We meet again

Sophia

What happened to me?

What in the world made me knock on an unknown person’s door and attack him like I had no functioning cell in my brain?

Had I gone completely mad?

Probably.

But considering the turmoil in my head that refused to settle down and let my thoughts clear out, it was no wonder I fucked up.

“Kieran…” his name rolled off my tongue as I marched away from the estate gate I had intruded so rudely. Who the hell was he?

Darkness started enveloping the peaceful part of town I found myself in, so I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called a taxi. After what happened earlier, I could never again feel safe without light. Memories of what could’ve ended differently at my former workplace flashed through my mind, and I shivered in fear. As if it wasn’t enough, being reckless almost cost me my life not so long ago. If I had died on that threshold, who would have been there to take care of Ellie and her baby?

By the time my ride arrived, I was shivering. Getting inside the car cabin made me realize it was not only the shock that had me trembling like a candle in the wind; instead, it was the cold. Although spring had officially come, the nights were still chilly, especially when you weren’t wearing a coat. Driven by pure adrenaline, I never noticed I left the house in the thin white blouse I wore to the office and never had a chance to change. When there was no more sun to warm the air, I was freezing.

Grateful to the lady behind the wheel who took me home, I allowed myself a few moments to relax, as much as possible under the circumstances, but at least I didn’t feel a threat to my life from her.

About an hour later, I was comfortably tucked into bed with my sister. Careful not to disturb her peaceful sleep, I dropped my arm around her and spooned her from behind. It has been a while since we slept in the same bed, though it was a common occurrence in the first few years after we moved to Washington, DC. I needed the comfort of knowing she was breathing deeply.

It took me a while to surrender to the dreamless oblivion myself. But it wasn’t something I worried about. In the end, the passing day was one of the most stressful ones in my life, and it was a miracle I was still sane. At least, I believed I was.

Right then and there, I decided nothing in the entire universe mattered anymore, nothing but my sister and her baby.

I had to forget everything that had happened and focus on our future. It wouldn’t be so hard to push the trauma to the back of my mind and not let it influence my life; I’ve done it before.

I would be fine… we would be fine…

~ ~ ~

I couldn’t be entirely sure whether I was woken by the smell of food or by the unconscious realization I was alone in bed, but either way, I jumped up like never before and ran to the kitchen.

When I came in, I was surprised by the full-on breakfast my sister had prepared for the two of us, and the sight made my heart swell with love.

“When did you get up?”

“Hours ago,” she giggled while we took our places at the table. “When are you leaving for work?” Ellie inquired casually, and I almost choked on food, suddenly remembering I didn’t have a job anymore.

“I won’t be going to work for a few days. I asked Mr. Saunders for some time off.” I lied through my teeth, continuing to devour eggs, giving my best to block the thoughts of that fat pig.

“Oh, is that why you went out last night?” Ellie didn’t stop with questions, and I honestly hoped she could not read a thing from my face because if it showed the tension I felt, my sister would know something was very wrong, and a pregnant woman should not worry about it.

“Yeah.” I brushed her off as casually as possible. “And today, we’ll go to the clinic to check on my little nephew there,” I smiled. Knowing that the peanut was all right was the top priority.

Later, I’d search for a new job, and hopefully, something would come up soon.

And that’s exactly how our day passed. We got to the hospital where Ellie had her check-up, which told us the baby was about ten weeks old. The doctor couldn’t yet be sure it was a boy, but I knew it.

Hearing his little heartbeats made my own flutter and rushed tears to my eyes I had no intention of stopping. Ellie was the same, smiling through tears, though guilt was written all over her. Good, that meant she wouldn’t be trying anything stupid again.

Paying the bill and hiding it from Ellie was a pain because I discovered Mr. Saunders had already canceled my social security that covered my sister too, but I used a chance of her going to the toilet to settle the invoice. And judging by its price, I would have to find a new job today!

That old weasel wasted no time. That was a thank you for everything I did for him for years. I was a waiter’s assistant with lousy pay when I started working there. Being resolved to get my younger sister through high school gave me the verve to do my best, work overtime, and even do things that were not on me to do. My efforts paid off, and I climbed the ladder step by step. My responsibilities increased, but so did my salary.

I should’ve known from the start that something was off about the whole deal. Being too happy about getting a job at an elite restaurant with so much room for improvement and promotion, I never stopped to consider how a 20-year-old at the time with poor experience became manager of the joint in a matter of a few short years. I naively believed it was due to my merits and hard work, but now I was starting to think it was all his sick plan from the beginning.

As it wasn’t long till the end of the semester, Ellie insisted on not freezing her studies just yet, but I made her quit the part-time job she had at the college campus. Her pregnancy was more important.

After we left the hospital, we went to the fair, and it was like we were little kids again, before all hell broke loose and our lives were changed forever.

We strolled around the stands and got licorice hearts, candy canes, and ice cream. Couples and families enjoyed themselves, and even the mere sight of the children's excitement filled us with positive energy, making us look forward to tomorrow.

The most beautiful thing about the day was how we reconnected and made up for all the time we lost because I was too busy to be there for my sister. We were honest and open, and we strengthened the bonds that tied us together. At that moment, I swore never to let us go down that road again. After all, I had no one else in the world except for Ellie.

After lunch in a small Italian restaurant, I picked up takeout for dinner, as I had no plan of cooking. It would be a sin to destroy our good mood by worrying about food.

Unfortunately, the elevator in our building was out of function again, so we had to climb three sets of stairs to our floor, and by the time we arrived, I noticed Ellie’s breathing had fastened and become labored.

I should start looking for a new apartment, too. Soon she would become heavier, and getting home would be a tiring and unnecessary exercise for her. The rent here was decent, but I was sure I could find something similar somewhere on the ground floor.

Nearing our apartment door, I noticed two figures standing in front of them, and one was awfully familiar. My heart picked up its pace as I recognized the man I had a confrontation with last night, Kieran. Fear surged through me, and I forgot how to breathe. The other, younger version of him stood by his side, and I didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out those two were brothers. It was just my damn luck that took me to the door of the wrong King brother.

As soon as the one I guessed was named Philip noticed us coming, he rushed towards us, worry written all over his face.

“Philip?” Ellie gasped.

“Where were you, Ellie? I’ve been calling you all day!” He scolded her before pulling her into an embrace; she didn’t fight but didn’t accept it either. “Why aren’t you answering your cell?” he demanded, sounding furiously angry and caring at the same time.

“I left it at home because I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

I didn’t know my sister could sound that cold. Her tone made the fine hairs on my body stand straight. Or was it something else…

The sound of footsteps that resonated off the walls made my head involuntarily snap in his direction. Kieran walked towards us, his saunter reminding me of a king who ruled the world, confident and self-conscious of his own dominance.

“So, we meet again,” his deep voice rumbled from his chest as he watched me straight in the eyes, locking my heavy feet in place.