Chapter 18 - CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

School break. Belle drives her car to Colorado, a place she'd born, a place she grew up and a memory she will not forget.

Behind the car seat, the twins are asleep. They three will arrive in a moment, she can't wait to see her parents, Molly and Richards.

Remembering that day Gibson died. Before the twins were born. She cried after reading the letter from her beloved husband. That time she sat on the carpet. She's up from where she sits, walking toward the door as someone rings the doorbell and knocks on the door.

She reached the knob, swung the door open and was shocked to see her parents right in front of her eyes. She backed away a bit, thinking she was dreaming or tired after crying over Gibson's dead body. And here they are _ Molly and Richards Decker.

That wasn't a dream. Belle cries so hard as she hugs them. How much she missed her parents. Gibson was right on his own word, he really sent her home, returning Belle to her parents where she belonged.

A week after Gibson died. Belle moved back to her home in colorado. About the house Gibson left for her, Craig took good care of it. He asks Belle not to sell the house, let it be a memory between hers and Gibson. All the furniture was covered with the dust sheets before she left.

A happy memory the couple share together.

Now, it's been years since she left that house. Doesn't know what happened to that house or someone had stolen something inside the house. Perhaps a homeless person staying there without her knowing.

Inside her head, she decides to go there with her twins. And she will tell the twins about the stories _ and how that house began.

She looks at the rear view mirror where the twins sit. "Twins, get up. We were almost there, shopping in town. Fruits basket for your nana Molly and pops Richards".

"I'm hungry. That's all I can say, '' said Vincent at the back. Belle's car enters the town, she parks in front of the grocery store. Both three got out of the car. "Can I have a strawberry with chocolate, Mom?"

Belle looked down at him. "All yours". She smiled. While she grabs the trolley, the twins are already running inside the store. She pushed the trolley, grabbed something out from the shelves then put it inside the trolley.

She walks between the aisle, until she reaches the meat section. Someone calls out her name, she turns her back.

"Yes?"

"Is it really you, Belle? It's me, Matthew. Matthew Jonas. You probably don't remember me, we're in the same class. Our english teacher is Mr. Gibson".

As soon as he mentions Victor Gibson's name right in front of her face, she feels sad.

"I'm sorry what I heard actually happened between you and Me. Gibson".

He wash his hand at the sink, wiped it out. He walked forward with a smile.

"It went viral since you came back home. Principal Mrs. Shimmers was also shocked to hear it, Emma's death. Your and Mr. Gibson suddenly disappearing, all make sense".

"I don't want to talk about it, Matthew. What past is past, we cannot bring it back to the present".

He nodded right. The twins suddenly appear between Belle and Matthew. He looked down at the twins as she said.

"My twins. Vincent and Poppy".

He chuckled. He can guess the age of the twins, he said with a smile. "Let me guess. Nine years old?"

"Yes". said Poppy. "Who are you?"

"My name is Matthew Jonas. I'm your mother's high school classmate". He then looks up at Belle. "They've got his look, and you".

Belle nods and smiles. "They didn't know yet".

"I understand. It's hard to tell. Would you like fresh meat?"

Later that. Both three arrive at Decker's house. Belle slammed shut the door followed by the twins. She opens the car boot, hears the voice of her mother Molly approaching.

She looked up at her. "Hi, sweetie. Hi, how's your journey?"

"We brought you something, Nana". Poppy handed her a gift basket. "Vincent trying to eat it".

"No, I'm not. Both of us were trying to eat it. I'm saying".

Molly hugs the twins. "Alright alright, get inside. Let me help your mother first". She let go of the twins, and walked toward Belle. "Hi, sweetheart".

"I met Matthew Jonas. He's chopping meat in the market. He told me everything that happened in here".

Belle eyes turns to the neighbor next door which was previously occupied by Victor Gibson.

Remembering that first night he came. Carrying his things back inside the house, she peed behind the curtains where he couldn't see her. Starting that day, he changed her life, forever.

"I cannot help to shut their lips honey. I don't care what people say about you, you're still our daughter. Our brave daughter. And here you are _ being a successful wonderful mother to your kids that no one couldn't take it alive".

Molly sighs, continuing. "But you did". Belle sighing, she shut the car boot.

"I was thinking that the twins need to know about their father. I can't keep it a secret from them anymore".

