For every sin, there shall be punishment.
For every punishment, one must repent in sincere penitence of sin.
To whom be the glory, forever and ever... Amen.
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𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐑 | 𝐎𝐌𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓
It had been three days since Nicole returned home from her supposed death and everyone had grown accustomed to the perverse way the days now flowed. Granted, her sudden appearance was a lot to take in at first, but they were gradually adjusting and coming around to accept the woman who appeared to be going through a lot of changes alongside her disbelieving appearance. There remained a plethora of unanswered questions, but her family was simply relieved that she was alive and quite well.
There was her lifelong friend — her younger sister, who had always been a generous helping hand in both good and bad circumstances. Her best friends couldn't believe it was Nicole in person and cursed her to be a clone with fists clutching invisible pearls at their chests. Even her parents found a way to slither into her life in some way. Nicole wasn't thrilled about the run-in she wound up embroiled in with the elder Marajs, but the least she could do was acknowledge the mourning utterances on the faces of those who had given her life. The guilt had been eating at their raw flesh far longer than two years yet for two years, the impression that nothing would resurrect their daughter was a cold feeling.
A feeling that brought back dark memories, memories that haunted them for all of Nicole's adult years. It was manageable not to have a relationship with the woman, but again not having a relationship with their granddaughter was nearly crushing. Seeing just how much of a dearing woman Nicole made of herself; The beautiful home she owned, a secure career, love has found her and she found it. The outcome? What they heard to be, an exceptional kid. It was a shame that's been stripped from watching their daughter and granddaughter grow but they knew they were the only suspects to be held accountable for Nicole's desire to keep them as far away from her and her family as she could.
They never admitted how satisfied or proud they were of Nicole after seeing the forty-three-year-old for the first time, in person, for who knew how long. It had been over twenty years on record. It was like meeting a close stranger on both ends. Nicole was only doing it for her sister's sake, stunned the divorced couple actually showed their face in her presence. After all, their parents were getting up in age, and sooner or later, they'd be depending on them.
Nicole would scoff at the idea. They were many things, but good parents to her did not fit the bill. They didn't deserve to know her and would never get the chance. Not after what she'd been through as a child and young adolescent.
Brittany would never have to doubt whether she was good enough for her. Neither her two-year-old daughter nor her son would. Nicole realized she'd been selfish over the years, notably with those three. She could only afford to fill the void. For all she knew, she could be taking her last breath on Earth at any moment.
