15.06 (#2)

Chapter 12

I drove straight to the house where my sister was waiting for me. "Felicity?" I called.

"Upstairs," she called. I ran up to meet her.

"What did you need to talk about?" I asked.

"You might need to sit down," she replied, her eyes falling to the ground.

"Felicity what is is? You're scaring me." I took her hands, making her look up at me.

"I know why you bought me that snowflake charm." She said. "Rori told you didn't she?"

"How... How did you know?" I was shocked.

"We've been talking."

"For how long?" I said, anger seeping in to my voice.

"Since the day she left." Those words felt like a punch to my gut. I stood up, unable to formulate any words. She was shaking, eyes filled with guilt.

"You knew where she was this whole time and you didn't tell me? Didn't let me talk to her?" I shouted.

"I knew where she was. She left me a letter the day she left and we've kept in touch ever since."

"How could you do this to me?" I felt betrayed. My sister, the one who I trusted with my life betrayed me.

"Rori wanted to contact you many times, but I told her not to. I knew there wasn't space in her life for you and I didn't want you getting hurt. She agreed."

"You're the one who stopped Rori from contacting me?" I shouted, tears running down my face. I was never a crier but the betrayal dug deep.

"Yes and I don't regret it."

"I trusted you. You've betrayed that trust, Felicity. I can't speak to you right now." I stormed out the apartment before I could say anything that I would regret later. The last thing I saw was tears falling from Felicity's eyes, tears I wouldn't have been able to handle.

I bought a bottle of cheap whiskey and parked outside Central Park. I wandered for a while, chugging from the bottle before choosing a bench to sit down on. I continued to drink till a man sat down beside me.

"What's wrong son?" The older man asked.

"Nothing." I shrugged, the numbness already setting in.

"Well you don't look happy that's for sure, so something must be up." He stated. I turned to look at him.

"You want some?" I offered some of my alcohol, he declined.

"Why is a young, successful man like you, sitting in Central Park with a bottle of cheap alcohol in his hands?"

"I lost the love of my life seven years ago. I hadn't heard from her for a long time, never left a phone number for me to call. It was like she never existed. I never really forgot about her, even when so much time had passed. After waiting but the door hoping, wishing she'd open the door with that beautiful smile of her and tell me she loved me. I just eventually gave up thinking she'd come back, . Turns out my sister knew where she was and kept in contact with her this whole time. They conspired behind my back to keep me in the dark and out of her life. I knew it was something Rori would do, but my sister? I thought she's have some decency to mention it to me at least?"

"Did you speak to her to find out why she didn't tell you?"

"Her explanation was that she was 'protecting' me whatever that means."

"She's your sister right?"

"Not but blood but a sister nonetheless."

"They say blood is thicker than water, I just think it's a load of crap. If someone cares for you, they care for, doesn't matter if they're related by blood."