Well it's been weeks since the breakup and I can't help myself but try to forget about it all.
I've been out in the sun,catching a new breeze everyday and lord forbid it was never been adequate to quench the thirsts of deleting him on my mind!
I drove up to the long, pine-bordered drive that brought back many childhood memories. The road was covered by thick green trees on either side that dimmed the sound of voices and laughter coming from beyond them,embracing only the ones of birds flying plainly above them. Approaching the end of the long narrow road was like emerging into daylight after walking through a tunnel. The place was called The Pine Hamlet.
I stood out of the car and swiftly got embraced by the fresh breeze that hang in the air. I inhaled in and out with my eyes closed for a second,my mind drifted way back to when my family and I would visit there for every summer break,along with Parker.
"Right,Parker!" I scoffed underneath my breath as the thought clicked my mind.
I looked in absolute awe as I stood in front the country house my parents left me. Nothing has changed except the memories that drooled around me after so many years.
It was the most attractive country side house they had purchased, from its long front up to its ornamental chimneys of which I had noted that several of them were restored,suggested that the house was somewhat renovated after the death of my parents. I couldn't convince myself to visit the site anymore without them being there anymore,it felt painfully surreal.
The front porch looked exactly how I left it a decade ago,just like how my mom left it and I left a huge relief sigh because she was the last person to decorate it the way she loved it to be.
Cracking the front door open, I stepped inside. Nothing has changed in the inside.
All my parent's favorite antiques hanged undeviating on the wooden wall and my eyes caught my eyes caught my everlasting magnum opus,the Greek vase carrying my favorite flowers of all times...Daffodils.
The scent that surrounded the house signalised that there was a person who have been taking care of it,it smelled like a fresh home. As my heels walked gradually through the hallway I came across the last person I'd expect to see their presence in front of me.
"Uncle,how noble of you to be here." I uttered sarcastically mesmerized by his presence.
Embracing me into a sudden hug,"Awww,my favorite beautiful niece of all times! It's good to see you!" He said faking his comical welcome embracement.
"It's good to see you too,how have you been?" I said,"How have you been?I mean,I haven't seen you in like the past three decades!" I sniggerly voiced out.
"How has your depart with Peter treating you? I heard from your aunt." He said walking into the kitchen.
As if it was all a joke to him.
I feignedly smiled at him," Oh well you know, dating is by definition a way to failure before marriage which is also ranked the highest level of love turned into,ashes to ashes and dust to dust.All by the previous statistics. " I said taking a sip of the cold ice water he had just poured himself.
"Right!" He lowly said while taking back the iced water and gulping it down.
"Where is Rose?" I inquired,taking off my long coat and hanging it on the wall.
"Is that Adamma??" A highly pitched voice coming down the wooden steps asked,gracefully showing my uncle's girlfriend in a second.
"Hey!" She whooped me into a sudden tight hug full of so much enthusiasm.
I slowly broke the hug,"Hi,Rose." I said with a plainly smile.
"It's so good to see you! Where have you been hiding? Our home has been not the same without your presence."
"You mean my house?" I said faintly, walking to the kitchen.
"Come on Ada,you know what she mea-"
"Its Adamma to you." I interrupted my uncle,"And I know what she meant. Which is the reason why im here." I said,grabbing a cold beer from the refrigerator.
The look on my uncle changed at my words,the lines of it read somewhat like he was about to experience his first heartbreak.
I reached over to my purse and pulled out a white envelope. I slit it open,took out a single,stared at it for a few seconds, then in a low voice I read:" I leave my estate to my granddaughter,Adamma Brown,and express the means that she find some means of maintaining it,with that I also leave my diner known as "Conversation in a diner" into her hands."
I folded back the will my grandmother from my mom's side left years ago.
Rose's lips were no longer set in a line;her mouth was opening and shutting like that of a gasping fish.
"No-no,no...no, you told us years ago that you dont want any of this!" My uncle yelled slamming his fists on the kitchen counter.
"Yes I did." I said trying to maintain my own temper,"But I did not sign off any contract whatsoever to pass all this to anyone, so legally I still own it all!" I said the last part more sternly.
"You cant-" his words were checked by Rose,who almost screamed at him.
"What in the world is she talking about,Eddie?"
"Be quite for a moment, Rose!" Eddie shouted.
"Don't you wish me to continue what is exactly the reason I came here for?" I asked politely getting infuriated by his absurd anger.
I continued,"I did not want all of this in my hands back then because I was still young and I wanted to grow into chasing after my own paths and goals. I am a step away from achieving all that and I believe now its time to also take care of what Nana entrusted her all in me to take care of."
"That will happen over of my dead body! I fucken stepped over to take care of both the estate and the diner when everyone was too busy to even glance their way because they are too occupied with their own lives. Your mom,Rob and Stacey deserted our mother's legacy like it was nothing! I stepped up! I did!"
"Nobody deserted anything,Uncle!" My voice raised uncontrollably." You only stepped out to take care of what's mine because you had nothing else to your name! No job,no house, no money and just lost your wife through a divorce and your kids because you are a lying,cheating prick who grew up spoiled and never owned anything that's under your name because you feel so fucken privileged to work your way up on your own!"
At this point my anger was about to explode the entire kitchen into ashes.
Rose turned to Eddie,"You were married and have kids?" Pain reeked all over her words." You-...you told me that you owned both the house and the diner.I went over across the world,left my home,deserted my parents, left my career...all because you sold me a half a decade lie?" Tears rolled down her face.
Betrayal in all angles hit in.
I was embarrassed to even acknowledge him as my blood at that point. He has always been a liar but knowing that he lied to the poor woman for a whole 5 years while waking up to her every day made me fathom the existence of men entirely.
"You haven't changed a bit." I said disappointedly at him.
"Fuck!" He screamed,"Rose baby,listen,it's not what you think it is okay?" He muttered shakily reaching out to hold Rose's hand.
"Don't you dare touch me!" Rose slapped him
"Okay,okay...lets all calm down now." I hurried to stand in between them.
"I didn't mean to lie to you,i-i never knew we'd be together for so many years. I thought I was going to get over you sooner than I thought." He confessed looking over my shoulder at the poor Rose whose face was like a pool.
"What!?" Rose brokenly cried out,"I was a nothing but a rebound when we met?"
"No-yes...fuck no! I love you so much baby,I do. I thought I could be honest with you as time went on but I just couldn't risk the idea of losing also you.I was afraid you were going to leave me and I won't be able to bare that. Im so sorry baby."
"Well,I guess not only will you lose me now but also our child." Rose said slowly.
"What?" Both Eddie and I gasped at her
"Im pregnant."
.....
"RUELLE - WAR OF HEARTS."