Everything was a blur for Sophie. From the moment she stepped into the house and laid eyes on the woman. Her mother? It could not be that she was really here in flesh and blood. It could be that she was imagining things. Yes, that was probably what it was. She was thinking about the woman so much that she was beginning to see her as if she was really there. She was going to ignore this apparition that looked so much like her mother and focus on why the therapist was there. Why was Vivienne here? In the home of her aunt? Had she spoken to her aunt? Did she say anything which would hint at anything which would make her aunt have an idea of what was going on? “Sophie.” The woman – her mother – called breathily and Sophie’s eyes snapped up to her face. She looked almost the same as the photos Sophie had of her. If not for some wrinkles here and there, you would think that she had only aged five years instead of twenty-four! “Sophie.’ Her mother called again, her voice was shaky. That v
Dusk was fast approaching and still, there was no sign of Sophie. Rhys was worried, Veronica was worried and thought she was the reason why her child would never come back home, while Eliana was too busy being angry with her sister for causing a scene in front of a guest. She had gone berserk earlier about it. Talking down on her sister like she was only a child. Rhys had just watched. If he did not care for Sophie the way he did and respected her so much, he’d have sat them down and told them how much they were destroying that little girl’s life. “Hey,” Veronica said, walking up to him. “I am sorry about earlier.” He was sitting on the patio lounge in front of the house, and she took the seat opposite him. He saw the redness in her eyes and knew that she had been crying. She folded her arms around her chest and hugged herself, although the weather was not cold. Rhys stared into the forest where he knew Sophie would have gone. He wondered if she would be calmer now. Would she wan
Sophie sat in the filled bath tub, mesmerised by her thoughts and bubbly warm water. She had had enough surprises for one day, and the thoughts filled her mind and flew around in fizzy images in her brain. The thoughts were too much, and they threatened to drown her, to drag her to the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean of thoughts, where she thought she might not be able to resurface in the human world. Her thoughts were interrupted by the slow, creaking sound of the door. She looked beyond the dim lights of the bathroom, trying to recognise the silhouette she was seeing. It was Rhys’. “Hey baby.” He called coolly, not sure whether he was trying to be cool or not disturb the co-occupants of the mansion, even though it was big enough to host three times the number. “Hey honey.” Sophie tried to get out of the bath, but Rhys’ urged her to stay there. “I know there is nothing I can say or do that will get you out of this confusion, but, on your mother’s behalf, I’m sorry.” Soph
The morning sunshine stole its way around the hills and surrounding mountains to the towns. The rays of the sunlight struck the eyes of the couple as they wrapped around each other, not letting go despite the long night. The rays of the sunlight attacked Rhys’ eyes, accompanied by the heavy twittering of the birds outside. He reached for his phone and checked the time; it was a quarter past eight. They must have slept for over ten hours—the kind of things that didn’t happen in the city. He looked over to the perfect woman sleeping by his side. She was the most beautiful woman in his life, but he argued in his mind if his daughter would take the place or not. She would let time decide who owned the award. “Oh, top of the morning, you are awake, my bright red sunshine.” Rhys stared down in mild shock. “Sunshine is actually yellowish.” He replied with a smile on his face. “Whatever. I had a dream where you were the sun.” Rhys looked at the coffee cup they had taken the previous nig
She moved up the stairs gracefully, stealing a glance at the dining table setting downstairs as it slowly disappeared out of her view, and she could see the room housing the woman that was introduced to be her mother. She hesitantly moved closer to the door, unsure whether to knock or try the door knob. Before giving in to her decision, she looked downstairs one last time just for her to catch Rhys’ eyes looking at her too. It’s going to be all right, his eyes proclaimed. She pushed at the door, hoping it was unlocked, but was disappointed. Then she decided to try the knocking option. She knocked lightly, hoping for a reply that would never come. Sophie tried again, the loudness and intensity of her fists banging on the door increasing in frequency. “I won’t be coming to breakfast!!” Veronica screamed from inside, but Sophie was having none of that. She continued knocking at five-second intervals before shortening it to three-second intervals. She heard the cog of the door sound,
Rhys set the phone down and looked at Sophie with a refreshing attitude. “Uhm… Who are L and S?” She scribbled it down and passed it to him. “Oh, they are one of our leading customers. The ones who are constantly ordering a lot of pumpernickels and rye bread.” She looked up into empty space, trying to rack her brain, barely remembering the particular company. Rhys cut in. “The company’s manager found your house and wanted you to bake white and wheat bread at ten p.m. Do you remember the incident?” A smile lit up her face, and she nodded in affirmation. Her mind drifted to the incident over two years ago. She had closed early from work, grabbing a beverage at the nearest convenience store and enjoying the breeze of the evening as she marched home. As she turned away from the busy highway into the less-populated alleyways, she plugged in her earphones and tuned the music to the highest volume, letting the stress of the day flow away. She had gotten noodles for dinner, cooked the
