10. THE FAMILY (5 YEARS AFTER)

Yvonne Malconde by name, hazel light brown eye, average height and slender with full curves in all the right places, full of smiles but not anymore, every happiness left her life, all because of an incident that happened 5 years ago.

The person who made up the rumors and gave out fake evidence to prove crimes her Dad hadn't committed, was still unknown to date.

They moved far away to another country from a lot of painful memories as it was affecting her mom, Mary, and her greatly, particularly Yvonne.

Mary remarried after a year to a policeman, Jude. Yvonne couldn't come to terms with it but still had to accept it for Mary's happiness after how she became a shadow of herself when her husband died.

They went from grace to grass, and just as a saying goes, "The rich also cry."

Currently, Yvonne is in her room, crying her eyes out because of her failed relationship which ended 2 hours ago.

All of her relationships end the same way, which is always about her not being from a wealthy and popular household.

Her younger sister, Cammy entered the room uninvited, she is always entering without knocking. "Yvonne." She called as she entered.

Immediately she entered, Yvonne quickly cleaned her tears before looking up at her sister, "Yes." She responded.

Cammy noticed the tears, "Mom asked me to check up on you and call you down." She watched Yvonne for some time, opened her mouth to say something but closed it back.

"I am fine Cammy. It's not the first time." Yvonne said trying desperately to conceal her emotions even with her red eyes as clear evidence. "Yea, with the red eyes?" She raised her eyebrows at Yvonne accusingly.

Cammy might be 5 years of age but somehow have the brain of a teenager, she reasons like that.

Yvonne tells her most things because she's most times with her and she sees her every time but not all things since she was still little.

After telling her, it makes her feel like a heavyweight has been lifted from her shoulders, and feels relieved.

Even without her understanding most things, She still tells her things to which Cammy gives her a listening ear, doesn't judge her or make her feel bad.

She likes Yvonne calling her Cammy for short while she calls Yvonne, Vonny, lol... Childish right.

Cammy looked at Yvonne, clearly waiting for her response but Yvonne gave non, instead, she turned away from her, stood up, and went toward the restroom, "Come downstairs then." Cammy sighed, saying from behind.

"Fine, I'll go brush my teeth, take my bath then come down." Cammy looked at her for some time, nodded, and left the room.

Yvonne did as she had said before she came down to eat.

Coming downstairs, she meet her stepdad, Jude, and her mom, Mary, about to leave for work while Camila was still eating.

She moved toward them and greeted, "Good morning, Mom."

Mary looked up from what she was arranging in the kitchen, to her, "Morning baby."

I turned to my stepdad, Jude, who was already looking at her, and greeted him, "Good morning."

Jude responded with a nod, "Morning dear."

Mary packed her bag and came back to the dining room, "Sweethearts, we are leaving for work." Mary said, talking to both Yvonne and Cammy.

"Love." Talking to Jude, "Your lunch." Mary stretched the bag with her to Jude.

"Thanks, honey." He collected it and pecked her on the lips.

"Bye Cam."

"Bye, dad." Cammy went over to Jude and hugged him.

Yvonne went over to her mom to help her with the things, she was carrying, "Bye mom."

Mary gave Yvonne a knowing look and pecked her and Cammy, each on their foreheads, "Bye my babies." They pecked her cheeks too, "Bye Mom."

Mary and Jude left for work, leaving Yvonne and Cammy at home.

Yvonne served her breakfast before turning to look at Cammy, who was still eating, "Eat fast Cammy and also get your bag afterward or you'll be late for school." Cammy nodded.

Cammy quickly ate her food as instructed and went upstairs to get her school bag from her bedroom.

After eating, Yvonne packed the plates to the kitchen, washed them, and packed Cammy's lunch in her lunch bag.

She walked around the house, locking up the windows and switching off all the appliances before Cammy comes stairs with her school bag.

Coming down the stairs, Cammy looked around in search of her sister and saw her by the dining window.

She shook her head negatively as she observed what Yvonne was putting on, a long sleeve top and baggy trousers.

She scoffed and gripped the railing tightly, wondering why her sister dresses annoyingly. She went down the stairs in a flash, going toward Yvonne.

"Vonny," She called from behind.

"Yeah?" Yvonne turned to look at her sis while packing up her hair in a ponytail.

"Why do you like... No... You love it." Cammy gave her a knowing look. "Why do you love dressing this way?"

"What way?" She looked confused at what Cammy said.

"Don't act like you don't know what am saying Vonny, Mom does take us out to shop for clothes, at least once or twice a month." She held up two of her fingers.

"Instead of choosing cute and fitted clothes, all you go after are these baggy clothes." She continued with her complaint, looked at Yvonne's clothes then back to her, glaring at her with her right hand resting on her hip.

Yvonne smiled at her sister calmly, "We all have different styles of dressing Cammy, you close fitted and I choose this." She pointed at her baggy clothes.

"If you think it's good or beautiful... No, it' not. It's annoying." Frowning at her sister.

"I love it like that." Yvonne said in an authoritative voice which Cammy knew had handled "Enough of this topic" in it.

Ignoring the warning and avoiding Yvonne's eyes and still adamant, "You..."

Yvonne interrupted her, "Cammy please not this morning..., " She said trying to plead with her using her eyes., "You are almost late for school, let's get going," She handed her lunch bag to her which she scoffed and collected, "30 minutes to go," Checking her wristwatch for the time.

Right at a corner of her room, she has a packed bag of fitted clothes apart from the ones her mom buys from time to time.

Those packed clothes are from the past which disturbs her thinking and weakens her to the core. Most of the clothes were either gifted by him (her first lover) or he bought when they both went out for shopping or dinner or even on occasions.

The thought of the past are mostly how her father died because of the rumor, her Mom became a shadow of herself, how she was betrayed and left heartbroken and he begged her to stay but she couldn't stay cos it hurts more than she could take and accept.

They left the house after locking up and entered a cab to Cammy's school.

At the school gate, Yvonne stopped her. "Cammy," She called after her sister, "Use this to buy anything you would need during lunch, okay?" Giving some money to Cammy.

"Thanks, sis," She collected the money and smiled.

"You are always welcome." Smiling back at her.

Yvonne ruffled her hair and pecked her forehead, "Have a nice day sis." They bade each other bye. Cammy went into the school while Yvonne left after making sure she entered.