Miserable

20

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." He says quietly.

I shake my head and remember what my mom said the day I told her about James.

"My mom knew didn't she?" I ask.

He nods. "But she couldn't tell you. None of us could."

"Why?!" I ask so coldly, I feel like a villain in a movie.

"James threatened us. Plus he knows the guy who's been threatening you. We just found that out a week ago. When he threatened us."

My eyes widen. "What?!"

"James has a plan and no one knows what it is. Maybe he wanted to marry you for money in the near future, or maybe he just really wants to get back at me by hurting those I care about. I don't know. But yeah. It's happened and they know each other and all this is a mess."

I agree with him but am now confused.

"Wait. We were kidnapped. And he knew?! We were threatened a lot and HE KNEW?!" I nearly scream.

Chelsea squirms and nearly starts crying.

"Sorry." I tell her. This precious baby was left alone in a basket with no name or family. It's because of this wonderful family that she now has a home. She sure has been through a lot even as a baby.

I take in deep breaths. Maybe I'm not so alone.

"We didn't know either. He threatened us last week saying we shouldn't tell you who he is and what he did or else worse things will happen. Meaning the Tyron guy."

I fall to my knees and start crying, my chest heaving.

"I'm sorry, Joy. Maybe I should've told you. Maybe we all should have."

I shake my head. "No. You did what you should've. I-I j-just can't b-believe it." I say between sobs.

He bends down and picks me up. He sits down on the rocking chair and rocks me.

"Thank you." I whisper into his chest.

I feel the rocking stop. "For what?" He asks clearly confused, as he wipes my tears.

"You were threatened not to tell me yet you still did. Thank you. It may feed my anger and hate but at least I know the truth now. Though it may not be everything."

"Please don't be consumed by anger and hate okay?" He whispers into my hair. "And you're welcome. Just don't tell anyone."

We stay in that position. Me on his lap as he rocks the chair and both of us looking at Chelsea who's fallen asleep.

I wake up and see that I'm alone in the nursery. I walk out and see that's six in the evening and Troy is cooking dinner with Chelsea in her stroller near him.

I approach the two and peek into the carrier in the stroller. I see two little eyes looking up at me.

"Hello, Chelsea." I whisper, stroking her head gently.

"Well, someone's up." Troy says with a small smile.

I smile back. "I'll watch her."

He nods and goes back to his cooking.

I push the stroller into the living room. All of a sudden, a loud sound comes from the back door and Jade comes running. She tackles me with a hug.

"Joy. You're out of your room!" She exclaims.

"Yeah. I am. Since one actually." I say.