Stupid Favours - Favours Series #2

Chapter 19

Was it over?

Davis's men suddenly fill the house. Belinda and Dean are strapped and wheeled away. The lackeys are cuffed and dragged away.

The twins stumble as they run after their mother. "Wait, please. Can we go?"

"Girls, I think it's best you don't see this." I look at the medical officer. His eyes don't give me a definite answer.

"Sir, please? They haven't seen their mother in a while. Just this once. I'll watch them."

"She's in a critical condition, it's not possible."

The doors to the ambulance are shut with Belinda inside, and then, in seconds they're off. The other ambulance follows immediately after.

I hear steps behind us. Michael comes up next to me, "Dean is stable. But he's got a serious concussion. He'll be fine. You can let go now."

I frown at him. But then his hands grab mine, pulling forward the gun tightly held in my hand. I release it and he gives it off to a policeman.

He nods towards the twins in question. I sigh and shrug. The girls held each other's hands as if they only had each other. We round them and catch their attention.

"Caroline, Madeline, do you want to go with us to the hospital?"

"You." Caroline's heated gaze lands on me. "You did all this. Bruce told us everything."

"You believe the man who just stabbed your mother?" I never liked her. Michael nudges me. "I'm sorry. That was rude. Look, I just told the truth. Your mother and Bruce tried to kill me for it. He kidnapped me, my father, and my friend. He was using you two to kill us.

"I did some things, but I never meant to hurt anyone physically. I didn't ask Bruce to do what he did today."

"It was my fault. I distracted her. He jumped her. It's my fault."

"Madeline no!" They all blink at me. "You...you can't blame yourself. For any of this. None of this was either of your fault. Okay?" Neither seem to agree. "Your mother is responsible for her own actions, and Bruce his. They did awful things to everyone and it was their choice. Bruce thought he was doing right by her. And Belinda thought she was doing right by you.

"I don't know how to explain all this without hurting your feelings, and ruining your vision of your mother. But just know that, your mother, chose her path. She knew what she was doing from the very beginning."

I doubt I gave them any peace with my rambling. Michael's pinched expression didn't help either.

"Was what he said true?" I gulped. I knew exactly what Madeline was talking about.

"I can't say. I..."

"Don't lie. You already know everything there seems to be. Just...tell the truth."

"You can't believe her Maddy! She's always lied. She made mom look bad and tore apart our family."

I'm suddenly confronted. Something I've dreaded was talking to the twins after everything went to hell. My communication with Madeline was never real. She just did it to feel a semblance of normalcy.

The consequences of what I did never hit harder than when I thought about these two.

Caroline continues, "You've always had it for mom and us. Why couldn't you just let them be? Why were you so jealous of our happiness? Why didn't you just go back to where you came from, you bitch?"

She heaves out more expletives and I stand frozen.

Her twin interrupts, "Caroline, enough, this isn't helping."

She glared hard, "No, it's helping me! She ruined us!"

I am your ruination.

"I'm sorry. I thought the truth needed to be told."

"No! You just wanted to take down everyone you hated. And now mom's dead!"

Madeline shouts then, "Caroline! She's not dead!"

"Yet!"

"Fucking shut up for once! All you do is scream!"

"How dare you!" Caroline yells back, repeating her mother's words as she lunges at her twin.

We step between quickly. "Girls please!" Michael grabs a hold of Caroline, pulling her back towards the house.

Madeline shakes under my loose hold but doesn't lunge after her violent sister. She trembles and then I realise she's crying.

We both fall to the asphalt as she cries harder into her hands. I can do nothing but stare and rub her back. "I'm so so sorry Madeline."

"Its-" she can't continue as she heaves another breathe. I wipe some of her tears and feel my own eyes start to water. My throat clogs as I build a dam to keep it all at bay.

"Your mother is strong Mads, she'll survive this. You know it. She doesn't go down without a fight." I felt sympathy for my enemy. She would live in shackles, on the brink of death, to see her kids, I knew.

The timid girl in my arms, tries to even her breaths before she speaks. "She'll be fine. I- I know. I hate that...Carrie...Caroline thinks she'd leave us."

"She won't. She wouldn't."

She dusts her pyjama pants, "What's the truth Camille? Why did- why did you need to say it so bad? Why did it have t-to ruin us?"

This request, this fearful request. How do I explain it? How do I tell her I wanted revenge so bad, I went to maddening lengths until I found something I never meant to?

All she wanted was the truth. Her questions were just the same as Caroline. I hope Michael could answer hers.

"I can handle the truth. I-I always knew...something was wrong." She sighs. "Please." Her voice breaks further and I hug her.

"I'm sorry."

And then the damfalls. And the words pour out of my mouth.

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A/N: Sorry for the small chapter, it's been a busy month. Last chapter's drama should be plenty really. There's more to come I promise.