Henry & Jane: The Rectaliss

chap. five

Illiana could feel her heart beating in her throat. Jane spoke up, stepping in front of Illiana.

"I'm sorry, Mom?" Nadia said. Jane's voice grew with anger. "What makes you think you can come back after 10 years of nothing?"

Marvo walked towards them and Illiana and Jane stepped back.

"Why is she here? And don't lie to me Dad." Illiana whispered, in shock.

Marvo sighed and fidgeted with his hands, unsure of what to do with them. He choked on his words, desperately trying to find them.

"It's complicated," Abey spoke softly. "Marvo, why don't we tell them now?"

"Tell us what?" Jane questioned. She knew they were hiding something.

"I—I can't do this right now." Marvo turned out of the living room and swiftly moved up the stairs. Illiana followed him, as Jane, Nadia and Abey were standing awkwardly in the hall.

"You need to explain this." Jane snarled. "Now."

Upstairs, Marvo shuts his bedroom door and collapses on his bed in a sob. Illiana follows him shortly after, her heart breaking slightly as she sees him in tears.

"Dad," she cried, laying beside him on the bed, "please tell me what's going on. I don't hear from you for over a day, and I come home to Mom in our living room, who I haven't seen since I was nine years old." She gritted the last half of her sentence through her teeth, growing angrier and sadder by the second.

"I don't know if I should. You could be in danger."

Illiana scoffed at those words. "I've been safe for 19 years, Dad. Because of you. Not her. Now spill it."

"You don't understand, Illiana." Her body tensed at him calling her by her full name. "This isn't something you want to be involved in. Plus, I made a promise to him that I'd keep her safe too."

Jane. He's talking about Jane.

"Her dad?" Illiana questioned, quietly. Marvo sat up and turned his body toward her. Yes, her dad, he thought, if he knew how close you two were to this he'd be rolling in his grave.

"Yes." He spoke. "This could put you both in danger and I won't allow it." His words were laced with worry and fear. She believed him—or believed that he believed—they were in danger.

"Dad, you can trust me. No one's going to hurt us."

Marvo tensed when she said that, and a tear fell from his eye. No, someone will, he thought. He started crying harder as Illiana wrapped her arms around him.

"Your... Marvo and I," Abey explained, "were catching up on life." She said hesitantly. Jane looked at her in utter disbelief and sighed.

"If it really was that innocent, he wouldn't have run off like that." She spoke. Abey squirmed in her seat nonchalantly, avoiding eye contact with her.

"And how do you know that young lady?" Abey said, smiling.

"Well," Jane said, sitting up in her spot on the couch.

"Don't." Nadia said, already aware of the words about to fall out of her mouth. Jane looked at her, then back at Abey.

"I've been around longer than you have, so I guess that counts for something."