Gold And Coal (Ryden AU)

2.3 ◇ Everything Is Easy

"Me running into you that day wasn't a coincidence."

Brendon and I were back at my home, seated on several pillows and leaning against the wall next to each other, a respectable distance between us and a blanket over our legs, with a cup of tea each balaced ontop.

Honestly, I wasn't all that surprised at his confession. I had been thinking along the lines of that ever since we met, because, well, it had just been too good to be true. However, I had never thought any further, and was slightly scared at what the younger would say next.

Regardless, I nodded, inviting him to continue and focusing on his soft, hitched breath, indicating he was nervous, which put me on edge aswell.

"Well, it... um... started way back. Our mothers knew each other-" He stopped as I accidentally let out a strangled noise coming from the back of my throat at the mention of my mother. What did she have to do with all this?

"My mother was good... she cared about people so much and... she told me that one day while she was out shopping at the market near your home, she always bought food there to support the people there... on her way home she came across a woman who was lying in the streets about to give birth... and, she helped her and... the woman was crying, saying the child would die; she couldn't afford to feed him... and my mother suggested taking care of him until she could manage herself... the woman accepted, although she was crying so hard, my mother said... she didn't have anther choice."

He paused and turned his head to look at me, his eyes glistening as the dim light of the lamp reflected on the salty tears.

I stared ahead with a stoic expression, my stomach twisting and turning as I listened to his voice.

"She visited him... well, you, every day, and brought gifts everytime she came... not much, she didn't have much to give, but enough to thank my mother for her kindness. After about a year, things stopped going so well, because my mother became pregnant. With me. Then my father actively stood against this. He didn't approve of it before, but it was my mother's wish, and he loved her, but now taking care of you inconvenienced her and he forced her to give you away.
She told me the first week was terrible; you screamed and cried every second of the day, and eventually caught a cold. My mother begged my father to let her help you, but he forbid her to, and... because of that you almost died. But you didn't. Then I was born, and my mother was so busy with me she rarely saw you or your mother. Rarely became... not at all and the years passed until your dad lost his job."

I twisted uncomfortably, because his story was now coming into a time which I could remember. I had been 6, and one day he came home, and there was a lot of shouting and crying and he just stayed home. My mum had told me he was taking a break.

"Your mother showed up on our doorstep, weeping, and my mum let her in, because my father was at work. She agreed to help her and successfully found another job for your father. When my father found out there was a lot of screaming and and a couple of hits... it... it was terrible... so... um..."

He paused and rested his head against the wall, and it was obviously hard for him to continue.

"Go on," I encouraged him softly.

"A... a year later... my... dad called your mother in and... I don't know why... my mother didn't get the chance to tell me... but... that was the last time I saw her. My dad called me into his s-study room and... he asked me some questions. 'Would you rather want our family to be happy, or someone else's' or 'Would you want to get rid of someone who threatened the happiness of your family?'. I... well... yeah... and... the next thing I knew, I was listening to yet another fight between my parents. He had someone... he hired someone... to-to kill... your mother. And... he said 'Brendon wanted me to do it! He asked me to!' And... she left. I... haven't seen her since that day she looked at me with such dissapointment and... please don't hate me! I didn't know... he meant it like that!"