Closer (Completed) Dark Romance

Chapter 27

Jennifer. That name. It seemed as if I had heard it before a long time ago.

"So, the reason why Henry doesn't speak of her" — I purposely chose my words carefully — "is it because of how she died, right?"

Nana stared at me blankly before looking away. Her lips pressed together as if to suppress a response. I didn't want to be nosy, but Nana was my only hope.

"Yes...," she spoke with a heavy sadness in her voice. "Henry doesn't mention Pen because her death hurt him so much. It tortured him. I think he has been trying to move on by repressing those memories. And so, talking about her brings them back — the good and the bad. That's why he doesn't talk about her with others."

Unsure of how to respond with comforting words, I placed my hands into her calloused, yet soft hands. She was happy earlier and now I had to destroy the mood with my curiosity. I decided I shouldn't question her further. It must have been hard for her just as much as it was for Henry.

"Thank you, Nana," I said with an apologetic smile. She only nodded as a response before patting her hand over mine.

Deep down inside, an eerie feeling resonated within, but I suppressed to acknowledge it. My conscience didn't want to admit it. Being the coward I was, it would be too much to swallow. Plus, I didn't even know if what my gut told me ... was true. I should investigate more about the situation before coming to a conclusion, regardless of what I'd find out.

There was nothing I could do until Henry's return. Waiting for him felt excruciating and inevitable like a bomb just waiting to detonate.

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Since the day Nana revealed the name to me, I could barely sleep a wink. I tried not to dwell much on the subject and convinced myself that it couldn't be true. But the more I thought about it, I knew the answer drifted in front of me. All I had to do was face it.

My sister and her family had moved out of Chicago to Georgia where Rick's parents lived. Rick made the decision. They packed all of their things and left just like that. They didn't even need my help to move. Georgia was far, but the move was a good thing. Eve and Rick needed all the help they could get. While both of them looked for new jobs, Rick's parents could spend some quality time with their grandchildren. Alexis and Eason rarely saw their grandparents.

Besides my sister moving away, I hadn't received a single call from any of the jobs I applied for. Though I wasn't surprised, there was nothing I could do with my qualifications. It was hopeless. I was hopeless.

And without a job, it became more evident to me that I'd never be able to pay back the money to Henry. I was never going to be able to leave this place and gain my freedom back. I wanted to leave him, right?

But amidst all of the horrible events, at least some good news surfaced.

I received a call from Chris a couple days after Christmas. The number looked unfamiliar and I hesitated before picking it up. I disliked answering unknown numbers, uncertain of who was waiting on the other end. But it was a good thing I picked up the call because I wouldn't have known about the news my brother had to share.

Chris told me about his parole hearing which was scheduled in two weeks and he wanted me to be present for support. No doubt, I said yes. I knew I shouldn't let myself get overexcited because the outcome could go either way. But Chris had always been good. He had always been a good person and he deserved this.

I was going to ask him the question that had been lingering in my mind for the past few days, but the line went dead before I could mention it. His phone time ran out.