about the child and unable to look out for Macy. He took care of Rylee out of a sense of obligation and responsibility. That was what I kept telling myself—over and over again.
I was not that petty. I could have accepted everything if he only cared about me.
What I had not expected was that he knew exactly what he was doing because he knew that Cameron and Zachary were my parents. I did not hate him for not telling me. Neither did I hate him for swapping the DNA samples of Rylee and myself.
What I could not come to terms with was how he allowed Cameron to hurt me and for my contempt for her to fester in spite of him being aware that we were related by blood.
He could have let me go right from the start. He could have agreed to divorce when I first proposed it. I could have taken Summer and Macy to Q City and had my child there. We could have found sanctuary there.
In spite of foreseeable struggles with my finances, I could have raised the two children and lived out the rest of my life alongside them. Anything would have been better than contending with the loss of a child and my best friend.
At Glenwood Apartments.
Nick stood by the doorway with Summer in his arms. He paused when he saw Jackson and me. “The food’s ready. It’ll be served in a while.”
Inside the house, he passed the little girl along to Jackson before he returned to the kitchen.
Summer had been well behaved. It softened my heart just looking at her. I reached out and held her little hands in mine and played with her.
This went on for a while more before Jackson spoke up, “What’s next?”
“I’m going to take Summer to R Province,” I replied after giving it some thought.
I then turned to regard him. “Help me make some calls. I’d like to sell the apartment that I have here at Glenwood.”
“Are you short on cash?”
“No! Macy and I bought one unit each back then. With the proceeds from the sale of the bar, I could get another in Q City. Couple that and the remaining one here, Summer should be set for the future.”
As for myself, I have made a considerable sum from my time at Featherstone Corporation as well as from the deal with OrbitTech, so I feel pretty safe going forward.
I would sell off the property I own in Glenwood Apartments and acquire a smaller unit in R Province. That would be where Summer and myself would reside.
The man was silent for some time before he regarded me. “Is there no way back for you and Anthony?”
I merely smiled. “I’d been deluding myself for far too long. Before this, I used to see that baby in my dreams, calling out for me to save him. The birthmark on his forehead was stuck in my head. Yet I keep telling myself that Anthony had no choice, that it was not what he wanted. At some point, Jackson, everyone has to face up to reality.”
He pursed his lips. “What about the Moore family? And the Stanhopes? Have you thought about them?”
Summer held on tight and refused to go.
That put a smile on my face. “I had never thought about the Moores, but I’m sure Uncle Louis would understand.”
I took in a deep drawl. “John and Cameron were closely aligned back then. If Anthony knew, why do you think John would not? He knew I’m Cameron’s daughter, and knew what Anthony did. Who knows, maybe he might be in on it too. Cameron and Zachary are not foolish. How could they not know the DNA samples were tampered with?”
Jackson pursed his lips and held his tongue.
Spring arrived early in J City. After a few torrential showers, some trees had begun to sprout.
Summer had grown a few more inches. She now liked having adults bounce around with her.
Ever the efficient worker, Jackson managed to find a buyer for my unit in Glenwood Apartments within a couple of days.
When I purchased the unit years ago, I did not pay too much for it. Most of my spending went into the interiors and furnishing.
The prospective buyers were easygoing. Even though I was in a hurry to sell, they did not try to bargain and offered to take it off my hands at the market rate.
The paperwork would take some time to settle. I had wanted to go to the cemetery to visit George and Grandma for a while then.
Over the weekend, I headed out early. As Summer was still little, I did not want to take her there.
Hence, I drove down alone.
We were almost into March. The morning sun was mild. Perhaps owing to the rain, the environment glistened with dew.
Since it was still early, there were not many visitors at the cemetery. Those present stood on the slabs and paid respects to their dear and departed.
I spaced out before Grandma’s grave, transfixed upon the photograph that had been weathered brown upon the headstone.
“I’ve almost lost my way when all of you left me on my own, Grandma. Please take care of my baby on the other side…”
I breathed in deep and held my pain and my silence. May the dead be at peace, and the living be well.
The presence I sensed behind me made me froze. Without guessing, I knew it was him.
Some time had passed before I exhaled. I turned and made straight for the outside of the cemetery without acknowledging him.
As I brushed past him, my wrist was seized upon. It caught me off guard, albeit momentarily. I twisted out of his grasp and regarded him without emotion. “It’s fine even if you won’t sign on the papers. Once we’re separated for three years, our marriage will be dissolved automatically.”
“Is there no way back?”
I collected myself and scoffed, “You should have thought about that when you decided to deceive me.”
“Do you hate me?”
“I don’t hate you, Anthony. But that’s all about it.”
I felt like I have turned the corner and was ready to move on.
Physically distancing from him, I broke eye contact. “If you have ever felt anything for me at all, let me go so that we may both go our own ways. That would be for the best.”
I turned around and exited the cemetery. It was dusk by the time I returned to the Glenwood Apartments.
A voice emanated from within as I stood outside. It was Cameron’s.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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