Chapter28
I scanned his face, taking in the features that had once captivated me, the bright green eyes, the charming smile, the strong jawline, or his straight black hair.
Yet, they now seemed foreign, like a stranger’s face. The connection we once shared, the electric current that flowed between us, had been severed. I felt nothing but a hollow sense of detachment, a numbness that frightened me.
It saddened me to feel so numb, like my emotions had been drained away. I remembered the countless times we’d reunite after a longing separation, when he was on business trips and I’d fling myself into his arms, eager to reconnect and feel his warin embrace.
The familiar scent of his skin, the comforting sound of his voice, and the reassuring touch of his hands would wrap around me like a cozy blanket. But now, I just stood there, frozen and unresponsive, like a part of me had died. The thought of touching him, of being close to him, didn’t excite me. The spark that once ignited our reunions had faded out.
Then, like a lightning bolt, the memory of our last meeting struck me. I recalled the way he grasped my arm, his fingers digging deep into my skin like a vice. His critical words still lingered, echoing in my mind like a harsh whisper. And the kiss, oh, the kiss, it was a forceful, desperate attempt to
reclaim something that was already lost.
His lips had crushed mine, leaving me forcibly breathless and bruised, like a flower trampled underfoot. The memory of that moment flashed before my eyes, and I felt myself pulling away, feeling more distanced from him than ever before. The pain and hurt of that encounter still lingered, a fresh wound that refused to heal.
But then, Willy did what I couldn’t, she stretched out her chubby little arms to him, and as I
wheeled her closer, to help her.
“Daddy!” she squealed in delight, her brigh eyes shining with excitement.
He cautiously scooped her up, wrapping his strong arms tightly around her tiny frame, and showered her face with gentle kisses, his lips leaving a trail of soft pecks on her cheeks, nose, and
forehead.
She giggled uncontrollably, her high–pitched laughter filling the air, as he spun her around, her tiny hands grasping his neck, her pigtails flying out like tiny wings. The sight of their joyful reunion was like a ray of warm sunshine, thawing the frost that had encased my heart for days, and I felt a heaviness form in my throat as I watched Willy’s face light up with happiness in her father’s arms, her tiny fingers tangled in his hair, her tiny nose nuzzled into his neck.
I caught sight of his hand, freshly wrapped in a thick bandage, and my curiosity was piqued – what had happened to cause such an injury?
“What happened to your hand, Daddy?” Willy asked, her voice laced with concern as she gazed up at
him with wide, curious eyes..
“Daddy’s fine, baby,” he assured her, his tone gentle and soothing, as he offered a reassuring
smile.
My brother’s voice snapped me back to reality, as he poked his head out from the driver’s window.
“I have some work around here, I’ll pick you guys up when you’re done, okay?” I nodded absently, still lost in thought, as he pulled the car out of the driveway and disappeared from view, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts.
Willy’s merry laughter brought my attention back to them, he slowly lifted her down, placing gently in the wheelchair, and his eyes turned to me. Guilt and apology swirled in their depths, mingling with a complex array of emotions, some of which were impossible to decipher.
“Wilson,” I said, giving him a polite nod, but he tried to mask the hurt that flickered across his face at my formal greeting. I caught the fleeting glimpse of pain, however, and quickly broke eye contact, pushing Willy’s wheelchair further as he motioned us inside.
“Grandpa! Grandma!” Willy squealed, her face lighting up with delight, as Wilson’s parents rushed
forward, their faces etched with concern.
They bent down to hug her, showering her with affection, before their eyes met mine. Full of empathy and guilt, they regarded me with a deep understanding, and I smiled, walking over to greet them.
His father hugged me briefly, but his mother enveloped me in a warm, tight embrace, offering me a measure of comfort that I thought had vanished with my brother’s departure. Her arms seemed to hold a quarter of the solace I so desperately craved.
“We’ll let you and Wilson talk, okay?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, and I nodded understandingly, my eyes locking onto hers for a brief moment.
But as they released me from their gentle gaze, I felt an unsettling shadow creep over me, as if I was being forced to face the unavoidable.
“Where do you want to talk?” he asked hesitantly, uncertain.
“In your office,” I replied lowly.
He nodded, his eyes darting towards my face as if seeking something from my expression, his shoulders sagging under the weight of unspoken emotions.
I followed him, my feet heavy with the burden of unresolved issues, my fingers fumbling with each other like restless birds in a cage, searching for a perch to calm their agitation. The soft creak of the door seemed to echo through the silence like a sigh, as we stepped into the office, the space feeling smaller, with each passing moment. The air was thick with tension, the shadows cast by the dimming day lights twisting into accusatory fingers, pointing at the secrets we’d kept hidden for so
Chapter28
27 721
long.
“Would you like something to drink?
Wilson begins, his voice faltering as he struggles to find the right tone, the forced courtesy hanging in the air like a thin veil. Given our more than a decade–long history, I could effortlessly decipher the guilt and pain etched on his face, the weight of our
complicated past bearing down on him like a physical burden.
