Cannabis

Chapter 17

The man who had defiled me so audaciously more than just a year ago stood in front of me, a triumphant smirk on his face. My worst fears were confirmed, the monster was here. I'd been spending all those times, while he was away, wishing him to die. Maybe I was the first human being who begged for his "father's" death, adoptive or not. Yet, he stood in front of me, alive, breathing and very much successful in making my entire existence a dreadful curse. He's come here not to see mama, not to visit his locality, but to claim me, yet again.

I realized that I was convulsing to the point of blacking out. My knees gave out and I sagged onto the wooden floor, weak and limp. All at once, his grin widened and he reached out to place his hand on my groin.

I drew in a lungful of air and scooted away from him as much as possible, to avoid his burning touch on my skin. Blood pounded in my ears. When his face morphed into a crooked smile, I felt the air leave my lungs. At that moment, I knew he was Satan himself, even more vicious, because he wanted my body. I could see it in his glowing eyes, the amoral pleasure he was taking in my defenseless form.

"Oh, honey! Welcome home--", mama stopped midway as she took in my condition.

"Gosh, Erose, did you trip? Are you hurt?" Mama bombarded me with questions, concern evident in her musical voice.

I immediately regained my sangfroid, never taking my eyes off the tall but baleful man in front of me.

"Rose, my dear, your son is a real klutz. He was so electrified by my surprise that he tripped over his own feet!" With that, he barked a fake laugh, in which, mama gladly joined.

At dinnertime, I looked on with mistrust as the man talked animatedly with mama, boasting about the dangerous situations he had to face, thanks to his profession. As usual, I refused to take a seat beside him, but thankfully, mama laughed it off. To my utter repugnance, I noticed that Daniel Miller was behaving in a sickeningly sweet manner with mama. To mama, it looked like love and adoration, but to me, it felt as if it was wholly a ridiculous counterfeit.

He is definitely up to something.

"Where is Evan?" Daniel inquired.

"He's gone back to hostel. No matter how much I would tell him to stay, he would refuse. He's getting out of my hand...", mama frowned.

"Don't worry! After all he's my son.... he's turning eighteen this year. He's a big boy, he can never do anything wrong." Daniel stated proudly.

Obviously, he's your son.... that's why you couldn't do the things that you did to me to him.

"Why don't you bake a cake tomorrow, Rose? It's been ages since I got to taste homemade cake....", the man trailed off.

"Of course, honey! After all, tomorrow is a special day." Mama cooed, her spirits elevated.

Special day?

Detecting the confusion on my face, mama chortled.

"Tomorrow is the marriage anniversary of daddy and me! That is why he's here, to spend the day with us. How come you forget things so easily?"

She paused a little. "Aren't you happy that he's here?"

Daniel's head snapped up to my direction, alarm written all over his face. I cleared my throat.

"I'm happy that he's here...", I lied, my voice barely audible.

"Is everything alright, dear?" Mama pressed onto me.

I glanced up reticently to Daniel and felt a tremor run through my spine as he glared at me menacingly.

"I'm okay..... I just have a headache". To support my lie, I started rubbing my temples.