"That's terrible, Jane.." Olivia let out as I told what happened today. I was so hopeless, I don't even remember how I got here, I was just driving and somehow ended up in Olivia's doorstep.
She was leaving for work but let me in,
"You know it's crazy." I let out a rueful laugh, saying. "All this time I thought it was James who was the representation of his father, you should see him, he looks so much like him, he walks, eats and sleeps just like him. I hated to admit that the moment he was born, I resented him.
I felt no connection to my son and the way he looked at me when I held him in my arms for the first time, terrified me.. Oh, I was so wrong, this whole time it was Joseph. I gave all my attention to Joseph, I thought if I couldn't save James at the end of the day, perhaps I could save Joseph. I could groom him into a good, kind man, I didn't want him to be anything like his father."
Olivia squeezed my shoulder suddenly, stopping me from rambling.
"Jane, calm down. We don't know for sure that Joseph is like his father."
I shook my head hysterically,
"You didn't see his eyes and the fear in that little girl and then scars, they were terrible."
Flashback.
"From what we've gathered, this isn't the first time-" As the principal let out my greatest fear, I gathered to my feet and staggered slowly to my baby, I didn't want to believe it,
it couldn't be my baby.
"Mamma.." Joseph whispered as I stopped down to him,
I exhaled and forced a shaky smile.
"Baby.." I started, and flashed his cute brown eyes at me. "Did you hear what that little girl said?" I asked and he lowered his head, fiddling with the end of his shorts, "It's okay." I soothed with a tight breath,
I placed a finger under his chin and raised his eyes to me once again.
"I know you didn't do it, I believe you." I whispered, "You just have to say it and we will be home, just tell me."
He went quiet, his fingers twitching.
I threw my hands in my mouth to prevent a sob,
"Please, Joseph... Say you didn't do it." A single salty tear dropped down my eye and as the silence stretched, so did more, till a point I just broke."
"I'm sorry, mamma."
Present.
"This has gone way too far Jane, ten years is enough time for you to realize it's time to go. You still have time to groom Joseph and James into good men. But that won't be possible if you stay with Luke."
I shook my head,
"You don't understand, I can't, I can't leave. At least not now."
"What?" She gasped shocked.
"If I leave Luke, they would take my boys from me. Up until now, Luke has maintained the perfect image, his charming, his nice, he's charitable, our kids, our neighbors, friends, and family love him. My point is If I leave Luke, he would claim it was my fault, he would say I cheated. he's smart, not to mention he has connections, deep connections in the law, once I can't even touch...I won't be allowed a foot near my boys..."
"How about running?" She suggested.
"I can't run, I'm not good at hidden, besides if I do run that would give Luke a motive."
I couldn't tell her that the other reason I stay is because I love him.
I'm sick. I know-
Olivia threw her head back, letting out a huff.
