SINS OF A KING

1

"It'll do you some good to be around family," the thickly accented voice that belonged to my stepmother said as I continued to gaze out of the passenger window. The views had changed from the passing trees and fancy bridges, railways and buses, to the garage that we had stopped at to fill up on petrol. "I think it'll bring the old you back, or give you some time to just...mourn," she spoke so gently, as if she were afraid that if she spoke too loudly, then I would break.

I was already broken, though, and I'm sure she knew that.

"Benjamin is really excited for you to come and stay by him for a while, and I think you'll find him to be just like your father." Caitlyn said with a light laugh.

Caitlyn had been married to my father for 7 years, and she wasn't the evil stepmother that people painted out stepmothers to be. Caitlyn was a tattoo artist who had a terrible medical condition that had her womb removed, and she was never able to have her own children.

"Nobody will ever be like my father." I croaked out hoarsely, my voice missing the warmth that hers had at the moment.

She fell silent, and then I heard a sniffle from her direction, "I know..." she let out sadly, "I know, sweetie. But Benjamin is the only living relative left that you have. Besides, this could be a fresh start for you, a new beginning. I just..." she seemed to find it difficult to continue her sentence.

I knew Benjamin, he was my father's cousin. I think I had only met the man three times. Every time that we would meet Benjamin would always ask me if I remembered him from the days that he used to change my nappy and rock me in his arms as a baby.

I cleared my throat and slowly turned away from the window and towards Caitlyn, "it's okay, I understand, Caitlyn." Brown eyes met blue eyes, and I took in her features. Caitlyn had dirty blonde medium length hair and cat-like eyes that she had flown to Cape Town to have some doctor do for her. Her nose was thin and pointy, and her lips were full with Botox, currently moistened in simple lip balm. She was the kind of person who always had on a full face of makeup but today, she barely had any on and her hair was held up in a claw clip.

She wore a black tank top, and her tattoo sleeves were fully visible to the world.

She placed her hand on my own hand which was on my lap, "oh my God, really? Do you understand?" Her eyebrows attempted to scrunch in concern but her face was stiff. It was something that I was used to though, but I could see the emotions swarming in her eyes as tears looked seconds from falling. "Because I was afraid that you thought that I was getting rid of you or something. I just, I just don't know what to do, sweetie. Like, I want to be there for you but I can tell that I'm not doing a good job for you."

Caitlyn and I weren't buddy-buddy, but in the years that she had been married to my father, she and I had gotten close. I didn't take her as a mother, and she knew that, but we were close and we'd sometimes even team up against my father whenever there were arguments. Caitlyn was a good woman, but I knew that since my father's untimely death, she had no clue how to take care of me.

I pursed my lips and just nodded my head.

She sniffled and then dabbed at her eyes and wiped her tears. She feigned a smile and I turned my head and looked back outside the window. She started up the engine of her 2024 baby blue HAVAL JOLION and we got back onto the road.

My phone had automatically connected to the Bluetooth and the song 'House of the Rising Sun' by The Animals began to play on the speakers. I breathed in and out, feeling the cool air coming from the air conditioner as we drove down the deserted two-way street that seemed to have never ending forests surrounding.

I met my reflection in the side mirror, and I almost didn't recognise myself. I was always such a cheery and lively girl, but today as I looked in the mirror, my honey brown eyes seemed dull and tired. My honey brown skin seemed a bit paler and my lips were dry and cracked. I reached for the lip balm that Caitlyn kept in the car and quickly moisturised my lips.