Jake woke up late the next morning. He checked the time and it was five minutes after eight. He felt weak and he also had a headache. After a quick text to Daisy that he won't be able to come to school that day, he stood up.
There were voices coming from the living room and they were the voices if his parents. He heard his name being mentioned, and not being one for eavesdropping, went downstairs.
As soon as they saw him, his mother got up and hugged him.
"Good morning mum. Good morning dad"
"Morning honey. We were just talking about you" his mother said. "Come sit with us"
Jake sat in between his mum and his dad. Their countenance changed as soon as his father cleared throat.
"That girl you're dating now... " His father began.
Jake was stunned. He wondered how his father knew they've been going out together.
"How did you...? " he wanted to ask how the man knew but stopped short when he remembered that his father was a lawyer, which meant he was also good in investigation.
"You have to stop seeing her because see e of the story I'm about to tell you"
Jason Harrison looked from his wife Janet to his son Jake and began.
"Jake please I want you to be calm. Your mum and I should have told you this a long time ago but we wanted you to be matured before letting you know and now you're a matured 18 year old boy which means you're old enough to accept anything that comes your way."
Jake sighed.
He wondered what his father wanted to say to him that made him this very serious.
"It happened 16 years ago when your mum became an adversary to a young newly married couple from New York, Jerry and Rosie. Your mum wanted his position as the Chief Justice then. She was a strong woman and so she fought for the position and... "
"My mum??!! " Jake laughed. "Dad rewind your statement. My mum is a fashion designer. "
He turned to his mum beside him. "Mum, what's dad talking about? "
Her face fell and she placed her hand on his shoulders.
"He's right Jacob. I'm not your real mother. Your mother was popularly known as Carla West. She's in jail for killing a 19 year old girl and framing Jerry Winters for it. "
Jake was speechless and he shrugged his shoulders making Janet's hand to fall from there.
"Jerry Winter's wife was pregnant at that time Jerry was falsely arrested. They did a lot of investigation and found out that your mum, Carla West was the real perpetrator of the evil act. The good news there is that Jerry Winters was released on the same day that his wife gave birth to twins, Daniel and Daisy."
Jake's brain did a quick mental calculation.
"Wait, is it the same..." Jake asked.
"Yes it's the same Daisy and I've noticed that you're about to fall for her. If her parents find out that you're Carla's son, they'd never approve of your relationship with their daughter and I don't want you to experience heartbreak now. " His father explained.
Everything fell on deaf ears to Jake. All he could process was the fact that the woman he'd known for all of his 18 years of existence was not his real mother. He wondered how his parents could have deceived him for so long. He was mentally perplexed.
"Jake!! Jake !!" His father called out.
"Alright. We'll go back to that later. So where is this Carla West now. I want to see her. " Jake said wondering if that was the best thing to do at this moment. This was the woman who was posing a threat to his impending relationship with Daisy.
"She's in jail. Life imprisonment. Though I think her lawyers were able to reduce her sentence, I really don't know. "His dad replied.
"I want to see her " Jake repeated vehemently.
"No Jake, I'm not sure... " His mother said but he interrupted in his deepest meanest voice.
"I SAID I WANT TO SEE HER "
His father sighed and then stood up.
"Alright if you really wish to, we could go now. I'll have to cancel my appointments for the day"
Jake huffed and went to his bathroom upstairs. He sat in the bathtub trying very hard not to cry. He knew that this would change a lot of things for him. He came out a few minutes later dressed in a blue jersey and khaki pants. His mum sat in the backseat with him. He looked away because he was still angry at them for not letting him know about this earlier.
She tried to hold his hand freed his hand from her grasp. The journey seemed endless but finally, they arrived at the intended destination. After some series of questioning and interrogation, they were asked to go in. He saw her. For someone who was serving jail time, she still looked young and fresh. He even found himself comparing her and Janet. She was really a beautiful woman.
"Carla " He heard his dad call out with a kind of basked emotion. He wondered if his father was still in love with her. He doubted the possibility. He wouldn't still be in love with a murderer.
She looked up instantly and smiled instantly as her eyes darted across the surrounding, from his dad to Janet and to him and then she looked really well at Janet, like she was trying to uncover something. She then turned and looked at Jason.
"Jason, is this Jake? " she asked.
"Yes. He asked to see you. "
"I take it you finally told him, right? " She smiled again.
"I'll be outside. " His dad said ,although Jake didn't know if he was talking to her or to him.
He walked out immediately.
Jake stepped forward and then Janet his step-mum turned away. "Jake honey, talk to your mum. I'll be outside waiting for you. "
Jake looked scared. He turned back to hold Janet but this time, she pulled away. "I know how you feel Jake, but this moment is when you'll take a choice that can define your future. I'll see you outside. "
She rubbed his shoulders and left.
"Such a bitch " Carla hissed as soon as Janet left.
"Listen Jake. Do not believe all the lies they've fed you with. Lin... Janet and your dad are both liars and cheats. "
Jake scoffed. The woman really had heart of stone. She got balls to still brag.
"For someone who is just meeting her son for the first time after a very long time, you sound really rude. Keep all the formalities. Your actions 16 years ago cannot change my plans about Daisy Winters, the daughter of the man you framed. "
Carla's mouth fell open. "You're dating her ?"
"What I'm trying to say is I wanna date her and I hope to support and protect her and if God permits, put a ring on her." Jake replied.
She smiled again, much to his annoyance.
"At least she taught you about God. "
He wondered who she was talking about.
"Look. Your actions and everything you did or didn't do can not make you my mother. Goodbye Carla "
He turned back half expecting her to call him back, but all she said was..
"The truth will come into limelight soon. Everything would soon be out in the open. It's just a matter of time. Go to hell. I'll meet you there. " She hissed.
On a normal circumstance, that statement would have hurt him but instead he smiled and walked out proudly into his mother's outstretched arms.
"Mum!! Dad !! Let's go home "
His parents were silent throughout the forty-five minutes drive back home.
"Mum. Dad. I'm sorry about the way I talked and lost my temper this morning."
"It's alright Jake. " His mum said and hugged him. His dad just patted his head. Just then there was a faint knock on the door. Jake went to open it while wondering who it was.
"Hi. I just wanted to pay you a surprise visit and also check up on you as you weren't in school today"
"Daisy. " Jake said in a rush of excitement and then he opened the door wider "Come on in"
He held her hand and led her to the living room where his parents say quietly.
"These are my parents Janet and Jason Harrison". Daisy smiled and greeted his parents warmly.
"Good day. Mr and Mrs Harrison."
"Oh. Take that back. That name is reserved for great-grandmothers and am not ready for that title yet. Just call me Janet " Janet said smiling. Daisy nodded.
"Wow. Jake picked the right person as a girlfriend. If I wasn't so much in love with my wife I'd have asked you out "
Jake's dad said and everyone laughed.
"Thanks for the compliment sir" Daisy said with a smile.
"Yeah son. If you need anything, your mum and I are in our bedroom to continue some unfinished business. " Jason Harrison said and winked at his wife. Jake covered his ears. "Dad go out now "
Daisy smiled as they left "Your parent are nice"
"Well, that's because they are in a good mood." Jake replied. "So can I get you anything?"
"Just water and maybe strawberries " She said timidly.
He smiled and got her a bottle of water, two cups and some strawberries.
They discussed and talked nonstop about everything and nothing. They discovered that they both had a very good sense of humor. He drive her home later that day.
"So. I'll call you tonight, okay? "
She nodded happily. She realized that she liked Jake a lot. He was caring, compassionate and completely selfless.
She hugged him and waited till he drive completely out of sight.
She then went inside the gate.