Past Redefined

PART FORTY-NINE

Scarlett Finney's POV

I walked down to see everyone sitting at the dining table. They invited me to join and I did.

"What about Chris?" Someone asked as I sat down and I looked to see Anne, Harry's wife. I smiled and replied, "He eats late. It will take sometime..." I said and apart from that, the dinner went almost silent other than asking me to pass the dish or eat some more. But inbetween all this, it gave me chills everytime Marlin caught me looking at her.

After dinner, everyone sat in the living room chatting and then ritired to their rooms except Harry, Marlin and me. Harry looked at me and realized that I was waiting to speak to her. He hurried with his talk and left us alone.

I was stand next to her and cleared my throat.

"Marlin... I..." I was about to say and got interrupted by her.

"If you are here to talk about Chris, you may leave." I stood in silence, hoping that she did not really mean that.

"What the hell were you two thinking while leaving like that? And you after knowing how you have ripped my family apart, how dare you step into this house with such comfort. Don't you..."

My visibly confused expression made her stop and I shook my head.

"You have got this all wrong. It was not me... I didn't know at all.. I was just... I just met Chris a year back."

She sighed and pushed herself in the back rest.

"What the hell is going on?" She cussed, rubbing her forehead.

I waited for few seconds and then sat next to her.

"Marlin... Let me make this clear. It wasn't me." I may have sounded lame and selfish to say this but yes, in this misunderstanding I had no role to play. I can't stand being accused for something that I have not done. Atleast not right now while I want to talk about this to her.

"I am not here for Chris. I am here for you... I don't know what happened here, Marlin. He told me what he did and what he could have done. And at no point did he defend himself for making that mistake. He knows he wronged you. He has regretted each and everyday ever since then."

"Who was it?" Marlin asked.

"Who?" I questioned and realised what she was talking. "Olivia's mother? Marlin, if it was for me to tell you everything, I would have done that in the airport, the moment I saw you."

"Why are you here, Sky? What do you what?"

"I am here because you asked me to... I remember when you walked me in here, how much loved I felt. With that I am asking you, can you please talk to Chris? For my sake. For Angel... I mean, Olivia's sake. If you can..." I looked at her with so much eager asking, "... Can you?"

"With such ease? Do you know what he has put me through? How I survived?"

"No. I don't think so. But if you are talking about loosing every single person you love in your life, I know. And if it is about having everyone... Literally everyone and yet not able to speak to them, Chris knows." I said and took a deep breath. "Marlin, it has been tough for everyone of us but can we drop everything and just understand that it is not easy for anyone of us to be like this. Can you talk to him? He will stand where you ask him to. You know that..."

"He was... I don't know now, how or why?" She said and looked away.

"Why?? You are his mother, Marlin. He will..." I said and she stood up to leave. "Will you?" I asked as I stood and she shook her head in denial.

"Whenever you are ready." I said and walked away, searching for Chris.

I saw him sitting in the garden near the campfire. I walked to sit next to him. He covered me with the blanket he had, hugging me.