CHAPTER 14

Michael's Pov:

Everywhere seemed choked up, I couldn't breathe. I felt like air left my lungs, I struggled for air after inhaling In and out for a few hours, I was back to myself.

A voice kept on ringing in my head "it should have been you, it should have been you, how would you live with yourself now?".

I smoothened out my suit and knotted my tie, I couldn't break down, I couldn't be vulnerable. I need to be on my best self for Marie and the twins.

As I headed downstairs to my car, my phone buzzed, and it was my colleague at work. 

He asked when I'll be coming back to work because I have been away for months now.

I promised that I would be back soon and that I had something to take care of. I wasn't lying, I had to go back.

 Furthermore, I haven't seen Cara in a long time and my heart still yearns for her and my child growing inside her, but I just had to do this one last thing for Marie.

As I headed to the funeral I had only one thing stuck in my mind.

Would Marie hate me from now on ? Or would she try to take the twins from me? My head was heavy with turmoil, I was anxious on my way there.

As I got to the church, I was met with a lot of strange faces that I haven't come across in my whole life. I didn't hesitate in finding where Marie and the twins were.

I saw them from afar, Marie looked like she got hit by a bus, her face looked like she hadn't slept for years; she had been crying, and it made her look like a shadow of herself.

Furthermore, I noticed Jada begging her to tie the lace of her shoes and Jasmine just looking lifeless beside their mother.

Besides, I felt suddenly worried and hoped I'll be able to convince Marie later to take Jasmine to see a therapist.

"Hey, Marie," I said as I got to her front. Her face showed conflicting emotions, and it looked like she was about to start crying again but with a struggling smile, she managed to say hi back.

She told me she was happy I made it.

Even though that felt like a lie to me, I felt she did want to say something nice.

The twins ran to my side and hugged me, I was so happy that they had grown accustomed to me.

The funeral service started, and the whole congregation was silent, we all stared at the coffin and a big frame of Anne's picture.

She looked so happy in that picture, different from the cold body lying In the coffin before us. As the choir began to sing with their sonorous voices, I began to have a flashback of what happened that day.

How everything happened so fast, I remember as I wrestled with James before he could hit Anne again.

How he had knocked me down with his strength and we fought tremendously.

How Anne was begging him to stop because he was hurting me, but he just didn't listen to her.

Before we knew it, he brought out a gun and tried to shoot me. I hit the gun from his hand and knocked him down.

How he rose up and brought out another gun to shoot me, but then Anne pushed me and Instead took the bullet.

I didn't hesitate before I took the other gun to shoot James in the chest. How Marie entered just In time to see her sister get shot in the heart.

I screamed echoing through the building which made Jasmine run from the car to check what was wrong but was shocked to see her aunt's dying body in my hands.

Blood began to spill from Anne's mouth, it was so horrifying to watch. She was struggling to breathe while tears fell from her eyes.

Marie kept on crying and shouted at me to bring the car to the front, so we could rush Anne to the hospital, but then it was too late. "I'm sorry Rose "was her last words before she gave up the ghost.

Marie wept bitterly while I tried everything possible to comfort her.

I just couldn't believe why Anne would give her life for someone like me, someone who broke her sister's heart.

I felt this grief because of not for her, I won't be alive till this very day.

The police came a while after to carry Anne's body and James' but we then later found out that James didn't die but was just severely injured.

After that day, Marie had just been distant, and I understood she needed some space, I understood it wasn't easy for her.

As they leveled Anne's body six feet under, it was like something was holding Marie back before, she wept bitterly.

She continued to weep in pain and her mom continued to console her. It was like she just realized she'll be going home without Anne and that made her feel so sad.

The twins, not understanding what was going on, began to cry too because they didn't understand what was making their mum cry.

I began to console the twins as we left there, people here and there came to give their condolences but the expression on Marie's face showed that she wasn't having any of it.

It looked like she was tired and just wanted to run upstairs and cry.

Evening came and people began to leave, the party was over. Marie begged her mum to take the twins to her side, but I jumped in at that instant and told her to let me take them instead.

She thanked me briefly and made her way upstairs. I told the twins if they were okay with me and they agreed immediately.

On getting to my apartment, I arranged the room for the twins, so I can sleep on the couch.

Jada complained that she was hungry, so I ordered food for them, and we all watched TV while eating.

Jasmine was fast asleep on my legs while Jada was resting next to my shoulders.

"Will mum be okay?" she asked with a sad look. "I promise you, your mum will be fine, "I said.

"Will aunt Anne come back? Mum said she went on a vacation and that she'll be back, but I saw aunt Anne in that big box those people put underground "she said.

I just rested her back on my shoulders and comforted her telling her that everything is fine. 

I laid them to the bed as they were fast asleep.

As I laid down on my couch, I began to wonder what if Anne hadn't jumped in and saved me what would have been my end? I wondered if Anne was doing okay wherever she was.

My mind was swirling with a lot of questions that I couldn't seem to find an answer to.

I just wished Marie would be fine, I wished I could be there to comfort her. As I pondered I found myself drifting off slowly, and before you knew it, I was fast asleep.