Forbidden Love

IX part 2- 2013, 27 years later (back to Sherrie's POV)

"And who are you?" Gregory said to the man that was standing next to my daughters hospital bed. I continued to rub Melina's head. "I'm sorry, I was in the grocery store and she just fainted. I wanted to make sure she was alright." Gregory looked at him with teary eyes. "Oh my, I'm sorry. Thank you for helping her." Gregory shakes his hand. "Gregory, Gregory Jackson." He stuttered, "Uh- oh, I'm Pier." He said. My body shut down. I felt as if I was going to faint as well. "Pier?" I whispered. My Pier, the one whom I had cheated on Gregory with over 27 years ago? Pier, the one whom I thought I could ever love more then Gregory? Maybe I did... A day never went by that I hadn't thought of him. I ran out of the room. Gregory chases after me. "Honey, are you alright?" He begins to worry. "Yes, yes." I said. "I'm sorry. It's just I'm- I'm worried about- our daughter." Nice save, I thought. He put his arm around me. "Let's go back to the room," Gregory said, and we did. "You okay, mom?" Melina said looking worried. "Everything is fine." I said, hugging her and rubbing her hair. I looked over at Pier. I didn't know what to say, thank you? I guess. Thank you. "Thank you." I began, stuttering. "Pier, is your name?" He looked down. "Uh- yes. And you?" He said, stuttering as well. "Sherrie... Sherrie Goodson. I mean. Jackson... Sherrie Jackson." I said nervously. "Sherrie," Pier said, "may I talk to you outside?" We then walked outside, and I'd never been so nervous in my life. I turned around, as angry as ever. "Why are you here, Pier?" I exclaimed. He looked defensive. "I moved to the United States last year, madam." He said, pretending to look confused. "Oh don't do this. Don't act like you don't even know who I am." I said. He looked angry. "Like you did? You left me for that scum-bag in there." I gasped. "He is not a scum-bag, excuse you. And I don't know why your following me." He turned around. "I'm not following you. What we had was 27 years ago... There would be no point in following you because your not "Sherrie Goodson" anymore. Your Sherrie Jackson. Your married." He said. "I'm sorry, I'm- I'm just in shock right now. This isn't the first time my daughter has fainted this year. And now seeing you- it makes me feel guilty again, guilty for what I did to Gregory." I placed my hands on my forehead. "I'm sorry, I had no idea she was your daughter. Had I... I wouldn't have come." I smiled at him. "I'm glad you did." He looked surprised that I said that. "It's been so long," I continued. "Yeah, it has." He agreed. "A day doesn't go by that I don't think of you." He continued. I regretted saying what I said next, Gregory could have heard. "Same to you." He looked shocked. "I love you, and I always will. No matter what." He said. I put my hair behind my ear and put my hands in my pockets. I didn't know what to say. "Pier, I fell in love with you. That means the love will never disappear, and I will always love you. But we've both moved on-" I paused. "I haven't." He interrupted. I looked at him and started to cry. Gregory stormed outside. He was crying, hard. "Honey, what's wrong?" I said. "Melina..." He couldn't speak. "Melina," it took him a minute to tell me what was wrong. "Melina, has- Cancer." He said. My whole world just exploded. I screamed. Loud. "No, my baby...no...my baby!" I yelled over and over and over again. I hugged Gregory. I looked at Pier, and he started to cry as well. The doctors came and tried to calm us down. "My-my baby." I whispered. My world was turned upside down.

***

Weeks and weeks had past, and Melina felt worse each day. She had lost her hair and she was in more pain then ever before. I cried myself to sleep each night...knowing that Melina wouldn't make it.

And one day...

She clicked.

We rushed her to the hospital, and they put her on life support. She was on life support for days.

And one day,

Life support wasn't good enough.

Nothing could help her.

And she finally,

Passed.

Me and Gregory mourned for months. We refused to go out as often. We didn't want to see anyone. But a part of me wanted to see Pier.