THE CHURCH GIRL

Chapter 22

****NAOMI'S POV * * *

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"You sure you wanna do this?", Julia asked me for the tenth time since she decided to come with me to talk to my family about the whole interview stuff. I didn't want them to see me on tv all shocked and angry so out of respect for them and Junior, I decided to talk to them first the old fashioned way.

Julia wanted to go with me inside but I didn't want her to go through what happened the last time we were here,"Now is my turn to ask if you are sure you wanna come in with me".

"More than anything. I'm not gonna leave you to these predators alone, come on", and with that, we went to the main door of my family home and rang the doorbell. Seconds later, Ana Maria opened the door and beamed.

"Oh God, we were just talking about you, give me a hug peanut, I miss you", Ana Maria said smiling and then hugged me. She poked Julia's nose and hugged her too ushering us to come in,"Naomi why didn't you use your key?".

"Because I don't live here anymore", I said smiling at my sister who looked worried,"Where is everyone? ", the room looked empty.

"In the other hall, we just finished dinner and mom told everyone to gather there because you had something important to discuss with us, including dad", Ana Maria announced not too keen of the idea. She lead the way eventhough we both knew where to go but allowed her since it afterall, her house.

If I say how nice it was to see my whole family seated calmly waiting for me, that would be a lie. It felt nothing like nice. They were talking and laughing at something one of them said. My dad looked cheerful enough eventhough his face was gloomy but still, everyone looked like they were in a good mood so this wouldn't be hard I guess. Ana Maria cleared her throat and got everyone's attention. The only one missing was mom and before I could ask where she was, someone hugged me from behind.  It was her, finally, complete. Sonia wasn't there too and I didn't even bother to ask where she was and neither did Julia.

"My lil girl is home", my mom hugged me again smiling. She kissed my forehead and pinched Julia,"You should bring her here more often Julia, don't make me miss you girls too much", she said hugging Julia too. The rest of my family just stared at me as if it was a bad idea to talk to me till my dad did. My dad just nodded his head at me and Julia and went back to his novel. I sat down next to my mom who eyed my brothers to sit too and they did.

"Oh, I see your sidekick is here too", Andrew teased raising his eyebrows at Julia who smirked at him.

"I see you don't have yours here", I said sarcastically looking at his side then he noticed I was referring to Sonia.

"Naomi, can you get on with whatever you wanted to tell us, please", José said politely frowning. I rolled my eyes at him and went back to smiling.

Just then, Diana walked in with cookies and placed them on the glass table and then sat next to José who smiled at her. Wow these two are adorably sweet to eachother if is not just for the public eye validation. I cleared my throat and sat up straight with everyone's eyes on me,"I had a meeting earlier today with the head board and they suggested I take a go on an interview with the daily planet which is technically gonna be on a national television....".

"So you called us here to talk about some interview you are gonna be in?", Andrew interrupted pissing not just me but dad off too. It looked like he was really listening to me.

"Maybe you should shut up and let her finish Andrew", dad cut him off and then he apologised whispering.

"As I was saying before I was interrupted, if I do this interview, I will have to talk about my research and most of all, about Junior", that was when I felt real ice and breeze sweep across the room.

"What did you just say?", José asked getting a lil angry.

"I said I'm gonna talk about Junior, José. Let me clear the air here, I'm not here to ask for permission to get this off my chest, out of respect for my family, I want you to be the first to know to avoid any surprises", I said elaborating. My mom didn't look mad, my dad was soo mad his eyes were all red, trying so hard to control himself,  Andrew was angry too, José was over the limit of anger pacing the room, Diana was just quiet as usual and Julia, was... well Julia.

"God help me Naomi, what is the matter with you?", My dad shouted,"You want to use your dead brother as a platform for some interview for your hospital, that same hospital who couldn't help save your brother!", he really was angry.

I was confused. What was he upset about?, I was the one gonna talk, not him or them. Andrew got up furiously,"I think I get it now. The hospital promised you some money to talk about Junior right?, explain Naomi because we don't get you".

I can't believe they could be this selfish, I let that single tear fell off and then I sniffed,"Wow, I am impressed. You think I'm doing this for money, you really think I am that desperate to stoop so low huh, and you think I'm the disgusting one?".

"No Naomi, I think you have really lost it. Junior wasn't a stranger, he was your brother, our brother for christ sake and you are just gonna use him for some hospital's personal gain?", José shouted.

"Don't you dare yell at me José, because all you "righteous" heads have no right to judge me. You think I don't know you all still blame me for Junior's death?, you have made a pact to keep grieving inside while you pretend everything is okay when is not. Acting all holier than thou barely talking about Junior. None of you, including you dad, never came back to the hospital the last three days before his life support was unplugged. Where were you!, I have kept this inside me for years now, and is eating me up slowly. Have any of you ever thought of the fact that maybe....just maybe....I needed to talk about him to be fine too", my eyes were really red from crying too much.

The room was quiet and my dad fell on his seat, head in hands,"Naomi, you can't talk about your brother like that".

"No dad I can't. But what if this is how I can share Junior. He saved a life and put a crazy murderer in jail. He had no one to risk their life for him and his naive sister......wanted to save his life but had no idea how. Yes dad I get it, I killed him. They keep putting out a wrong version of what happened to him and I'm going to clear that up real quick because he gave me a chance to save that little girl so you all should listen, with or without your concern, support or your go ahead, I will finally let out what has been inside of me for soo long, the rest of you, can keep punishing yourselves blaming and pointing fingers at me"...I grabbed my purse,"Come on Julia, let's go", We were almost out when my mom followed us hurriedly, grabbing my arm.

"Come here love", she pulled me into a soothing hug whilst u cried on her shoulder.

"You don't hate me right mom", I asked sniffing.

"No my angel. I love you too much that there is no room for likeness much less hate. I will be behind you for whatever it is. Your dad and brothers need some time, you know they adore you right?" I nodded my head in agreement,"Stay safe both of you, take care of eachother", and with that we left holding eachother's arm quietly.

*******GOD SHOWS YOU TRUE FAVOURS"******