What HE took from ME

Chapter 13-Family reunion

Brenda

"Are you okay? Hey! Hey! Breathe, sweetie. Breathe." I followed her voice until I defeated the darkness that had threatened to consume me. But I was still confused big time about a lot of things. How was it possible that the two were related? Tim and Edgar were the complete opposite of each other. And the journal?

"But t-the journal, it said Andrew died or disappeared, and why is Tim using Andrew Jenkins?" What is happening? My head started spinning again.

Loyce pressed my hands gently, "I know this is confusing, but you need to call Andrew now. The only way he will be safe, is if he has an idea of what he is up against." She kept rubbing the back of my hand soothingly, but that did not help. I was dying because there was nothing I could do to save Edgar. "Why are you not doing anything?" Loyce yelled.

"The phone is useless without a battery." I yelled back, tears rolling down my face. I sat on the red couch in the room, and Loyce came and sat down next to me. She looked defeated. "Please, tell me what the hell is going on. Who am I?" I wanted to know. I had thirsted to know my background for seventeen years; the world owed me that.

"You are Andrea Beryl Goldstine. Your mother, Winnie Goldstine, and Alice Jenkins were the best friends. They loved each other so much that they wanted to be a family. So they planned to have kids at the same time. Unfortunately, your mom could not get pregnant until after two years. However, Winnie getting pregnant with a baby girl pushed Tim over the edge. I think he caused the accident that took his parents. I tried to warn people, but no one believed me. That day, Andrew died and was forgotten by the world." Loyce stopped and took a breath.

After, she carried on, "Only a few people knew about the orphanage. We later found out about him and Magret. That stupid, greedy girl." Loyce wiped tears off her eyes and looked away." I thought that her being older than Tim would make a difference, but I was wrong. She fell for his charms, My daughter let herself get manipulated by him, and they faked Andrew's death. We found out later that he had taken Andrew to that horrible place, which was much safer than out there."

"Safer? Is that why my mother threw me there? Because you all thought it was safer?" I got up, worked up. Were they serious? Did they have any idea how much crap I went through at that place? She was so afraid that she did not want to take chances with me, so she abandoned me in a box?" I was angry with my parents. Why did she leave me at the mercy of beasts?

"Winnie never abandoned you. She has died every day, knowing that she could not hold you in her arms. It was Tim who took you there. The day you were born, he took you to that orphanage. He did not count on the will your dad wrote. He said that you get everything once you turn twenty or if you married Andrew. Your dad wanted someone to help you manage it. Once Tim learned about the will, he changed his name in his official documents. In some, he used his real name then added Goldstine, and in some, he impersonated his brother completely. Now that he tricked you into marrying Andrew, that poor boy will not know what hit him."

It just clicked the degree of how lethal Tim was. He was a monster. Tim took everything from me and turned me into a beggar. He killed my parents. Even if he did not do it physically, he took me away from them, breaking their hearts. But I would not let him Kill Edgar too. He was all I got. So I had to do something to warn him. I got up and hurried toward the door, "I am going to find battery." I announced.

Loyce ran and grabbed my hand, "No. If Tim catches you, he will kill Andrew, and a lot more people, out of spite."

"I have to warn him." I tried to reason.

"I know, believe me. Let me get that battery for you. Tim left you in here for a reason- he has a guard out the door waiting to knock you out, if you try to leave his room. Please, just let me do it." Loyce begged, and I nodded and mouthed, okay. She nodded back and left. I sat down, waiting anxiously.