"They ask?" ask Molly.

"Vincent did. I'm sure Poppy too, even though you know she wasn't a talk person".

Molly nods understanding. Belle was right, she can't keep the secret from her own kids.

"Get inside first, we will talk about it tonight. I want you and dad to agree and understand what I've had to say".

Night with Decker's. The twins watch the tv in the living room, the adults stay in the kitchen after dinner. Richards sighs, sip his whiskey, shaking his head unbelievable. Did he hear right? Belle wants to return to that home and reveal the secret about Victor Gibson.

He can't stop her, nor his wife. Belle is a grown up woman, a mother to her twins. Decisions must be made. He cannot stop her.

"I understand my dear. As a father to you I can't stop, you have grown up now. A twenty six years old grown up woman, a sixteen years old girl I know already gone and the past. Go on. If you think it is the right thing to do, for you and the twins. Do it".

Belle wanted to cry but no, she was not interested in crying. Enough, she cries over Gibson. She must be strong for her twins and herself.

"Thank you, Dad. Before that _ I want to visit Emma's grave and her parents. I don't know if she could forgive me. You know that right? She must know that I've been staying with her daughter murderer by force, I blamed myself because I should fight it".

She sighs, continuing. "And if she saw the twins. His blood, his flesh running inside the twins. If she is trying to hurt my twins, I have to protect them and I cannot change my heart to hate her. Wasn't her fault either. Everything that happens it's because of me".

"You can't blame yourself too my dear". Molly said reach Belle hand. "None of this is your fault, no one. It just him".

Molly drinks the water. "Neither I can't hate him too, he'd given me two beautiful precious twins that I'm proud to be their nana. What else can I say? The twins don't know the truth".

"And that is why I need to do it by myself. Because of me everything went crazy".

Later that, Belle walked upstairs to her room. The twins room beside hers that her parents prepared before she came home. Close the door behind, walk toward the window. She stares at the house next door hers. Victor Gibson's previous house. That night she saw him.

The house is now occupied by the Watson's family. The previous owner after Gibson she kind not knew about them since they moved. All she knows is that the family is creepy and kooky.

Sighing, she shut the curtain then jumped on her bed, facing up her face at the ceiling. Tomorrow is the day. Empty head, tired, she closes her eyes and falls asleep until morning.

Morning with Decker's. After breakfast, about 10.00 in morning. Belle and the twins walk up to Evigan's porch house. Her hands are shaking as she tries to reach the door knob, the last she remembers about Emma's mother that day was her daughter's death. She went inside Emma's room and found her diary hidden inside the drawer.

A diary that reveals every secret Emma knows about Victor Gibson. His obsession, passionate to hers. Her shaking hand knocked the door.

"Who is it?"

She hears Emma's mother's voices behind the door, the knob turns from the inside, the door swung open. Mrs Evigan standing right front of her eyes, her eyes study Belle from head to her shoes. With that, she slammed the door shut right in front of Belle's face but her shoes blocked it.

"Mrs Evigan please!"

Belle pleaded, both struggled between the doors. "It's me, Belle. You can't blame this on me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry it all happened because of me but I didn't kill Emma, he did".

"You killed her! You ruined my life, you ruined my daughter's life!"

She screams. "My baby died because of you! My Emma! The only daughter I have died because of his obsession with you. You KILLED HER! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! LEAVE!"

Belle groans as she pushes the door. "I will not leave this porch!"

"Mom?"

Belle looks over her shoulder, the twins out of the car. Mrs Evigan hears the twins' voices outside her house, she is shocked to hear that the girl named Belle she knows has already become a mother.

She didn't know Belle had a baby with Gibson. Since she knows about Gibson killing her daughter, she marks the Decker's out of her family life forever. Because of Belle, Emma died at the hand of Victor Gibson for no reason.

A hatred towards Decker's family, Mrs Evigan keeps deep inside her heart.

"Sweetie, honey. It's okay, we are just playing with the door. Of course it's part of the games with long time neighbor".

Faking her laugh, Belle spoke back. "Urm, it won't be longer. Stay inside the car okay. It's totally fine".

Vincent raised his eyebrows, said. "Mom? You may think we're just kids. But I know how to compare the games and the anger. A game won't say that you kill her daughter so loud and screaming like a maniac. If I were you I wouldn't have blocked that door with my shoes. I'd just kicked the door".

