Abstract

Chapter 12

Invading other people's privacy is wrong, I thought to myself as I listened in on the conversation between Aunt Sarah and my dad. I didn't mean to, but I honestly couldn't help myself. Also, aunt Sarah was screaming really loud.

"Daniel, I don't want to talk to you anymore! Why aren't you gone already? Don't you have to tell the weather or something?"

"Please, Sarah," he began, "I want us to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about." She dismissed. "Now, get the hell out of my house. You've overstayed your welcome. Whenever you want to come visit Aura, you can. You and I, though, have nothing left to talk about."

"I love you." He simply stated.

There was silence for a while before Aunt Sarah scoffed. "Haven't I heard that lie before?"

"I. Love. You." He punctuated each word. "I always have, Sarah and you know that."

"Maybe I did. A long time ago, when my thoughts were consumed by you because I loved you with the best parts of me, Daniel. But then you slept with my sister, in our house. Two weeks before we were supposed to get married. And to top it all off, you married her." I could hear the cracks in her voice.

"I know, I know. She was pregnant with my daughter and you didn't want anything to do with me. I thought I was doing the right thing marrying her. I didn't want Aura growing up in a broken home."

"Well, she did!" Aunt Sarah boomed. "She grew up with a manipulative vindictive mother and a father who couldn't handle that."

I could hear her chest heaving in anger. "You're right, Sarah," he croaked. "You're right about everything, except for one."

"Oh? And what is that exactly?" She challenged.

"When Kira tricked me into believe you were her. I stupidly fell for it, and I know you expected me to have some sort of intuition about the presence of you, but I honestly thought she was you. It's the truth, Sarah."

"Of course I know it's the truth, Daniel. But put yourself in my shoes. She was pregnant with your child. I couldn't handle it."

"And absolutely no one can blame you for that. But it's been eighteen years and Kira isn't with us anymore. You have no idea how long I had hoped we could start over."

"I'm sorry, Daniel." She sniffed, in between tears. "I hope someday you look back and come to the painful realisation that it took everything in me to stop loving you. But I did, and I can't risk it again. I don't hate you, as much as I tried to, I don't. But I can't fall for you again, I just can't."

At that point I walked into the room. Both pairs of eyes turned to my direction.

"Aura," Aunt Sarah called. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." I stated. I diverted my attention at my dad. He had a solemn look on his face.

"Well," Aunt Sarah broke the silence as she wiped tears from her face. "Your dad was just leaving."

"He was?" I asked, feigning surprise.

"I am," he confirmed. "I'll try and take you to dinner this week. We have a lot to talk about." He said while kissing my forehead. "I'll love you."

"I love you too." I replied. Without a backward glance, he left.

"I'll go get started on lunch." Aunt Sarah said as soon as the front door slammed. She rushed out of the room in a frantic attempt to avoid my questioning.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I instantly knew it was Adam calling me to tell me he was outside. Speeding down the stairs, I kissed Aunt Sarah's check and told her I'd be home later.