We're in This Together

Episode 49

"What do you want, James?" I asked, my tone cold and steady, my gaze unwavering as I fixed it upon him. I maintained eye contact until the small baby in his arms let out a loud cry.

"Can I at least come in?" he whispered, to which I wordlessly acquiesced, shifting aside to allow him entry. He moved swiftly into the house, and in that moment, I noticed a stark change in him. He appeared disheveled, his once vibrant demeanor now replaced by a pallid complexion and dark circles under his eyes, more pronounced than my own. His belongings were in disarray, and the presence of the infant in his arms piqued my curiosity further.

"Who is the baby?" I inquired as I closed the door, preempting his attempt to sit on the couch. His steps halted at the question, and he turned to face me, a familiar expression in his eyes. It was the same look he had given me the night before he departed, leaving me alone with my father. Instead of answering, he studied me for a moment, a silent exchange passing between us.

"Didn't you read the letter I sent you last week?" he asked, catching me off guard. I had never read any of the letters he had been sending over the past twelve years. Since I was eight years old, an orphan, he had diligently sent missives, none of which I had ever bothered to open. Instead, I had relegated them to a box under my bed, untouched.

"It's quite evident that I didn't read your letter," I retorted, my voice icy, causing his face to pale with sadness.

"Why?" he asked, a hint of tears in his eyes.

"Why should I be expected to read them?" I countered, meeting his gaze squarely. "Why would I have to subject myself to those words after you abandoned me, leaving me to fend for myself as an orphaned child?" I shot back, my voice rising in volume. My outburst seemed to startle the baby in his arms, prompting another round of cries. I fell silent, offering no consolation as he attempted to soothe the child.

"Shhh... Adie, don't cry... daddy's here," he murmured softly to the baby, a faint smile gracing his lips. Despite his evident weariness, he displayed a remarkable amount of tenderness towards his child, simultaneously warming my heart and stirring up old wounds. As I watched them, he stole a glance in my direction before resuming the conversation.

"She is my daughter, Adeline Alison," he announced gently, lifting the infant in his arms for me to see. "She's five months old," he added, a broad grin spreading across his face. His joy and affection for his daughter were palpable. I couldn't deny that James was a genuinely kind person, perhaps one of the best I had ever known.

"So, you got married," I stated, my tone still frosty. His grin slowly faded as he regarded me, nodding slightly before responding in a whisper, "Yeah, I did."

As soon as he finished speaking, I let out a cold chuckle, earning a look of confusion from him. "So, you've been enjoying a blissful family life with your five-month-old daughter and your wife, while I've been enduring hell here," I spat out bitterly, my anger palpable. He shook his head in denial.

"No, Jen. That's not true..." he began, but I cut him off.

"Bullshit... James!" I interrupted, raising my voice. "You've been living a beautiful life while I've been suffering every single damn day, both here and in the Orphan School," I continued, my voice growing louder.

"Jen... please lower your voice," he pleaded, cradling the baby's head against his neck and covering it with his hand.

"Oh! Now you care about your kid? Your own kid?" I scoffed, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Now you give a damn about your own child when you didn't even care about me," I shot back, cursing under my breath as I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to regain composure. As I took a moment to collect myself, the baby continued to cry in his arms, held tightly against his chest. With another heavy sigh, I composed myself to continue the conversation.