The bang on the door came loud, and there were random miscalculated pauses in between. The barrage of knocks came again and again, threatening to pull down the door, and yet the person on the other side didn’t utter a single word. Veronica picked herself up and walked very slowly to the door, twisting the knob to ward off her sister, but was surprised at who she found at the door—a younger version of herself. This girl had grown to be everything like her; the hair thickness and colour, the body shape, the shape of the lips, the inquisitive stare, and every other quality just screamed Veronica, except the age, of course, and there was more hope in her eyes than her predecessor. Her sweet, small eyes seemed to stare into her soul, and she stood at the door, staring without saying a single word. Veronica was expecting her to say something, shout, ask a question, or scream, but nothing came—just silence. The silence was deafening, and the stare started to give Veronica the creeps. “G
The dishes for the appetisers were packed away, and Eliana served the main course. If Eliana was not known for other things, she was known for being a good cook. The main course arrived, and the aroma of roasted meat filled the air. The dish, a tender and juicy slow-cooked beef Wellington, was presented with a practiced flair that was not Eliana’s character. The golden-brown puff pastry crust glistened, wrapped around a succulent fillet of beef, infused with the rich flavours of mushroom duxelles and a hint of red wine. The beef was cooked to perfection, pink in the centre, and looked like it would melt in the mouth. The accompanying roasted vegetables, a medley of carrots, Brussels sprouts, and red bell peppers, were caramelised to bring out their natural sweetness, providing a delightful contrast in texture to the savoury beef. The dish was served with a side of creamy garlic mashed potatoes, adding a comforting and indulgent touch to the overall experience. Sophie looked at the
Sophie sat in the bridal suite. The full-length mirror reflected an image she barely recognised—an elegant, poised woman clad in a stunning lace wedding gown that hugged her curves and flared out into a beautiful train. The dress, meticulously crafted, seemed to shimmer with each breath she took, and the delicate veil added an ethereal quality to her appearance. Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her veil, but a reassuring smile from Vivienne steadied her nerves.Vivienne placed a comforting hand on Sophie’s shoulder, her eyes brimming with pride. “You look absolutely radiant. Today is your day, and you deserve every moment of happiness.”Sophie turned to face her, tears threatening to spill. “I can’t believe this is actually happening. Sometimes, it feels like a dream.”Eliana could not hide the pride she felt or the joy; her eyes were misty with emotion. “You’ve come such a long way, sweetheart. Your strength and resilience have brought you here, and we couldn’t be prouder
Rhys and Sophie stepped out of the building, a sense of accomplishment in the air. Sophie had faced her past head-on, and Rhys couldn’t help but feel proud of her. “You see, it wasn’t that hard, and you handled it quite well,” he said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.Sophie glanced back at the building, her heart still racing. “Hey Rhys, would you mind waiting a minute? I need to see my mom before she leaves.”Rhys nodded, his eyes softening. “Of course. Take your time.”Sophie spotted Veronica walking out and hurried towards her, with Rhys following at a slower pace. The sight of her mother, the woman she had yearned to meet since she was a little girl, brought a flood of emotions. Veronica turned at the sound of Sophie’s voice, surprise and hope mingling in her eyes. “Sophie...” she exclaimed softly. For years, it had always been “Mrs. Veronica.” The simple word “mom” now seemed to hold a world of promise.Sophie took a deep breath. “I just wanted to say that I don’t hate you.
Five years later “Come on, Sophie, we’re going to be late.” Rhys called.“Be out there in a minute.” Sophie answered from inside.“Yeah, that’s what you always say." Rhys muttered under his breath; a light shuffle behind him caught his attention.“Sophie,” but he couldn’t get himself to finish the sentence; he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say or what the right words to use should be. You look beautiful, or you look stunning. No, those were not the right words to use.“Rhys, are you alright?” Sophie asked with concern written all over her face.“Yeah, sure, I’m fine,” Rhys stammered. “I just got something in my eyes.”“Let’s get going already; we are going to be late.” Sophie said that and moved away.Rhys sighed and followed her. Adrian died five years ago, and they had moved on. She moved on so smoothly that he wondered if maybe it wasn’t too fast. Still, he did not want to talk to her about it for fear that he was going to upset the balance that she had already found inside her.
