Chapter 20

 

I adjusted my black shirt and skirt infront of the porch as my dad rang the doorbell. We were infront of my mother’s house, to attend the funeral. A lady aged 40 or over, opened the door and without saying anything she ushered us towards the large livingroom where lots of people were talking silentl, dressed in all blacks. My legs felt wobbly, and i slumped onto the nearest armchair.

 

“are you alright honey?” my dad whispered, as he squated down infront of me, holding my hand. I nodded, as a portrait mesmerized me.

 

“Is that her?” I asked him, showing the picture. He turned around and looked at the portrait hanging upon the fireplace.

 

“Yeah.” He replied meekly. “She’s fifteen at that photo, must be the times we were together.”

 

“She’s so beautiful.” İ said. “It seems like we have the same face.”

 

“Whenever i look at you, your face reminds me her.”

 

Then, a woman aged 30 or something sauntered over us and stopped right beside my dad. We both stood up, my dad and she shook hands unwillingly. The lady was examining my face very carefully that i had to look at another direction.

 

“You must be her.” She spoke coldly.

 

“Uhm...let me introduce you. Skylar, this is your..mother’s best friend Jessica, and Jessica this is my daughter Skylar.” My dad piped up sheepishly.

 

“Elizabeth’s daughter.” Jessica corrected numbly.

 

“Who raised her?” my dad replied vehemently.

 

“Who gave birth to her?” she said with the same insensitivity.

 

“Close this subject Jessica.” My dad retorted. She just scoffed.

 

“You hadn’t met your mother before right?” asked Jessica.

 

“No..no i hadn’t...” i stuttered.

 

“I hope, you’re aware that it’s all your dumb father’s fault, right?” she continued bombarding me with her dreadful questions.

 

“Jessica, would you shut your damn mouth up?” my dad hissed. I had felt a sudden urge to defend my father.

 

“Please forgive me if i say something inappropriate, i wouldn’t want to talk bad after a dead person but as far as i know my mother wasn’t so innocent either. Considering the fact that she had left me infront of my dad’s house isn’t something that is easy to forgive, or forget. Basically, i owe my dad my life. He could give me to an orphanage easily...but he didn’t.” I finished my speech coherently.

 

“How can you blame your mother? The one who gave you birth?” she asked unbelievably.

 

“Sometimes giving birth could be something unimportant, the most important thing starts after that.” I spoke. “And i can’t think of any logical reason for getting rid of your child whatever the reason is, cos i’m a mother too.” I continued sternly.

 

“Unfortunately Nick, she’s just like. Ill-mannered, selfish and numb.” She said accusingly, turned around on her heels and walked away.

 

“Bitch.” I grumbled. “Can you please tell me dad, how in the world you know a woman like this?” i asked curtly.

 

On his perfect lips curled a mischevious smile.

 

“She was Elizabeth’s best friend. The girl who introduce us.” He spoke. “But honey, you dealed her really well, you were incredible!”

 

I couldn’t help but laugh slightly. He again had forgot that he was a dad, and that he would have repremanded me for talking that rudely to someone older than me. But again, he was my immature dad.

 

“Can i see my mom?” i whispered to his ear after sometime.

 

“I don’t know...” he answered looking around. “Let’s search the rooms upstairs.” He mumbled and we went upstairs and started our search.

 

As i opened the last room’s door, i came across with a room that its walls had plastered with Backstreet Boys’ posters from 1995 to 2017. As i  looked around the room, i saw her coffin, with her laying inside peacefully.

 

“I guess it’s her.” I said slowly, looking at my dad.

 

His expression scared me to death. His ocean-blue eyes had glued on her white face, his face also as white as hers.

 

“Dad, are you feeling ok?” i asked, going near him and touching his face. He held my hand and squeezed it.

 

“You...you may want to be alone with her...” he mumbled turning around and leaving the room quickly, letting me enough time to notice the tears welled up in his eyes.

 

Hesitantly, i walked over to the coffin, placed on her bed.

 

“Hey.” I whispered slowly. “I..I don’t know what to say, or even call you, y’know...but i guess you’d want me to call you mom...”

 

“Mom...” i said again and touched her cold face, as my warm tears started streaming down on my face. “Why did you do this to me? Who couldn’t you go and tell him that you were pregnant and get married? Why couldn’t you? WHY?” i whispered, my voice shaky.

 

“I hadn’t realized how much I needed you all my life, since i had Piper. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about my precious Piper...look.” I opened my purse and took a photo of Chris and Piper together taken recently, wiping my tears away. I sniffled.

 

“Look.” I said, showing the picture to her face as if she could see. “She’s gonna be really beautiful one day, don’t you think? She looks like her father. Oh, and this guy is my fiancé, he’s really gorgeous, ain’t he? I love him so much...” I sighed. “See Mom, I could live without you but dad couldn’t...” I glanced the walls. “I guess you were aware of that. You must have heard the rumors before he met Vanessa....ı think Vanessa had rescued him from a desperate life. They’re very happy together, you should see their kids. They’re the cutest things in the world and..” my non-stop talking interfered with the door’s sudden opening.

 

“What are you doing here?” it was that bitchy Jessica, with her hands on her hips, standing at the edge of the door, looking at me sternly.

 

“I just wanted to sat goodbye to her.” I mumbled.

 

“You hadn’t even said hi to her, why are you caring to say goodbye?” she replied feverishly.

 

“What’s your problem?” I said weakly, my eyes was searching for my dad but he was nowhere in sight.

 

“I have no problem with you darlin’, I have problems with your father.” She had suddenly changed and became sweeter.

 

“Then why are you blaming me? I mean, I don’t know much about their relationship...”I spoke.

 

“You don’t really?” she asked. I nodded.

 

She came near me, held my hand and ushered me towards the chairs in my mother’s room.

 

“It’s time for you to know then.”