You Can't Make A Mechanical Heart Now

Chapter 5

"Father, don't worry. Mom will be alright," Agatha says, sitting next to her father who was busy mumbling something as he sobbed on Alec.

"Yeah, Agatha's right, dad! Mom's a fighter!", Sebastian exclaims.

How Jonah really wished it were true and that Alec would wake up already. He knew forgiveness was beyond him for what he did, but he was going to make it right the moment his wife woke up and met his eyes. He could recall Cat's words of telling the truth to his children. It was circling around his head, making him cry harder. He was selfish and didn't want to tell his children in fear of them hating him, but he knew he had to. John le Bouff was a close friend and business partner of his, that was how Anya and Alec met. John came crying to him one night, sobbing and drinking his sorrows away, telling Jonah his regrets, telling him what a bad husband he has been. He can't confide in his children anymore, his children hate him!

His children hated Jonah for not telling them.

Jonah sat up from Alec's chest and rubbed his eyes from the tears that seemed to spill endlessly. He turned to his children. He wondered, what would happen if he risked everything and told his children what he had done to their mother? Would they hate him? Would they still love him? Jonah didn't know. Agatha and Sebastian would probably side with their mother, he thought. Agatha and Sebastian were old enough to remember their mother's kindness and to know that what their father had done was wrong. Annika was a different story. She never had a personal connection with her mother she'd remember, she didn't know much about her mother aside from the stories Agatha and Sebastian provided her.

So what would Annika think about her father, the man whom has always been there, when Jonah tells them his sins?

"Children, I... I need to tell you something...," he said hesitantly, scared.

"What is it, father?", Agatha asked.

"I lied...," he said. The trio of siblings gave their father a confused look. "Your mother never left. I-I've been keeping him from you..."

"What do you mean, dad? Mom's right here!", Sebastian exclaims.

"Sebastian, I kept your mother in the basement, forcing him to be a slave. I've done him wrong. Your mother is afraid of me... Do you remember Anya?", Jonah asked.

"Yes... She died...," Annika muttered.

"Because of her husband...," Agatha continued.

"No!", Sebastian shouted, tears forming in his eyes. "I refuse to believe you were the cause of mom's accident, dad!"

"But it is the truth, Sebastian! Do you see any other servant here besides Nicola? Nicola only started working this morning while your mother was a slave to us, to me, for four years!", Jonah pressed, his eyes stinging to let out more tears.

"So... You really did almost kill our mom... did you, dad...?", Agatha said, her face an expression of devastation and shock. She felt as if this was all incredulous, unbelievable. She wanted to side with her little brother on this, but she was 9 years old. She knew better.

"No! I don't believe it–", Sebastian was cut off.

"Shut up, Sebastian! You have to accept that dad almost killed mom!", Agatha yelled at her brother.

"Agatha, Sebastian–", Jonah was cut off in the process of trying to calm his eldest children.

"But I can't, Agatha! Dad is a good man! He would never do anything like this!"

"Then you are a coward!"

"I'm not!"

"Shut up! Both of you!", Annika screamed, making Sebastian and Agatha stop to look at her.

The little child felt overwhelmed with everything that's circulating around her. She ran out the master bedroom and towards her room for comfort. Annika just wanted to have another New Year's with her family, this time including her mother. Hearing and seeing her family tearing apart suddenly because of her mother's appearance and her father's mistakes upset her. She was too young to understand, true, she didn't know what happened to Anya, only knowing she disappeared and died. She couldn't seem to be angry at either of her parents. She couldn't blame her mother because he was forced by her father, he couldn't blame her father as well because he was the only parent who was ever there when her mother wasn't.

Or maybe he wasn't.

She didn't recall seeing her father when she gained control of her sight. She saw Cat. She didn't recall her father making the birthday cake for her birthdays when she finally managed to gain control of her memories. No, it wasn't Cat, but there was no other servant in the household but her, her siblings, her father, sometimes Cat, sometimes Anya, but no one else. Annika couldn't think well and her head was aching. She whimpered and dug her face deep into her pillows, breathing heavily as she tried to stop from sobbing. Maybe sleep would be best. Maybe when she wakes up, everything would be better and all this fighting would be a nightmare.

She then heard a voice. A male but feminine like one.

It's funny.