#13 :: Who Killed Me?

13.

Jasmine

Not many things in life shock me. But this revelation here had me knocked for six.

"You what? What did you just say?"

"Eric raped me. Several times. He claims from the day Eddie brought me home around his family he had always liked me and even though I never once showed him interest it made him like me even more. This was ongoing for years. To the point I had to secretly get DNA tests for both you and Rose. Thankfully you're both Eddies. One day he made a proposition to me. For this to all be over... all I would have to do..."

"Don't! Don't you dare say it! Are you kidding me?! You let him rape me so he could stop raping you?"

"I'm...I'm so sorry Jazmine."

"No, no, no, no, no!" I started pacing the room up and down. "I can't believe this. No. You wouldn't."

"I couldn't have him do it to me anymore. I begged him not to touch you. I begged him to stop."

I started laughing.

"I've had my sister basically say to me that she envied me because I was being raped and she wasn't! Now... NOW!! My mother is telling me that she sold me out to get raped so he could stop abusing her!! This birthday just gets better and better. Do you know what? Get out!" I said to my mum.

"I am sorry Jazmine. I know it was wrong. I know I was wrong... I just didn't know how to... I didn't know what to do."

"YOU TELL SOMEONE... YOU CALL THE POLICE!! I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU. Understand this... you're dead to me. The minute dad dies; I'm an orphan... because I have no mother." I said as I walked off.

Today was my fortieth birthday and I felt like I was reliving my eighth birthday all over again. I could not believe what Rachel had told me. Yes, Rachel. That is NO mother of mine.

I went looking for Sanchez.

"Hey... you got a minute?"

"What's wrong?"

"Not only did my sister know and not do anything... but my mum knew and didn't do anything either. Everyone has made me out to be a liar. It stops. It stops today. It's time everyone knew everything. I'm about to turn this family upside down and no one can stop me."

"Wait wait wait... Rose knew?"

"Of course she knew. Wait... she never once told you?"

"No."

"So when you said you believed me you actually believed me?"

"Yes babe. Wait, sorry I'm still stuck on the fact Rose knew. That must have been what she was on about when she says she couldn't tell me because I would hate her."

"Yep."

"Now you're saying your mother knew."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg it goes much deeper."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh you're going to find out. Tonight. At this dinner. It's all coming out."

"Everything?"

"EVERYTHING. I'm done keeping secrets. I'm done." I said as I walked off.

Inside I was hurting, I was hurting real bad but I was also angry. It was time everyone learned what it mean by hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

***

Rose

I was starting to pack up the stuff as after dinner I knew I would be too tired, when Sanchez burst into the room.

"You knew?"

"What?"

"You knew what Eric was doing to Jazmine?"

One of my biggest fears was Sanchez finding out.

"I...I was only twelve..." I said as the tears began to fall.

"To begin with.. even then you knew right from wrong?"

"Please... please don't be mad at me."

"Mad? I'm DISGUSTED!! To think I married a woman who was holding this secret all these years! Who hated her sister when it should be Jazmine who hated you!"

"I know what I did was wrong but why are you on Jazmine's side? You picked! You picked me! So you're meant to be on my side!"

"It's not about sides! It's about what's wrong and what's right and you are WRONG!! This is why you're so bitter. Because you've done wrong and it's eating you up. So it should. When we get back I'm filing for a divorce."

"Sanchez please no!"

"No it's done! I don't love you! I haven't for ages! But this! This is the last straw! It's over!!"

"You guys are breaking up?" Sariyah said making us both turn to face her.

"No Sariyah baby. Dads just mad at me, but we'll make it right."

"Mad at you? Why?"

"Yeah Rose... why am I mad at you? Are you going to tell Sariyah?"

"Sanchez stop it! Stop it now!"

"No! I'm sorry Sariyah. Everything you heard is correct. We are breaking up and I'm filing for a divorce because I can not be with a woman like her." Sanchez said before walking off.

I fell to the floor crying.

"Mum! What's going on? Why's Dad leaving you?"

"I've done some things... a lot of things I'm not proud of. Your father has found out one of them. I always feared he would find out. Now he has and he's leaving me." I said as I sobbed.

"Mum...What did you do? Did you cheat?"

"No! No I didn't... it's worse than cheating. I've lied, I've been lying and now it's come back to haunt me."

"Mum I don't get it. What could you have possibly done that's so bad?"

"Trust me you don't want to know."

"I do! Don't shut me out Mum."

"You'll just leave too."

"I won't. I promise..."

I sat there wondering if I should tell Sariyah or not. I knew she would hate me. Who wouldn't? At this rate, if i don't tell her someone else will. So I decided not only am I going to tell her about this... but I'm going to tell her EVERYTHING...

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