The Past Haunts us- BOOK TWO

Chapter 17: Let the girl go

Her eyes held fear and dedication, I knew I was doing wrong. I shook my head, "You really don't remember anything?"

"Remember what, Phil?" She shook her head.

"Everything. Daisy, Andrew, the team, HYDRA, Tahiti," I paused, "Bahrain."

Her eyes darkened and her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

"Wha- Why does that- Phil."

"It- I can't tell you, Mel. I can't do it to you again-."

She sighed, "I need to get to work. I'll drop Layla off at my mother's. You should get ready for work if you're teaching today."

"Teaching?"

"You're a teacher."

"Right. And you are a SHIELD agent."

"What do you mean? SHIELD collapsed. I work for HYDRA." My breath hitched and my eyes widened.

"HYDRA?" I squeaked.

She shook her head and pushed me away.

"Layla, you're going to Grandma's place after school, 'Kay?"

"Okay." The girl quietly said, "Why can't I stay with Daddy today?"

Melinda looked at me, "He has some work to do today." She smiled at the girl, "Now, c'mon. Let's get you dressed and ready to go."

She carried Layla to, what presumably was, her room.

I let out a sigh and rubbed my forehead. Melinda is Hydra. Layla is still here. And I,- I am a teacher.

"Hey, Mel?" I walked to the room.

"What, Phil?"

"I- Where is the school?"

She sighed, "Main Street."

"Right. Look, can we talk?"

"About what?" She didn't take her eyes off of the little girl.

"Uhm- everything."

She took a deep breath and I saw her trying to keep her anger in check, "I don't have time right now."

"Mel-"

"Meet me at the cafe after your class. I'll be there."

"Okay. Uh- we're married, right?"

"Separated, actually. Almost a year now."

"Oh."

She shook her head and patted Layla's back, "You're all ready, Chuju."

When she looked at me, I saw eyes full of sorrow.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry." She answered.

"Melinda-"

"I'm fine, Phil." She repeated.

"Why- Why did we-"

She took a deep breath, "We just did." She looked at me, "We were always gonna come to an end. It was just easier to stay friends than whatever we were."

"Oh."

"So we're married in your reality?"

"Uh, yes. A year now."

Her eyebrows arched up, "A year? How old is Layla then?"

"She's 28."

"Layla is 28. And we've only been married a year." She repeated.

"It's a long story." Truth was, it was.

"I'm gonna get changed and I'll drop Layla off at school on my way." She looked at Layla, "Are you teaching today?"

"Uh, yes."

"I'm running late, Phil. Goodbye." She walked over to Layla who stood by the door.

"Say bye to Daddy, Layla."

"Bye, Daddy!" Layla called.

"Bye, angel eyes." I waved back.

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"Mommy, are you and Daddy fighting?" Layla whispered from the back of the car. I looked at her through the rear view mirror.

"No, we just- disagree on things."

"Is that why you and Daddy don't sleep together anymore?"

"Yeah." I answered since it was easier than explaining the truth to a seven year old.

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I dialled the phone number and waited for it to answer.

"Qiaolian? Hello?"

"Yeah, hey, mom. Could you pick Layla from school this afternoon?"

"Isn't Philip picking her up?"

"He had something to do tonight. I'm busy." I didn't want to tell her about the story or theory Phil had told me.

"Well, I can't say no to picking my granddaughter up." She sighed, "Whatever you're not telling me-"

"Yeah, you'll find out." I took a deep breath, "Just not now."

"Goodbye."

"Bye, mom."

I sighed and continued doing the paperwork for the next mission.

                             —————————

I reached the cafe Melinda had told me. Pulling the door open and stepping inside, I looked around. Suddenly, I was brought back to the old days.

The house I had been at was a different version of Melinda's apartment. The cafe I was at was the cafe we spent hours at.

I looked around to find Melinda reading a book in the corner of the room. I walked over to her and sat across from her.

"Hey." She looked up and kept her book on the centre table.

"Hey, Phil." She rubbed her forehead, "Look whatever you have to say, say it. I have a headache and everything I want to do is at home."

"Yeah, sorry. I just-"

"You say this world isn't real but it's all I've known. You say that Layla is 28 years old but where did the 21 years go? You say we've been married for a year but I've spent 11 years with you as my husband. And finally, you say you know me yet you don't know why we separated."

"I-" I looked up, "Layla was kidnapped when she was one. Layla was a one night stand. We started dating 2 years ago because I was too damn shy to ask you before. I don't know why we separated because we haven't done it yet. And Melinda,-" I took a deep breath, "This world isn't real. You've known me more than half of my life. We haven't even opened that bottle of Haig yet. So please, I need you to come to the exit with me. Please."

Melinda sipped her tea, "Wanna know my story? Huh? Layla was born after 3 years of our marriage. We had been trying for a year. We started dating in the last year of college. I asked you out because you were still too damn shy. We opened the bottle of Haig on our fifth date. We were married on July 18, 1981 in Tahiti." She looked down, "And we separated because I killed a child and I blocked you out. Did that happen in your reality?"

"Melinda-" she glared, "Yes. It happened. I didn't know till years after it did."

"I want to believe you, Phil. I really do. I just-" she bit her lip, "There's too much on the line."

"You have to let the girl go, Melinda."