Morana Barnes: Murderous Love

37. May Barnes

December 10th, 2022 8:25 pm

Out in the Open:

I was hoping Morana showed up. I had told our parents that I wouldn't be coming tonight and I had no doubt they told Morana. My hands fiddled with each other nervously as I sat in the living room praying Morana would walk through the door.

"May, could you relax, you're making me nervous," my mother said. Her eyebrows were turned down in worry. Our parents were well-updated on what's been going on with Morana and me. They haven't put their input in though. I stopped fiddling and tried to look around the room instead. When I heard knocks on the door I straightened up. My eyes widened and my heart beat out of my chest. She's here.

My hands grew wet from my nerves and my breathing got shaky. Will she leave if she sees me here? Will she yell at me? The questions didn't help my ever-racing mind and only made me more nervous.

When my mom opened the door, I could hear the excited squeal that came from her. I heard their footsteps before I saw them. When Morana looked into the living room and spotted me, the relaxed look on her face tightened. Her lips went thin as she blinked and took in a deep breath. She was upset. The scared and sad look on my face had to have been visible. I cleared my throat and joined my mother and Morana. As our mom spoke Morana didn't say a word and neither did I. It was awkward and tense.

"Hey dad," Morana spoke casually. Our father looked at her, eyes lighting up. He walked around the kitchen counter and pulled her to him, his arms wrapping her in a big hug, the same way he did to me.

"Hey, it's been a while. How's work been for you?"

"Still stressful. But you know we're getting there"

"Any closer to finding him?"

"Not really. There's been a few adjusts, a new suspect but I don't know,"

"What? You just got a feeling?"

"Yeah, a really serious one too. It sent me home feeling sick,"

"Sounds to me like you need a break," our mother spoke up.

Everyone talked but me. I didn't want to say anything out of fear it would ruin the atmosphere. That feeling only doubled the feeling of loneliness I was experiencing in a place I once felt the most adored by everyone in the room. I sat down at the table as our father brought over the food, the rest of them joining me. I kept my eyes down, refusing to make eye contact with Morana, out of fear I might break down right then and there.

My throat felt clogged and my eyes were burning with the need to cry. I took a silent deep breath and looked up, forcing a smile on my face. "May honey how's school going?"

"Mom, you ask that every time you see me," I chuckled.

"I know but every day is different," she said.

"It's still going the same. Nothings really changed,"

"That sucks. No parties coming up or any other fun activities?"

"Nope, not that I know of. I never went to parties anyway. So M-" I stopped mid-sentence glancing at Morana who was silently eating. I wanted to talk to her but was hesitant. Will she even answer me back or will she just shrug me off and talk to the other two people in the room instead? My heart felt heavy as more negative thoughts swirled in my head. "Nevermind," I said softly.

The air grew awkward and a small tension filled the air as everyone remained silent. "What is this?" our father asked.

We looked at him confused. His eyes were hard as he glared at us. I shrunk back just the slightest. I wasn't used to seeing that look on his face, especially when it concerned us. I've only seen that look once or twice in my life when directed at me or Morana and I hated the sight of it every single time.

"What is what?" I asked.

"This," he gestured between the two of u.s "Why are you two acting like this?"

"May didn't tell you?" Morana asked. Her question was snarky and didn't help the tone of the room at all.

"Oh no, she told me but I'm trying to figure out why you two are acting like this. Like you're not sisters,"

Morana looked at me with a pointed glare as one of her eyebrows raised. "That's not fair," I swallowed thickly, tears threatening to come forward.

"Why's it not? It's your fault,"

"I tried to apologize,"

"Yeah, after two months of sticking by his side blindly, stupidly,"

"How was it stupid? Morana you were so standoffish toward him, so how did you expect me to react when I found out you had him question,"

"Yeah we had Erin Lousey questioned as well and Jace isn't the one being accused of it, is he?"

I paused, eyebrows furrowing. "What?"

"Right, there were no follow-up questions for him but there were for Erin. Erin's being suspected right now, not Jace. You would have known a lot of this if you hadn't so blindly jumped to defend him. You would've seen Erin come out of the interrogation room if you had stopped and listened to what I had to say. It's your fault. You. Chose. Him. You did that May and now you think everything can just be fixed with an 'I'm sorry?' You ignored me for two months. You wouldn't answer my calls, you wouldn't text me, and you wanted nothing to do with me. You don't have a right to be sad because now I'm the one that needs time,"

"I'm sorry," I said pathetically. It was all I could say now that it was all out there in the open. How Morana felt about the entire situation. I sniffed as tears ran down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away because Morana was right. I didn't have a right to be sad when it was my fault. I had never accused Morana of anything like that before. Anytime there was a problem Morana and I talked about it, and we talked it out until it was resolved. That's how it has always been and I ruined that.

"I know you are," she sighed quietly. I couldn't tell if she was genuine or if the older sister in her was kicking in against her will. Morana always comforted me when I cried. She was the greatest sister anyone could have asked for and I was messing it up and for what? Miscommunication? Assumptions?

"I need you two to make up. I'm not saying you have to do it right now because clearly there are still some hurt feelings but I need my daughters to come together. To be one like you once were. I don't need this animosity you guys have toward each other. I need you two to act like a family, so we all can be a family again. No more if one's going I'm not bullcrap. I want my family to all be able to sit in the same room without any hidden anger or sadness, okay?"

"Yes, sir." we said in unison.