Patrick was gone. I couldn't believe he really was. The doctor tried all that he could to save him, but still... nothing.
My tears couldn't stop flowing, and I wished that I could turn back the hands of time, so everything would be like the way it was.
Patrick was gone—I was going to live with the guilt that I killed my baby's father. Oh! How shall I live?
Achoo—a light sneeze alerted me, and I turned to know what was going on.
"Patrick?" I gasped, getting my hand on his swiftly, as I watched as his eyelids made effort to slide open.
I stared with mouth agape, not believing my eyes. He's moving! He's really moving! I screamed with joy, holding him tightly.
☆
Mom called me last night, insisting that I came home, as it was urgent. I wondered what it was, and why she was calling me out of Fitchburg just like that, with the tag ' urgent', as she had used to keep me in suspense, making me catch the first bus back to Henson.
"Hey, Mum," I greeted, beckoning to Derek to come in.
"Oh, hi, sweetie. You're here." she returned my greeting with a kiss, taking no notice of our guest.
"Dad?" Derek's voice got Mom and me glued to the spot.
"Derek, did you just say Dad?" my eyes widened hearing him call Mum's boyfriend that.
You should definitely scratch the B-word out, 'cause Mum would definitely yell our heads off if she heard us saying that.
"D-Dad?" Mum stammered, as though the words felt heavy in her mouth. "Patrick, what is this?" she rolled her eyes at him, as Patrick sat up slowly.
"I can explain," his words reminded me of Mum's.
What the hell is happening in this family? I thought to myself.
I looked at Mum and she threw me a "Don't say anything" look, my humble self catching the signal—as my lips remained shut.
"Who is he?" Mum's question came simultaneously with Derek's sounding voice.
"Girlfriend?" Mum froze at the spot on hearing Derek tell his father who I was to him. "No! No, you two can't be together,"
I looked at mum as her whole body shook intensely. This certainly wasn't how I was going to introduce Derek to her—it was going to be a surprise. But it turned out hers was waiting for us to come.
"I don't understand, mother. What do you mean by we can't be together?"
"You just can't!" she shouted to my surprise.
"M-mum," I called shakily, inching closer to her. "Mum, are you all right?"
She trembled even more, the sweat on her forehead glistening for everyone to see.
"Mum!"
"Because Patrick is your father! He's your father, Tricia!"
"What?! My father? M-my father?" I blinked for a second and stopped, no word coming out of my mouth.
"Trish? Baby?"
I laughed out loud, scaring my mother.
"Baby. Baby, what's funny?"
"You are," I continued, holding my belly. "You actually thought that I'd believe that. I watched them lower my father into the ground!" I gritted with contempt. "You are blinded by love, mother!" I spat in her face. I looked at Patrick, then at Derek—and turned to face my mother again. "Mother, what has happened to you?" I asked. "Why would you say such a thing when you're aware that my Dad is resting heaven?" I had no idea what I was saying. It seemed I was going mad with every word I was uttering. "You can't possibly say that Patrick is my father... and Derek is my brother," I jeered at the thought. "And how are you, kind sir? I thought you were bedridden?"
"Belinda!"
I turned as my mum called me back to my senses. "Mum?" I staggered backwards as I felt someone's hands behind me. "D-Derek?" I looked at mum again. "Mum. Mum, tell me you're not saying the truth! Tell me you're not!" I freed myself from Derek's arms and walked towards her. "Mum, tell me... tell me Patrick isn't really my father! My father is dead. I have no father. Mum, tell me this isn't true!"
"Baby—" she made to hold me and I pushed her away.
"No! No, don't come any closer. I wanna die. I don't want to live anymore! I want to die. I want to die! I slept with my own brother! My flesh and blood!" I yelled so loud, wishing the spirit of death would take me at that instant.
Patrick is my father... and Derek—my brother! How am I going to live with the thought? I wept convulsively as mum's arms came around me.
I could tell she was crying too. I didn't know whether to hate her at that moment, or to let my emotions not get the best of me. All this time I had thought daddy was my real father, only to realize that my own mother took me as a fool.
☆
I had a sister all along and dad never bothered telling me? No! Tricia can't be my sister. She can't be. "Dad, tell me this isn't true?"
"Calm down, son. I'm not feeling well."
"Not feeling well?! Dad, what was the last thing you told me when I called?"
"Son..."
"No! I am not your son! You lied to me. You lied to me all these years! You made me stay with aunt, and even had me bear your middle name all because you had a family you never told us about?" I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Did mum know about this? Did mum know that you had another woman you never said a word about, even after she died?!"
"Son, please..."
"Don't call me your son!" I snapped with rage. "If I were your son, you would never have lied to me!" I stormed off, not bothering to look back.