I opened the door and entered.
As expected, Cameron and Zachary were seated inside the living room playing with Summer. They sat upright, seemingly as startled as a deer in the headlights.
“Y-You’re back!” Cameron was first to speak. Hers was a bundle of nerves.
I nodded. It appeared that Jackson and Nick were not around. “Did they go out?”
“No,” she replied. “Mr. Kane’s in the nursery, and Nick’s gone out to get something.”
I nodded and left it at that.
Summer extended her arms toward me. I took the opportunity to take her off their hands before I settled myself on the couch.
Cameron and Zachary exchanged awkward looks with each other.
They might have something they wished to say, but I did not prompt them and focused my attention on Summer instead.
When Cameron finally had enough of the inertness, she looked to me. “I heard from Nick that you are getting a divorce from Mr. Featherstone.”
I nodded to that but merely grunted under my breath.
She was stunned and did not know how to respond.
It was Zachary who got a little agitated. “Good riddance to him. Having a scheming man like him around will sooner or later lead to our ruin.”
Cameron frowned slightly, momentarily at a loss. She looked at me and exhaled. “Where will you go from here?”
I pursed my lips. “If you have something to say to me, just get to it.”
They were dumbstruck. “Have you found out about the swapping of your DNA samples, Sienna?”
“I have. I was brought up by Grandma and never needed my birth parents for so many years. When you abandoned me back then, you should have been mentally prepared that I’m not likely to acknowledge you.”
Cameron was taken aback. She paused briefly before she cried into her own hands. I took a moment before I continued, “After everything that happened in the last year, the most I could do is not to accord hate or blame. So from now on, we should all keep our distance and lead our own lives.”
Her eyes were reddened and moist when she looked at me. “My dear, I understand if you are upset. But you can’t possibly not acknowledge us as you are our flesh and blood. How would I have harmed you if I knew this right from the start?”
“So if I were Rylee and not your own child, you would harm me without restraint? Where in the world are there people without enmity? But if enmity justifies murder, then what would become of humanity?”
“I made a mistake!” Cameron burst into tears. “I’ve been reflecting a lot about the path I’ve gone down recently and realized how wrong I was. In the end, I was punished for them!”
Zachary looked a little downcast as he pulled his wife into his arms and comforted her, “There, there. It’s all in the past.”
He turned to me. “My child, I understand your sentiments. It’s okay if you don’t want to return with us, but as parents, we can’t possibly let you endure hardship outside.”
The elderly man retrieved a black card from his suit pocket. “Hang on to this. You will always be the young lady of the Moore family, no matter where you are. There’s no spending limit on this card. I won’t try to dictate the future that you choose. I only ask that you take care of yourself.”
Cameron’s eyes widened. “What do you think you are doing? Now she can only depend on us as she’s divorced from Anthony. Where do you expect her to go? I can take care of her if she comes with us. What’s more, how is she to cope with a child on her own?”
Zachary exhaled. “It would be better if she doesn’t get embroiled in our troubles. I’m sure she has her own plans and the right to choose something better.”
Cameron lowered her head and finally relented and regarded me with eyes reddened. “Do take care of yourself outside, and come back to us anytime, whenever you are ready.”
I did not accept the black card. “I appreciate your concern. Though I may not be well off, I’ve enough savings over the years to raise my girl. Please bring that back with you.”
With that, I got to my feet. “It’s getting late and Summer is hungry, so I must excuse myself.”
When I carried Summer into the room, we bumped into Jackson at the door. He blinked before he eked out an awkward smile. “You go ahead. Let me make myself scarce.”
He stepped away from the bedroom before I closed the door behind him and tended to Summer.
It was not long before Jackson knocked upon the door. “Are you done, Sienna? Can I come in?”
I laid down the sleeping child and went to the door. “Summer’s asleep. Let’s go outside.”
He nodded.
In the living room.
He extended a palm toward me. “Give me your hand!”
“What for?” I asked with a frown.
He looked at me and did not answer.
When I grudgingly did as asked, a black card was placed on my palm. He stopped me just as I was about to protest. “Keep it. It’ll make them feel better.”
I pursed my lips and remained silent.
“No one wanted this. Nothing could be undone, but we can all move forward. And this is what we can do in the here and now to facilitate that process.”
I understood his intentions. “Don’t get all righteous on me. I’m not as vindictive a person as you might think. The present isn’t too bad, all things considered. So let’s try to do better.”
It was the start of Spring.
It was drizzly at times in J City, and the sun was high on others. The greens along the scenic areas within the city center invariably started to explode in a dazzle of hues.
Peach blossoms had also begun to flower in more than a few tourist attractions too. Once I have tied up the loose ends in J City, I brought Summer along to book tickets for K City.
At the airport.
Jackson and Nick insisted on seeing us all the way to the boarding gate. Jackson looked particularly reluctant to part from Summer as he held her. “I don’t understand why you have to leave when you could make as good a life for yourself here in J City.”
“I distinctly remember someone saying yesterday that it’s important to not part on bad terms. Are you worried about leaving Summer with me?”
“You’re her mother, so what’s there for me to worry about? Go on then. Stop being an eyesore and get out of here.”
I had just one carry-on with me as I did not own much, to begin with. It would be a hassle to lug the rest of my things around with Summer in tow, so I packed only her bottle and diapers with me.
Nick had instructed the flight crew so everything was loaded on board beforehand.
Seeing that it was almost time, Jackson apprehensively asked, “Are you really not going to say goodbye to Anthony?”
I shook my head and merely smiled.
He exhaled. “This is some major beef with the Moores, so he must have his hands full trying to stave off Zachary’s wrath. I’m doubtful that he’ll be able to make himself available to see you off anyway.”
I made no comment. With the air tickets in hand, I watched him wave to us. “Take care of yourselves!”
The man choked up as he was missing Summer already. “Send me a message when you’ve settled down. We’ll come to visit.”
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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