.....THREE DAYS LATER.
Sebastian was discharged from the hospital finally, and he returned back to his apartment to a huge surprise. His family heard about the tragedy that befell him, and they decided to come down to Manchester to stay with him till he recovers fully.
He had bandage on his right leg, and he was assisted by Liam to walk properly.
At the entrance door, Sebastian was welcomed with some bouquet of flowers and some wrapped gifts. Zoey was also there.
"Congratulations to your first step of recovery." Oliver screamed aloud, hugging Sebastian tightly.
"Thank you brother. Did all of you really have to come down here?". He asked them confusedly.
Mrs Kurtz walked up to Sebastian, grabbing his face in tears. She really felt bad seeing her poor son in such condition. Sebastian held her hands, beaming a smile at her. He has tried his best to forget the rude words she said to him on that day at the court.
"I am a bad mother to you my son. Maybe this is God's way of punishing me for my sins." She cried out.
"No, don't say that. Even,I have some good news for all of you but I will settle down before announcing it to everyone." Sebastian revealed.
Zoey was already moody, because she was finding it difficult to believe that Sebastian's family would accept her as their own. She obviously knew that they weren't as nice as my own family. She held onto Sebastian's hand tightly, while they wondered what she was doing at his apartment.
"Hope you're not giving Hazel any troubles at all?". Oliver whisphered into Liam's ears.
"She's the one doing so. I'm tired." Liam whisphered back to him.
Sebastian freshened up, and got dressed up in a comfortable pyjamas. His pants were short, and he didn't want long ones that would touch his wound on his right leg.
Hazel prepared lunch for Sebastian, and served it to him at the dinning room.
The rest of his family were at the living room, waiting for him to get done with his meal before telling them the good news. Zoey sat next to Liam, feeling like a stranger in the midst of Sebastian's family. It felt like she knew nobody there, even though she has seen them countless times.
"I wonder what Bianca's child is doing here." Mrs Kurtz said, while they all turned their eyes on her now.
"She irritates me so much." Hazel added, making some faces.
Zoey avoided their stares, and she tried her best to stay put because they were all part of her family. She was really missing me so much, but she was still angry with me for lying to her all these years. She faced all those bullies in school because of me. She blamed me for her traumas since childhood.
"He's finally here now." Mr Kurtz said.
Sebastian joined them at the living room, seated next to Zoey. She was glad he was there now. She felt very lonely in his absence. Sebastian assured her that everything would turn out to be fine.
"The truth is." He paused, keeping everyone in a suspense.
"Which truth?". They asked in unison.
"Sixteen years ago, Bianca took in for me and gave birth to my child." Sebastian opened up.
His revelation was really getting them confused and at the same time curious. They all threw their gaze at Sebastian, waiting for him to explain everything properly to them.
"What're you talking about?". Mrs Kurtz asked him suspiciously.
"Zoey is my biological daughter from Bianca." Sebastian exposed the truth to them.
They doubtfully laughed out loud, inconvinced by his words. He assured them that was being serious. They all looked at Zoey, being so indifferent towards her. She forced out a smile, hoping that they accept her.
"This is nonsense." Hazel flared up angrily.
"She had a child for you all these years, so why did she hide it from you?". Mrs Kurtz questioned him angrily.
While they were still in a tensed situation, Oliver stood up from the couch, approaching Zoey. He raised her up from her seat, while she looked at him surprised. Everyone wondered what he was trying to do now.
"If none of you will accept Sebastian's child, then I'll gladly do so alone." Oliver said to them.
"What makes her his daughter huh? Just one day, you decided to tell us that this brat is your child and you expect us to believe, no way." Hazel resented in anger.
Mrs Kurtz agreed with her, while Zoey exchanged glances with Sebastian. Oliver left her hands, returning back to his seat. Sebastian dragged Zoey into his arms, assuring her that everything would be fine.
"I didn't reveal this truth for anyone to believe me or not. Whether you accept her or not, it doesn't change the fact she's a Kurtz." Sebastian said to them.
"Total nonsense." Mr Kurtz uttered angrily.
Sebastian ordered Liam to take Zoey to the lounge, because he could clearly notice her teary eyes. He didn't want her to sit and watch them treat her like an outcast.
***At Birmingham.
I and my family were having lunch at the dinning room, when father broke the silence.
"I'm glad that you're improving better now." He said to me, while I smiled at him.
"Thank you dad. I feel better here." I said to him.
"What's your next plan now?". Mum asked me curiously.
I paused, dropping down the spoon on my hand into a plate before me. I looked at her, pondering on her question.
"I think I want to start up a new life." I revealed to them.
"Without your daughter?". She asked me.
"I'll ask her if she will like to be part of it, and if she refuses, then I'll start up the life I always wanted alone." I replied.
Mother nodded her head, smiling at me. I missed my daughter so much, and I couldn't stop caring about how she must be faring with Sebastian without me by her side. It won't be easy for her to adjust at all.
"Christmas is in few weeks. I can't wait to celebrate it with all of you, atleast for the last time." I said happily.
"I can smell Christmas on the way." Mum said.
"We'll start making arrangements ahead of time." Father added.
......
I returned back to Manchester, after spending few days with my family. My days at home finally gave me the right decision to make. I finally found myself amist the tension and I was glad I escaped them all.
Jasmine welcomed me back home with a present and some money bouquet. Inside the present was a set of head phone and I was glad it was my favorite brand. I gave her a big hug outside the apartment.
"Thank you so much Jasmine for these gifts." I appreciated her effort.
"You look much happier now." She said to me with a warm smile.
"Yeah. You were right, I finally found answers to my questions." I said to her, dragging my medium sized box into the house.
Jasmine followed me behind, very anxious to know what my answers were. She waited for me at the living room, while I went into my bedroom to unpack my luggages.
I was done within ten minutes. I returned to the living room, putting on a half transparent short silky gown that exposed my knees.
"So what are your decisions now?". Jasmine asked me, taking a bite of some balls of cheese fixed at the middle of her crossed legs.
"I'll leave Manchester to a faraway place, where I will start up a new life." I opened up to her.
Jasmine was shocked to hear that, and she didn't want to be far away from me like before. She wasn't happy with my reply and it was obvious by the slight frown on her face.