Unending Nightmare

A month later, Hera Leandra Bardin Lewis awoke at the sound of people’s footsteps and loud conversations.

She opened her eyes in her dark room.

She turned her head to look at her digital clock.

It was already ten o’clock in the morning.

Her dark curtains were drawn shut so the sunlight didn’t reach her even slightly.

Her windows were shut tight so she didn’t even hear the birds chirp outside or the sound of the garbage truck picking up garbage as it was a Monday.

She would have wanted to sleep for the whole day but she was awakened by the noise outside of her room.

‘Who’s here? Dad hasn’t been home since two weeks ago.’

It was their summer vacation so Hera could laze around her room when she’s not doing anything else.

Recently, there weren’t many things for her to do since her mother passed away.

The times she used to visit Helayna in the hospital were now replaced with her staying shut in her bedroom, barely even getting up to eat food.

Two weeks ago, Leonard had told her that he was going away for a business trip and only left her some grocery money and a little allowance, just enough for two weeks.

Hera was surprised that her father came home earlier than she thought. ‘But who’s with him?’

She was of course certain that the person who entered the house was her father since nobody else other than her parents and herself have the duplicates to the house key.

She stepped lightly away from her bed and moved her head closer to her door, trying to listen.

“Whoa! This house is not bad at all.. Mn.. I think I like it.. Of course, it needs some improvements here and there. I can do that, right?” A woman’s voice spoke in a gleeful tone.

Hera couldn’t help but frown. ‘What’s going on? Is he selling this house?’

Her heart became numb.

She couldn’t believe what was happening.

It has only been a month since her mother died and to think that her father is selling the home she made memories with her mother in.

‘Why are you doing this, Dad?’ She cried inside.

“And how do you kids like it?” She heard her father’s voice.

‘Kids?’

“Ah.. It’s cool. Bigger than our house.. Oh yeah.. Where’s my room going to be?” A boy spoke. He sounded as if he’s not even a teenager yet.

“And me? Where’s my room going to be? Can I have a big room, Mommy? I have a lot of stuff you know..Can we paint it with rainbows, unicorns and mermaids?” A girl giggled. She sounded even younger, almost like a toddler.

“Ah.. There’s only three rooms here.. So you two might need to share one for a little while, at least until we can convert a part of the house into another room, what do you think?” The woman spoke.

“Mn. That could work. But Leon and Rica don’t have to share one room. Leon is growing up after all and I’m sure he would want his own privacy.” Leonard said.

Hera’s frown deepened. ‘Why is he so involved?’

“Hmm.. Will Rica sleep with mommy then?” The woman cooed at her little girl.

“No, mommy! I’m already a big girl! I’m already going to be in Preschool soon!” The little girl whined.

“Oh? Are you really? I thought you’re still a little baby? So you’re not my baby anymore?”

“I am! But I am not a little baby anymore! I’m a big baby!”

“Not a big girl?”

“No.. I’m not so big yet! When I grow up a little bit like Leon then I will be a big kid too!”

Her voice did sound adorable but Hera was in no mood to appreciate how cute it sounded.

She was so confused with this conversation.

“So where is Rica going to sleep then?” The woman asked, chuckling.

“She can share a room with Hera. Her room is big enough for the two of them. Plus they’re both girls.” Leonard said.

At this, it was as if Hera’s heart stopped.

‘What? WHAT?! What do you mean to share a room with that girl?! Who are these people?’

She wanted to open the door and ask him herself.

But it was as if her feet were glued to the ground.

She couldn’t move.

Her heart beat erratically.

And all she heard was the sound of the beating drums in her head.

‘What is happening? Am I still sleeping?’

With her cold hands, she brought one to pinch her leg. She winced in pain.

‘No. It can’t be.’

With her other hand she slapped her own cheek.

Slap!

She felt the stinging pain on her cheeks.

‘This is really not a dream?! No! It can’t be!’

She was hoping that she was mistaken, that these people are his father’s relatives.

Her mother was an orphan at ten years old so she had never met any family members or relatives from her side since she was bounced around a lot up until she was able to leave the system.

She placed her hand on the cold door knob.

‘I need to ask him. Act natural, Hera. Don’t act so stupid.’

But before she was able to turn the knob, she heard them speak again.

“Are you sure she’s going to be fine with that, Dad?” The boy named Leon spoke, doubt was clear in his voice.

“Why, of course? Rica is a little cutie, who wouldn’t want to be her roommate?” Leonard answered before proceeding to babytalk Rica.

Hera couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

‘Did he really call my dad, DAD?!!’ She shook her head in disbelief.

She felt like she’s in an unending nightmare at this very moment.

Leonard had never told her this before. No, she and her mother never even suspected that he had been having an affair.

‘He even takes care of them like his own.. No, more than he treats me..’ She thought sadly.

The boy sounded so at ease as he called him Dad.

“Let’s go take the things to Leon’s new room..” He said to them.

“Okay!”

“Yay! I’m excited! Can we paint Leon’s room?” The girl named Rica squealed.

“Sure.. Sure.. if that’s what Leon wants..” Leonard said.

Hera heard their footsteps as they neared her room.

“Ah.. This is Hera’s room. She’s probably still sleeping. We’ll just move Rica’s things later when she wakes up.” Leonard said.

“Okay!”

They passed by her room and entered the room across hers.

“So, what do you think, Leon?” Leonard spoke.

“It’s good. It’s big.” Leon nodded in approval as he surveyed his new room.

“You guys stay here and unpack. Rica, help your big brother okay? And don’t make a mess!”

“Okay, mommy!” She squealed.

Leonard and Rebekah exited the room and walked to the side.

“Honey, have you told your daughter about us yet?” Rebekah asked in hushed tones.

However, Hera was still able to hear them through the thin walls.

Leonard sighed. “Well, no. I haven’t had a chance to. But since someone had already bought our old house, we have to fasttrack your move here.”

“But what are you going to tell her?”

Silence.

“Honey..”

“She just needs to know that you are her new family now.” He said to Rebekah before placing a loud kiss on her lips.

Inside the room, Hera almost couldn’t hold her vomit.

She felt disgusted. Of him. Of what was happening in this moment.

She remembered all those times when they couldn’t reach him in his phone number, especially when the doctors and nurses were trying their best to revive her.

‘Was he with them all those times?!’

Her legs weakened as she slid down to the floor.