The Joke

Chapter 27

Melissa's POV

"What's your surname? We need to write down your surname, you know." the brunette nurse asks of Annie, slightly smiling at her.

"Tate. Anne Lauren Tate."

And then I got a massive punch on my face.

*flashback*

“Where are you going?” I warily questioned my mother. “ You leave us everyday without telling us a word!”

She sighed. “ You don't need to know. I'll come back as early as I can." she grabbed her purse and the keys, opening the door.

It hurt.  

It hurt for an 11 year old child and a 13 year old one to see their mother disappearing every single night, not sharing at least one detail of where she was going or whom she was going to meet.

That night I cried,  I cried hard.

She wasn't really into the mothering spirit since what happened with our father. Nevertheless, this had nothing to do with us, it wasn't our fault that our dad left and disappeared from our life . It felt like she didn't care anymore, but we cared. We cared about her and we needed that motherly warmth and love that we lost some years ago. We were kids and of course there were no valuable excuses for her to leave us like that, every night, when all our peers were just as much afraid as we were of dark and of any other bad feature that visited us mostly in our nightmares.

She kept going out,  when we needed a hug and a 'good night' with a big kiss.

When we needed the feeling of security.

---

A year passed by like that and the only thing I knew is that I had one choice; one way, one thing to do.

Observe her.

I told my brother about my plan, but he didn't really care. So I initiated it alone.

----

“ Hello," her grin was large and I hadn't seen her smiling since my dad abandoned us. I was hidden behind a tree, looking at them.

“Babe,” a man appeared from inside this small house, at the most deserted part of Texas' state and snaked his hands around her waist, coming dangerously closer to her.

I don't even know where I am right now, but I'm sure as hell far from our region. How did she even come here by feet?

And heck, who's this man? This tall, brown haired, muscular man?

My mother kissed him, her palm cupping his cheek.

“Thomas, we need to stop this. My children complain about me going out everyday. I love you, but-”

“ You know what? I have a family too. A woman with cancer and two toddlers, but I'm coming here every day to be with you, because I need you, I love you and you give me strength. Don't stop this, please." he pleaded.

My mom is his lover and he cheats on his wife with my mother. F*ck them both.

“ Thomas. Thomas Tate. Love of my life. You are so important to me as well, Thomas Tate." they held hands and got inside..

*end of the flashback*

Thomas Tate.

Tate.

Tate.