“Adrian is dead.” Those three words sent a chill down Sophie’s spine, but they were not what made her pause or caused foreign emotions to creep up her chest, clawing at her heart. It was the look of freedom in her aunt’s eyes. The music in her voice as she announced the death of her husband. The bounce in her step as she approached them, arms wide, and a smile on her teary face. It was the fact that Eliana was happy about this and did not hide it that surprised Sophie. Her aunt’s body collided with hers, and Sophie sank into her embrace. The tears fell from her eyes, but just like her aunt, they were not tears of sorrow or mourning but tears of joy and celebration. For the first time in years, they both felt free, and they wanted the whole world to know. “I am sorry.” Eliana said it over and over again, pulling Sophie deeper into herself. If she could jump and touch the sky, she would. She felt as though she was on top of the world, as though a weight had been lifted off her sh
The meadow was still there when they arrived. Eerily quiet—the only thing that could be heard was the chirping of crickets and the lullabies of the birds. Every other thing stayed still; even the leaves seemed to join in the gloominess that had fallen over Sophie and Rhys. Gently, he set her on the stone beside the water and lowered himself beside her, his hand clasping her small ones. She was far away from here; he could see that. Her mind was elsewhere, perhaps relieving the traumas of the past. She bit her lips every now and then, and a throaty gasp emerged from her pursed mouth. Although her eyes were misty, she did not shed a single tear. He could not tell how long they sat there in the forest, him watching the water while she tried to make sense of her life. But after some time, he began to hear the song again. It was the same bird song that he had heard that night. It filled the night, enveloping all of his senses and shrouding him in a world where only he and her existed.
They had reached a point of no return. The truth had been bared for all to see, and the worst had been found out. Sophie thought of the photo of her mother, which she had always carried around, and the part that was torn off. The father, whom she had always wanted to meet, turned out to be the same man who molested her. She was ashamed, embarrassed, and repulsed by everything. There were no words to describe the things she felt—the thoughts that clouded her head, numbing her entire body and rooting her to the spot. Veronica herself could not believe what she heard. The fact that the first words she heard her daughter speak had to be something so atrocious, so vile. Words like that had no place in the world; they were to be sent to the deepest parts of hell, where every other bad thing was sent. Her eyes turned to her sister, Eliana. Judging her, questioning her—she would face Adrian later, maybe kill him—for now, she needed to understand if her sister did not see the monster they
“I struggled under his grip, all to no avail. When I realised he had already overpowered me, I pleaded with him with all the remaining strength in me, but he was far too consumed. All my pleas fell on deaf ears, and he defiled me brutally, traumatising me ever since.” There was a moment of unsure emotions in that instant. The wall clock chimed the hours of three in the morning, but none of them felt sleepy; this was a time of resolution, a time to settle matters, and no one wanted to be left out of it; this was way beyond one person’s issue now. “He had his way with me, his eyes widening as he reached orgasm. Even after that, he was not done; he went in again and again, turning a deaf ear to my pleas. When he was satisfied, he stood up, adjusting his trousers, while Eliana walked in; the door had been unlocked. “She saw him and instantly ran to where I was crumpled, my body covered in a pool of my own blood. I was crying uncontrollably, regretting why I had come home for the break,
He took a deep breath, his breathing ragged like stones dragging on the jagged side of rocky mountains. He rolled his eyes in his socket, not focusing his gaze on anyone in particular before speaking out. “This isn’t enough punishment for my sins; I’m just hoping that hell wouldn’t be hotter if you just found a way in your heart to let it go.” Sophie and Rhys wondered if it was still the abuse she reported to Veronica that spurred this palpable tension in the air, or had he done something worse than he did to her? Sophie tried to take her mind off it, daring not to even think in that direction. Veronica faced Eliana and said, “Now that we are all here and the eyes are complete, I was regaling Sophie with stories of our childhood, and I was just arriving at the point where Adrian came in. Since you’re here and you’re always accusing me of feeding Sophie false stories, if I say something off-the-point, correct me here and now. And then,” she said, facing Adrian with mocked anger on he
“Despite the football guy being the handsome guy and the nerdy guy being a little below average kind of guy, Eliana was still jealous of our relationship. Her boyfriend was like a guy that was specially carved by God; his features were extraordinary, and his skill set was amazing; he was everything a woman ever wanted. “My guy, Drey, was just the perfect type for me. He was not too nerdy or too naughty; he was just standing somewhere in between, but when talking about looks, he wasn’t really the one, but where he lacks in looks, he makes up for it in brilliance. “Drey, my guy, and Fontaine, Eliana’s guy, were both friends from middle school; they lived in the same neighbourhood and were like impossible twins; but when Eliana’s jealousy started to manifest, she instigated Fontaine to pick fights against Drey. “Fontaine, being gullible, readily believed anything she spewed out of her mouth and acted on it, including picking a fight with his best friend. When I learned what happened,