Baby

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen: Blame

unedited

For an hour or so, Evangeline and I explored the expansive grounds, marveling at its beauty. Our conversation ranged over various topics, and I found myself opening up, sharing details about my childhood that no one else knew.  There was a sense of trust and comfort between us, unlike anything I had experienced before. Evangeline amused me with hilarious tales from Silas's childhood, and I found myself bursting into peels of laughter.

Evangeline let out a loud laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Honestly, how did I know he'd end up gobbling up those special brownies instead of the regular ones?" 

We returned to the bench next to the vibrant flowers, and it was evident on Evangeline's face that she was beginning to feel weary from our stroll.

"Let me walk you to your room," I suggested kindly. But before I could even process what was happening, everything happened in a blinding flash. Fear welled up within me as Evangeline's eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she began to collapse. Panic gripped me, and a scream escaped my lips. 

Relieved, I managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Oh God, Silas!" I screamed, tears welling up in my eyes as I held Evangeline in my arms, her body unconscious. My mind raced with guilt, convinced that I had caused her to overexert herself.

The living room door flew open, and a group of stern-looking guards emerged, immediately followed by Silas in a full sprint.

My gaze locked with Silas's for a moment, and I watched as he barked orders to one of the men. "Do not let her out here without her oxygen tank, do you understand?" He commanded coldly. "If I catch her outside her room without it, the person responsible is as good as fucking dead."

His tone was icy and authoritative, leaving no room for debate. 

My mind and heart were in disarray, preventing me from standing on my own. Suddenly, hands gripped my arms and helped me to my feet, eliciting a startled gasp from me.

Silas grabbed me firmly, shaking me slightly as he demanded, "Baby, what the hell happened?" His gaze locked onto mine, and his intense presence made me feel intimidated. 

I struggled to articulate my thoughts, my rapid breathing making it difficult to form sentences. "We had just finished walking around the yard," I managed to say, my voice quivering.

Panic overwhelmed me, and my eyes began to water. "I asked her if she could show me around," I confessed, guilt consuming me. "This is all my fault!" I couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and they streamed down my face as I sobbed. 

Silas shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows. "Hey hey hey, it's alright, don't cry," he said, his voice firm yet gentle. "This isn't your fault. You hear me? It's okay, come here." He released his grip on my arms and brought his hands down to my waist, drawing me closer. In that moment, I believed him, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his shoulders, seeking comfort.  

I clutched onto him with an intense grip, our bodies practically merging into one. I could feel his ten fingers digging into my waist, providing an anchoring sensation. But I didn't mind, as this closeness was exactly what I needed to calm myself. After a few seconds, he eased his grip and removed one hand from my waist, placing it at the back of my head. He began to tenderly rub his thumb back and forth, offering soothing comfort.

"Listen, I'm going to call Raia to come get you, alright?" he said firmly. "I'll stay here with my mom, and I'll let you know any updates, deal?"

I sighed and nodded, reluctantly releasing my grip on him and the comfort I'd found in his warmth. My eyes, however, refused to meet his gaze, and I found myself fixated on the floor. But then Silas gently placed his hand under my chin, lifting my head to meet his intense eyes. 

"This isn't your fault," he repeated one final time. I nodded, still feeling guilty.

"Alright, alright," I muttered. "But please, keep me updated as soon as possible, alright?"

He withdrew his hands from my face, and with a firm nod, he assured me, "Of course."

;?;

The familiar sight of the dark grey car pulling up to the house brought a sense of comfort. Raia gave a quick honk on the horn, signaling that she'd arrived. I hastily opened the passenger door and hopped right in.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Raia inquired gently as she began driving off.

"I honestly don't know. Silas said it wasn't my fault, but I can't shake this feeling of guilt," I responded quietly, my voice laced with uncertainty.

Raia spoke with certainty, explaining that her aunt's condition is worsening, and she frequently passes out if she doesn't get enough oxygen to her lungs. She mentioned that her aunt dislikes lugging around the bulky oxygen tank, so she often bribes the guards when Silas isn't around.

"Don't blame yourself," she reiterated, her tone gentle. "Silas has struggled with this for years, and it has only ever brought him pain and darkness."

I remained quiet for a moment, nodding to acknowledge what Raia had said. I realized that they were right; I was already harshly scolding myself for the situation when deep down, I knew Evangeline wouldn't want me to.

"You're right," I agreed softly. "It just caught me off guard."

Raia's tone was heavy with sadness as she shared the tale. "My aunt became ill out of nowhere, just a few months ago. She claimed a witch broke into their home, but no one believes it. Especially Silas. He's been working insane hours in his office. He becomes so distant that we start calling him-"

I interjected with a chuckle, remembering the story we had discussed earlier. "Silent Silas.". 

She chuckled, recalling one of his pet peeves. "Ah yes, Silent Silas. He absolutely hates it when we call him that. If you ever want to rile him up, just go ahead and call him that. But anyways, what did you and Aunt Evangeline talk about?"

At Raia's question, I couldn't help but smile as I remembered our conversation. "Oh, so much. We talked about our past and my hopes for the future. And she even asked me about my feelings for Silas."

Raia, from the corner of my eye, looks over to me then back onto the road. "Well?"

"I told her I didn't know," I said, and Raia gasped at my response. I tried to suppress a laugh.

"You said before you only wanted to focus on studying, but now it's 'I don't know' hm? What changed?" she inquired.

"I wish I knew the answer to that, trust me," I admitted with a lighthearted shrug.