"She's the old lady, Vincent. Like Nana Molly. I couldn't just kick the door and see her unconscious on the floor. Honey, that wasn't motivational advice".

She groaned. "I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE MRS EVIGAN UNTIL YOU HEAR ME OUT!"

He snorts. "Suit yourself. Me and Poppy waited inside the car while you and that old lady behind that door played your old games".

"Okay fine!"

She surrendered, immediately she stopped pushing the door. So did Mrs Evigan behind that door. Hand on her hips, she is standing on the porch, breathing. She turns to Vincent slowly.

"You were right. I cannot force her to accept my apology. But she should hear me out before judging me, I'm the victim here".

"What kind of victim you talked about, Mom?" He looked at his twins, Poppy. "Kindly explain, we don't get it".

Corner of her eyes the door is wide open. Mrs Evigan stood. Her eyes on the twins. She smiles weakly, then her eyes back to Belle.

"Come in. The twins too".

Moments later. Belle stares at Mrs Evigan sadly face as she sip her lemonade. The twins sit between their mother, also feeling sad as they don't know the truth why they are here.

The twins are almost there to find the truth.

"When I lose my daughter my life is completely empty. Since then I don't know if I could live anymore. How painful a mother is through this reality that her own daughter died before I got old. I forget around me, I forget my husband. Every night I will sleep in her room, hugging her picture - "

Mrs Evigan tears, continue. "When I hug her, it's like she was there beside me. Smiling at me. I want to hear her calling out my name. Calling me mom. But no, it won't happen again. My dear Emma, how much I long to hold you in my arms".

Belle tears. Turning at her right and left where the twins sit. Wiped her tears and sobbing. Emma's mother looks up at her and the twins.

"I didn't know you would have a baby with him. That makes me so sick of it! I vow to my life that you and your family are out of my family life forever! But I can't. My daughter will hate me if I do that. She came to me in my dream, she looked sad. She is sad not because of her death but she is sad because of me. I try to push your family away. That she cannot accept it".

Gently she laid the glass back on the table. "And you dare come in here".

"Because I want you to know the truth. Not because I love or enjoy what he does to me. I was his victim. I try to run but I can't, he will kill my family if I did. I can't obey his word and I have to get along by force. I try to avoid him from my life until Emma asks me not to, she's happy with my life I choose not to be. When I pushed him, Emma came to me. Like you said, she will be sad if we hurt her".

She inhaled, breathe. "When I get my own happiness with him. Emma has never shown up in my dreams since. I tried but she didn't. Lately, Emma came to me. Her smile, proud of me. Raise his child and be the mother she wants me to".

"I'm glad". said Mrs Evigan. "I can't hate you neither your kids. They didn't know anything. Innocent to blame for".

Sighing. "So? Where are you heading after this?"

"I want to see Emma".

ℜ𝔢𝔰𝔱 ℑ𝔫 𝔓𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔢

𝖤𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝖩𝖺𝗇𝖾 𝖤𝗏𝗂𝗀𝖺𝗇

𝖡𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝖣𝖺𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝗋, 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖥𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒

Same day, cemetery ground. Belle and the twins standing in front of Emma's grave. She gives her favorite flowers she used to love, gently kneeling down on the ground. Her hand touched the ground. Cried, she spoke.

"Look at you. Nothing change". She smiles even in tears. "I brought twins to meet you. Vincent and Poppy _ Gibson".

The twins were shocked, standing at the back of Belle. Poppy reaches Vincent's hand. Whispering.

"Who Gibson?" ask Poppy.

"I don't know. There's a lot of secrets mom keeps from us".

Gibson? Who the heck is Gibson? Thought Vincent. Gibson? What happened to our last name Decker?

"I met your mom today. Funny is she tried to block, slammed the door right in front of my face. Luckily it didn't break my nose".

She chuckled. "You're mad at her. She was mad at me too, I don't blame her. I can't. She was right, because of me you _ died. For no reason, yes. For her, it seems unfair to see you dead while I'm having my new life while you don't.

Sobbing. She turns to her twins again then back to the grave. "I'll see you again, Emma. I'll wait for you in my dream, we should talk more than".

Wiped her tears. "I love you". She raised her knee. The twins reach her hand. "Said goodbye to Aunt Emma". She smiled.