Chapter 34: Reconciliation

" You're asking me? Didn't you already ask Bruce to leave for the same reason? Isn't that what you do? Take decisions that involves someone else, without asking questions. But I guess since that someone else is me, it shouldn't matter." Jenna said to her parents.

" So yeah, you can talk to me." She added.

Evelyn and Sampson knew they were in for it, not like they expected any less.

Duh.

~

Clearing his throat, Sampson decided to speak up first.

If they felt like sitting, they knew where to do that.

" Jenna dear, I... I just... your mom and I came to apologise to you." Sampson said, still standing behind Evelyn.

Jenna who was glancing at her nails, still kept mute. She didn't feel like looking at them, because she knew there was a tendency her vulnerable heart would give in by the time she saw the soft pleading looks on their faces.

Maybe by the time she looked at them, she'd be too irked to care... so she hoped.

She wanted to stay angry at them, at least for a little longer, especially her pixie-haired mother.

" We're sorry Jenna. We're sorry for everything." Evelyn said.

"_I'm sorry." She added, raising her head to look at Jenna.

" What exactly are you apologizing for? Yesterday or today?" asked Jenna.

" Are you apologizing for the hurtful things you said yesterday, today or ever since I was born? Or for the way you've always made me feel?" Jenna asked again, raising her head, barely 5 seconds later.

" For everything my baby. We're both sorry for everything." Evelyn said with tears at the corner of her eyes.

" Jenna I know we've hurt you a lot. I know I didn't make up the kind of childhood memories you'd love to remember you had with your father." Sampson said.

Getting on her feet, Jenna asked, at the brim of tears

" You do dad? You know you didn't? Yet all this years you've always made me feel like I don't have the right to at least want your love and affection!" Jenna said with her sharp gazed fixed on her father, while a tear slid down her cheek.

" Tell me, what wrong have I ever done to the both of you?" Jenna asked, looking from her mother to her father.

" You know sometimes, I feel like an adopted child. Maybe you made a promise to my real parents to provide all of the material stuff, to not let me wander in the streets...to make sure I was educated." Jenna said.

Turning to her mother, she continued;

" But I wish you promised to care about me, I wish you promised to not kill me with your lack of love and attention. "

" But we love you_"

" You barely show it!" Jenna exclaimed.

" I never felt you actually did love me."

" Mom, for majority of the moments we spent together, you were either cautioning me or making me feel inferior. For what?!"

" I didn't want you to become the average bratty and spoilt child Jenny. I wanted you to be a unique, disciplined child, regardless of your family's wealth. That's what I wanted." Evelyn said, before breaking into a sob.

" I knew you were feisty and high spirited, so I thought taming that part of you would be for the better." Evelyn added.

" I didn't realize when or how I went overboard." Evelyn said before wiping off the tears on her face.

Jenna looked away before closing her eyes.

" I'm sorry Jen. I really am. I know personally, I've been unfair to you, but I hope you find it in your heart to forgive us. Please my baby." Evelyn said trying to sound as clear and audible as she could, while crying and talking at the same time.

" And no Jenna, you are not adopted. You are our first and only child. And we love you so much, too much my baby girl." Sampson said. He looked at Jenna with so much love.

Jenna held on to her bracelet, as she recalled some lovely memories of moments she spent with her parents. She couldn't bear to look at the both of them at this point. She was likely to fall to her knees if she did.

" I know this came as a late realization honey. But after what happened earlier today, I realized I failed you. When Elle hit you in front of me, my mistakes and failure started coming to light." Evelyn said, slowly walking to where Jenna stood.

" But then, I believed you scammed Mason because I never imagined they could lie like that and even go as far as acting the way they did." Evelyn said, taking 2 more steps.

" That's why I still insisted you feel sorry about it. But after your grandfather explained the truth to us, I realized I have failed as your mother. That I have failed to be your shield." Evelyn said as she finally stood right before Jenna who looked elsewhere.

" But I am genuinely sorry Jenna. Please forgive us." Evelyn said as she bent a little and grabbed Jenna's hands and held them in hers. By that time, Sampson had already joined the pair.

After grandfather Gordon asked them to leave, Evelyn and Sampson reflected silently without saying a word. They both didn't say a word to each other till noon when Sampson first suggested they leave for Jenna's room.

There was nothing to talk about. Not after they both realized they failed their daughter.

" Please my love. Forgive mommy and daddy, please honey." Evelyn said, touching Jenna's chin lovingly.

" Give us a chance to make it up to you baby." Said Sampson.

Jenna didn't know how or when she fell on her mom's shoulder for an embrace, Evelyn was shorter than she was anyways.

" Sorry baby.... I'm so sorry" Evelyn said, crying while she embraced Jenna with both hands. Sampson joined the two for a group embrace, kissing Jenna's hair, embracing the both of them.

" Please give us a chance to make it up to you" Said Sampson after a while.

Pulling out of the embrace, Evelyn held Jenna's shoulder before speaking;

" You don't have to live with us anymore honey. You can stay in your own apartment if you want baby, but we would love you to leave Planora. Move down to this city."