Perfect Doesn't Last Forever

Chapter Fourteen

Fast forward Fourteen Years

Perfect Doesn't Last Forever- Chapter 14

I am looking at myself at eighteen years old, only with Damien's eyes and hair color. She is undeniably mine and everyone knows it. The strangers in the room know it. And everyone else's pained look as they look from me to Hayley proves it too. I can hear voices drifting into the house through the screen door to the backyard, but I am too entranced by my daughter to look at the party I am sure is going on outside.

"Hi mom!" Hayley says excitedly, hugging me. "I'm so glad you came!"

"I promised I would, didn't I?" I whisper in her ear, returning her hug. I look up to see surprised faces looking at Hayley and I, the surprise that mirrors the surprise I had when I received a letter from Hayley late last year.

"Brittany!" a voice bellows as the screen door slides shut. "Come here baby sister!"

Hayley releases me from her grip and I obligingly walk towards my big brother, whose hair is showing signs of greying. "Hey Austin."

"I've missed you," Austin breaths happily, squeezing me tightly in his arms. "Boy am I glad to see you."

"I've missed you too," I laugh, holding onto him tightly. When Austin lets go of me, he slings his arm over me. I am glad he is just as excited to see me as Jessica and Hayley are, but the same cannot be said for my parents and Damien. Damien and my parents all share the same glare, but after a minute or two, both my parents turn and retreat to the backyard, leaving Jessica, Austin, Damien, Hayley and I alone. The environment is instantly lighter, but I can still feel Damien's unease. "Hey, Jess, happy birthday."

"Thanks," she says happily, wrapping her arms around my waist. I have both my siblings attached to my sides and I am ecstatic that they are forgiving, something I wasn't expecting in anyone but Hayley. I feel safe, safer with two people by my side, rather than without a single person. "Britt-"

"Can I speak to Brittany please," Damien says abruptly, before Jessica can say anything. "Alone."

I nod to Jessica and Austin and they release me from their grips, each giving me a loving squeeze and kiss on the cheek before going to rejoin the party. Hayley on the other hand is more hesitant to leave. She and I both know we are in trouble, but Damien sternly asks her to return to the party.

"How long are you going to be here?" Hayley asks me.

"Probably for a month or so," I tell her.

"Okay," she smiles and goes out into the backyard, leaving Damien and I alone.

Damien doesn't say anything and I don't really want to be the first to speak so we just stand awkwardly. As I wait for him to formulate some words, I look around the house I grew up in. I expect to see the same layout and the same pictures hanging from the walls, but I am suddenly aware of what I missed in my dazed walk to my daughter just moments ago. The layout of the house is completely different. The wall that used to be my bedroom is now gone, replaced by the new kitchen. The actual layout of the house is completely different from when I still lived at home.

Just as I notice the changes to the house, Damien pushes me down the hall and to the front door. As we walk through the halls to the front of the house, I welcome the family pictures hanging on the walls. Everyone is smiling back at me, but the more I look at the wall, I begin to realize there are no photos of me on the walls anymore. The photos of Jessica, Austin and me have been switched out with photos of Hayley and other kids, who were probably Austin and Jessica's kids. I am hurt at first, but then I recognize the grief I must have put my parents through when I left. I don't blame them for not wanting to remember their daughter.