We made vows in the tree house, together, Forever.

Part 70

Scarlett’s POV. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Aston asked. It was now just over a week since the whole incident with my Dad had happened. I’d decided to make contact with Maddie, the mother of my half-brother. I needed to put my mind at ease, to make sure he was okay. My mum still had a little contact with Maddie, so it wasn’t hard to get hold of her. I looked out of the car window, to where Maddie was now living. It was a shabby, rundown council estate, it looked rough. “No, I’ll be fine, I’ve gotta do this on my own, besides she’s only expecting me.” I said wearily. I didn’t know what to expect, but I wasn’t expecting this. “Sure you just don’t want me to walk you to the flat?” Aston asked again. “No I’ll be fine.” I replied, opening the door. “Keep your phone on you, just in case though.” I added. I walked slowly to the block of flats. I looked at the address on the piece of paper I had in my pocked, floor 6, flat number 105, and walked slowly inside. 

The smell hit me as soon as I entered the building, it was vile! I debated for a moment about taking the lift, or walking up the stairs. I didn’t want to risk getting stuck in the lift, so I took the stairs instead. I found the flat straight away, and knocked the door, bracing myself, I didn’t know what to expect. “Who’s there?” A voice called. “Scarlett, I rang a few days ago, Mark’s daughter.” I stuttered. He didn’t feel like my Dad anymore. I waited a moment, and Maddie opened the door. I gasped when I saw her. She couldn’t have been much older than me, maybe 4 years. She looked frail. “Please, don’t hate me, I had no idea.” She said weakly. “I don’t hate you, not at all, come on, we need to talk.” I replied, walking into the flat.

I sat down on the sofa. “I’m so sorry, for any pain that I’ve caused to your family.” Maddie blurted out. “You haven’t caused any pain.” I sighed. “How can you say that? Your father had an affair with me, now he has another child.” Maddie exclaimed. “My Dad, he’s caused me a lot of pain, he’s no father of mine anymore, before your affair, he disowned me, didn’t like my husband to be, very recently, last week in fact, he came around to our house, threatened me, and our baby.” I said quickly. “He promised me the world, he said he had to go away, sort a few things out, then he’d be back.” Maddie said sadly. “But of course, after that, I never saw or heard of him again, then I found out I was pregnant. I kept wishing it was just a dream, that one day, I would wake up, and everything would be back to normal.” “What happened then?” I asked. “I lost my job. Once my boss found out I was pregnant, he fired me there and then, saying, this is a family business. I lost everything. I had a top paid job, a tidy little house, and I had to sell practically everything for this!” She exclaimed. “I have nothing, I live on very little money now, I barely have enough for the essentials.” My heart went out to her. “If there’s anything I can do for you, anything at all?” I said back. “No, I’ve caused enough problems for your family, this is my mistake, I need to deal with the consequences.” Maddie said slowly. “He’s still related to me, he’s still my half-brother.” I replied. “My Mum doesn’t hate you, you know.” I added softly. “How? She’s told me that herself, but I just can’t understand it.” Maddie sighed. “She hasn’t been happy with my Dad for years, after everything that has happened, she doesn’t love him, she was too scared to leave him, he was violent.” I said back. “See, I can believe that now, but at the time, I would have never believed it, he was charming, lovely, yes quite a bit older than me, but he told me, he told me he loved me.” Maddie sobbed. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t deal with people crying at the best of times. “It’s okay, don’t cry, it’s over now, you’ve got the support of me and my family.” I said softly, putting my arm around her. “No, no I’m fine, I don’t need your sympathy, it just makes me feel guilty.” She shrugged. “He’s my little brother, I’ll support you, and him all the way.” I replied. “Why don’t we go and see him?” I added, changing the subject