With Your Heart Wide Open

Jealousy

"What happened next?" Jeremy asked.

"I blacked out for what felt like a few minutes then I heard two voices arguing. The hoarse voice and a much younger one,"

"What were they saying?"

"The younger one asked the other to leave me alone. However, the big guy was just cursing at him and asked him to mind his own business. The younger voice then threatened to call the cops and I heard him running away,"

"You keep on saying that you heard things. Were you not able to see anything?"

"Not really. I was dizzy. And after blacking out, my senses were coming back very slowly,'

"What happened after?"

"I managed to get up and started run away with a dizzy leg and a limping foot. The younger man was calling after me saying asking if he should call the cops are not. But I was too scared to stay. I kept running away until I went in another bus. As I sat there, I realized that I lost my scarf. The one I wrapped my head with. For me, it was a sign. A sign that I should leave my old life behind,"

"Did you join a homeless shelter or something?"

"I didn't have to. That same night, the bus driver ask me to get off when she reached her last stop. Hopeless and still shaken, I started to cry. She asked me why I was crying and I told her everything but I lied about my age saying that I was not a minor. Surprisingly, she agreed to take me in. She said that she lived with her two toddlers and a baby. As long as I could do some chores for her, she would host me,"

"You just followed her like that?"

"What? I had no choice!"

"I stayed with her for about three years. Her and the kids treated me like their maid but I survived then I got the job at your Grandpa's and moved out. Are you happy now that you know the whole story?"

He didn't replied but just stared at her.

"Say something. You look creepy," Esther demanded.

"I think that you're... Nevermind,"

"Jeremy!"

"I just think that you're so fake," he finally confessed.

"What?"

"Yeah. You pretend to be all tough and stuff, when actually you're just scared inside,"

"Scared of what, Foster?"

Jeremy shrugged,"I don't know. I guess you're scared of getting hurt or getting your heart broken again,"

Esther got up on her feet, "Wow! After telling you my story, I expected at least an ounce of compassion, but I guess that was too much to ask,"

He sighed, "You should not wait for my sympathy. You should try to move on. I can help you but it's your call,"

Esther shook her head in disbelief. She looked into his eyes to look for some comfort, but he looks so formal. Polite even. But not the warmth she needed.

"Come on, Esther? What do you want me to tell you? That I'm sorry for what happened? It's obvious. That I understand? You know that already. That your story is sad? You've been telling yourself that for seven years"

"Of course, someone like you wouldn't understand. You've had it easy your whole life!"

"How dare you! My dad was murdered as a cop and Mom died of childbirth!"

"But your grandparents love you. Don't they?"

"Your daughter loves you, but look at how you treat her. You're just like your mom!"

She yelled at him, "I'm nothing like her! I'm hard on Aaliyah because the world is not gonna be easy on her. She has to toughen up if she doesn't want to end up like me,"

"She is a tough kid!"

"She's just like Stephen! Even physically. She looks so much like him! She talks like him even smiles like him! It drives me crazy!"

"So? You're punishing her for that?!"

Before Esther could throw an angry reply at Jeremy, the door opened and Aaliyah came in, followed by Stephen.

"How did you get in?" Esther asked, still shaken by the argument.

"With Liyah's key," Stephen answered while putting some bags on the sofa. When he finished, he looked up and recognized the man standing awfully close to Esther.

"Brother Jeremy?!"

"Pastor Harris?!" Jeremy answered then turned towards Esther. His mouth widened.

"That's Stephen? The..."

Esther nodded slightly and the men stared at each other.

Jeremy was in disbelief that Stephen was the coward who abandoned her kid. On the other hand, Stephen was intrigued by what he saw. Brother Jeremy was wearing an undershirt while Esther was in a tank top. They both look as if they've been caught doing something embarrassing. He looked at Esther and her eyes were down and she was rubbing the back of her neck.

Even Aaliyah was silent as she felt the tension in the air.

"So, how do you guys know each other?" Stephen asked the both of them, but his eyes remained on Esther.

"We met..." Jeremy started.

However Esther interrupted, "When I was away, he was a godsend! He supported me and Aaliyah and we didn't lack anything as long as he was around," she held Jeremy's hand as she said these words.

"What's the relationship?" Stephen asked as he felt frowns forming on his forehead.

Esther gently caressed Jeremy's knuckle with her thumb, "We don't do labels, but the only thing I know is that he followed me all the way to Red Valley,"

"Oh! And he's Aaliyah's best friend too," she added.

At this point both men were glaring at her. Jeremy, because he knew what she was doing and hated it. And Stephen who had no clue, but still hated it.

Stephen scoffed, "That's weird. You guys seem close but I never see you at church together. He's there every Sunday but not with you. I wonder why,"

Esther stared at him when she answered, "He's not the reason I left church and if he was, I'm sure he would have fixed the mess he's caused,"

Jeremy was at the door after she said that, "I have to go,"

"Wait!" Esther yelled.

She came in front of him and unwrapped her hair. She handed him his t-shirt back, hugged him and said, "Mmm. Thank you for today,"

Jeremy took his t-shirt and left without a word.

"I'll go too," Stephen said.

Esther shrugged, "Ok,"

"Bye Liyah!"

She looked hesitant, "Bye...Stephen,"

"Honey, you can call me 'Daddy' when Mommy's around,"

"Ok. Bye...Daddy,"

Stephen kissed her daughter's forehead then left just like Jeremy. With no words for Esther.

"How was your day?" Esther asked her daughter as she helped her undress.

"It was fun. We saw a lot of crabs and fishes. Daddy knew all of their names. We had tacos and someone spilled soda on Daddy and..."

As Aaliyah went on about her hectic day, Esther was barely listening. Her mind was filled with Stephen's expression after she hugged Jeremy. She was never good at deciphering Stephen's emotions. But she knew what she just saw in his eyes. She knew because it was so obvious.

It was jealousy.