Smoking Mirrors

Chapter 10: A Complicated History

The evening air was crisp and clean, filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. Natalie sat on a bench in the garden, her brother Justin beside her. They gazed out at the pond, watching as the fish swam lazily just beneath the surface. The stars above twinkled like diamonds, casting a magical glow over the entire scene.

It was a peaceful moment, one that Natalie had been craving all day. But as she turned to her brother, she knew that their conversation was about to take a more serious turn.

"Hey, Nat," Justin said, his voice low and conspiratorial. "I need to ask you something."

Natalie raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it?"

Justin hesitated, glancing around the garden as if to make sure they were alone. "It's about Michael," he said finally.

Natalie's heart skipped a beat. She had been dreading this conversation, knowing that her brother would eventually talk about her history with Michael. And now, it seemed, that moment had arrived.

Her throat dried up, and she cleared her throat. "Really, I had no choice. Alex was invited, and as his wife, I had to come."

The brother nodded in understanding. "You do know that your history with Michael could ruin a lot for you, right? And not to mention this family."

She nodded, "I know, and I'm not back here to rekindle anything. But he's close friends with Alex."

The brother's eyes widened. "That will be a problem. What do you think?"

Natalie's brother, Justin, looked at her with concern. "A problem? That's an understatement. Michael and you have a history, Nat. A history that could ruin your reputation and ours."

Natalie sighed, knowing her brother was right. "I know, Justin. But I swear, I'm not back to rekindle anything with him"

Justin nodded, but his eyes still held a hint of doubt. "I hope so, Nat. For your sake and ours. Because if Michael decides to spill the beans about your past... it could get ugly."

Natalie's heart raced at the thought. She had worked so hard to keep her past hidden, to start fresh and new. But now, with Michael back in the picture, she wasn't so sure she could keep her secrets buried.

As they sat there in the garden, the stars reflecting off the pond's surface, Natalie couldn't shake off the feeling that her past was about to catch up with her in a big way.

Natalie sighed, knowing her brother was right. "I don't know, Justin. I'm trying to move on with my life, but it's hard when the past keeps coming back to haunt me."

Justin put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this together, Nat. Just be careful, okay?"

Natalie nodded, feeling a mix of emotions: fear, anxiety, and a hint of uncertainty about what the future held. Little did she know, her past and present were about to collide in ways she never could have imagined.

As they walked back into the house, the soft glow of the chandelier overhead cast a warm light on the tension between Natalie and her mother. Her brother, Justin, poured her a glass of wine, and she took a sip, feeling the cool liquid slide down her throat. She asked him about his travel plans, trying to steer the conversation towards safer waters.

But her mother, ever the vigilant sentinel, swooped in like a hawk, her eyes fixed on the wine glass. "Should you be drinking that, Natalie? I don't think it mixes well with your medication."

Natalie's grip on the glass tightened as she took a step back, her heart racing. "Mother, I'm fine. I've been off those meds for months now. The doctor said I'm perfectly healthy."

Her mother's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with skepticism. "Fine! But I need to see this doctor to make sure."

Justin intervened, his voice calm but firm. "Mom, come on. Natalie's an adult. She can handle her own health."

But Natalie's mother wouldn't let up. "Do you want her to end up in that place again, Justin? You know, the one where they had to feed her and bathe her and—"

Natalie's eyes flashed with anger, her voice trembling. "Mom, stop it. Just stop."

She slammed her glass down on the counter, the wine sloshing over the rim, and turned to flee to the bathroom, her eyes welling up with tears. Justin followed her, his eyes blazing with a protective fury.

Their mother stood alone in the kitchen, her eyes fixed on the wine glass, her face twisted in a mix of worry and guilt. She gulped down the remaining wine, the liquid burning her throat, as she whispered to herself, "I just want what's best for you, Natalie. I just want you safe."

The tension in the air was palpable, the silence thick with unspoken words and unresolved issues. The stage was set for a confrontation that would shake the very foundations of their family dynamics.

Natalie rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against the counter, her eyes welling up with tears. She could feel her mother's words piercing her heart like a dagger.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes red-rimmed, her face pale. She saw a fragile, broken person staring back at her. She saw the scars of her past, the fears and anxieties that still lingered.

She heard her mother's words echoing in her mind, "Do you want her to end up in that place again?" The place where she was trapped, helpless, and lost.

Natalie's body shook with sobs as she realized that her mother still saw her as that broken person. She still saw her as a patient, not a strong, capable woman.

She felt like she was drowning in her tears, suffocating under the weight of her mother's doubts.

The bathroom door creaked open, and Justin's gentle voice whispered, "Nat, I'm here. I believe in you. You're strong, you're capable, and you're not alone."

Natalie's sobs intensified as she collapsed into her brother's embrace, the tears flowing like a river. She knew she wasn't alone. She had Justin. And she had herself.

The room is filled with Natalie's sobs as they echo through the bathroom, a poignant reminder of the emotional turmoil that still lingered beneath the surface.