Who Murdered The Night?|✔️

Epilogue

Every parent's joy was to see their child take their first steps but Gloria was deprived of that.

Hannah took her first steps at eleven months. I was slicing some bread in the kitchen when she came waddling in.

She had started to pick up other words and I had mixed feelings when she referred to me as Mama. That was supposed to be for Gloria.

The adoption papers came in and she was officially mine. She remained Hannah McDane. I was happy at my choice and Kendall was grateful.

We were in her room, formerly Camille's. I had let go. I was setting up the room for Hannah when there came a knock on the door.

I took Hannah's hand and we walked there together. I was surprised to see Mark.

"Won't you let me in?" He said when he saw my hesitation. I moved away from the doorway for him to come in. He stepped in, leaving trails of expensive cologne in the air.

He had not changed at all. Always carrying an aura of exaggerated elegance around him. He was wearing a wine colored tuxedo on black pants. His hair was neatly cut and his black shoes shone like always. He had always been like that.

"You have a child now? Nice." He commented.

A child? Yes, Hannah.

"Yes, obviously." I said and leaned on the door, lifting Hannah up.

"Didn't know you wanted to have another. Doesn't she say hello?" He said and looked around.

My anger fueled but I wasn't in for arguments. We were meeting for the first time in two years and that was all he could say? He came here to act all casual?

"What do you want?" I glared at him.

"I came say I am sorry, that all." He shrugged.

See? See that ego?

"And that's all? Mark, really?" I fumed and shifted Hannah to the other hand.

"Yes, to say sorry." He nonchalantly said.

Now I was going to express all my bitterness.

"Seriously? Do you know what you made me go through? Do you know how many sleepless nights I have? Do you know how much time I spend thinking I was the problem in our marriage? Do you know what Camille went through thinking all was well with her parents? Tell me, do you know?" I shouted at him. Tears threatened to fall but I held them back, I couldn't let him see my weakness.

"It wasn't..." He was saying but I cut him off.

"Do you know what people think of me? Do you know what they say? The woman next door rubs it in my face everytime that I was the failure. You slept with my cousin, Mark. You slept with her. And you are here, casually saying sorry? You should be ashamed." I cried. 

Hannah tried to get down and I allowed her. I watched her walk to where her toys were.

"We lost our daughter. Nothing can bring her back, not even you." I pointed at him. "Do you know how much I miss you, Mark?" My face flushed when I realized what I said.

But I meant it, I missed him. He was my best friend, my everything. How could I ever forget that he was once very sweet.

He covered the distance between us in three long strides and engulfed me in his arms. Oh how I missed that. I missed his touch and everything. I missed him.

"I'm sorry." He said into my ear. I cried on, allowing myself to relish in the moment.

When the tears were not coming anymore, I pulled out from the embrace. Hannah, who had been watching us with curious eyes, came over to me and hugged my legs. I picked her up and kissed her cheek.

She was all I had and I would hold on to her. Mark could leave again for all I cared. Even if I did not mean it.

"I'm sorry, Flauvia. I miss you too. I miss our family." He said after a second. So he remembered I said that. "I miss you and I miss everything we had." He said and kissed my cheek. I held on tight to Hannah, my heart was beating very fast.

"Where is your husband?" He asked after some seconds.

"I don't have a husband." I told him flat out.

He looked from Hannah to me with confusion in his eyes.

"She is adopted." I cleared the air.

"Oh." He said and waved at her. She stared right back at him and frowned. She obviously did not like him.

"Mama." She said and touched my hair. If only I knew what was on her mind.

"I have to leave now, I'll keep in touch. Do take care of yourself." He stepped back, looking at his watch.

Tears flowed from my eyes. He was leaving again and I had to deal with it.

I had Hannah, I had myself. I would hold on to them.

I watched until his car disappeared from sight. Hannah placed her head on my shoulder and said something I couldn't make out.

All is well that ends well, right?

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