Summer Love: Before the Spark

Chapter 16

Jesse was slowly walking home and leaves crunched harshly underneath her sturdy boots.

She started to sway to the side a little bit, almost tripping over her own shoes.

Dizziness had crashed over her like a wave and she stumbled forward before putting her soft hand on the tree beside her.

The world spun round and round for Jesse.

Sharp pain shot up her rib and she clutched her ribcage with her arm.

The dizziness was gradual to stop, but when it did Jesse leaned against the sturdy tree for a couple of minutes.

Her breaths were heavy but shallow. Jesse groaned faintly and sighed slowly.

She leaned off of the tree. She knew she definitely had to get home now before she fainted or something.

And if her mother was there before she was then she was dead.

---

Jesse slowly opened the large door to her home and walked in.

As she walked in she closed the large door behind her quietly.

Swiftly, Jesse made her way down the hall.

"Stop right there."

Jesse instantly paused and looked to her left.

Her mother was sitting at the table nonchalantly and she was drinking out of a wine bottle, chugging the cherry liquid down.

Jesse's muscles grew tense and she glanced at the photo that her mother had in her hand.

"It's all your fault," Her mother slurred as she steadily got up from the table.

Jesse gulped, she dared not move because the last time she did that she ended up with a broken rib.

"You... Your the cause of all this!" Her mother exclaimed, her voice raising.

Jesse glanced down and clenched her fists.

Her mother put the bottle to her lips once more, drinking the bitter sweet substance.

"You killed Evelyn," She slurred, and quickly walked over to Jesse although she swayed a bit.

Jesse exhaled faintly and bit her bottom lip.

Her mother rammed Jesse into the wall and Jesse grunted faintly.

"Not even going to say anything," Jesse's mother spat, "The reason I'm alone now is because of you."

Jesse glanced up and what she saw in her mother's face made her gulp.

"It makes me sick that your still alive and she isn't."

Her mother was fuming, but Jesse felt her heart sink to her stomach because of her harsh words.

Jesse could just see the pure hatred in her mom's cold eyes and her screaming and shouting made everything worse.

Jesse bit her bottom lip harder and inhaled shakily. Her chest felt heavy and her mother slapped her.

She slapped her not just once, but repetitively.

"I hate how your my child," Jesse's mother screamed as she grabbed Jesse's collar, "What you did was unforgivable!"

"I'm sorry," Jesse muttered quietly, her rosy cheek stinging, "I'm... So sorry."

Her mother raised her hand, but she swayed to the side and stumbled.

"Just seeing your stupid face makes me so mad," Her mother said harshly as she regained her balancs, "I hate y...you...."

Her mother trailed off and all of a sudden she collapsed and fell forward.

Jesse, instinctively caught her mother and she struggled to hold her without slumping to the ground.

Jesse's silky hair fell in front of her face, covering her now wide eyes.

The front door opened and James walked in, but instantly he paused.

His glistening eyes were wide and he was frozen in place.

Jesse bit her bottom lip and carefully set her mother down.

"Jesse what in the world happened," James asked swiftly, as he snapped out of his shock.

"I....I," Her voice broke, "She... G..got," Jesse paused, breathing shakily.

Her body ached and it hurt to breathe and her now rosy face stung.

"Jesse come on I need to know what happened," James said, impatiently.

"S... She was d-drunk," Jesse explained shakily, "A-And ...c....collapsed."

James hastily took out his phone and dialed 911.

He ran his cool fingers through his soft hair and put his phone up to his ear.

Jesse just glanced at her mother. She didn't mean that right? Jesse thought. No no surely not.

Jesse's breathing quickened and she spotted a photo on the ground nearby.

Jesse leaned forward and grabbed it.

Once Jesse got a clear look at the photo, she felt her heart drop and her chest tighten.

Smiling radiantly was a little girl. Her long dark brown hair was in a ponytail and her vibrant blue eyes shone brightly in the old photo.

"I'm.... So sorry Evelyn," Jesse muttered faintly, her voice trembling, "This is all my fault."

James put his phone down and stuffed his hand in his cold pocket.

"So that's what this is about? Evelyn?" James asked, titling his head to the side a bit.

Jesse nodded slowly.

"Jesse...," Jesse looked up at her brother, "There's no way around it, what happened that day was because of you."

"You think I don't know that!" Jesse shouted, enraged,  "You... You... Why did you even bother to remind me of that!?"

"Because you tore this family apart Jesse!" James exclaimed firmly.

"What?" Jesse questioned, disbelief audible in her tone, "If your talking about Father right now you're mistaken because we both know he died shortly after."

"Jesse," James said, his harsh tone growing harsher, "You've got it all wrong."