𝑅𝑒𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 - 𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛𝑒

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑆𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛

In the past few days, I have hardly talked to Benjamin ever since Leo's fight. I try to avoid him for a little while to plan our wedding. I actually wrote to my old friend, Fred from the orphanage, to come to my wedding since he was a part of my life. I invited some of my team including Anna to the publishing company. Of course, some of Benjamin's friends, Bianca and Zac, and some of his workers. Everything was great until I saw Edward's name. I told Mom that she can make the decision to invite him or not, but I would like to invite Marsha and Cali. Since Marsha and Mom are on good terms, we have everything back on track.

As I am typing the email to Anna about my publication of Release of Secrecy, she informs me that everything is ok with the coverage and edition. The coverage is gonna be like Mia's eyes color, teal, due the first book was black due to the darkness. I'm excited for the readers reading Mia's story to come to the end, a powerful end. Suddenly I hear the doorbell ring, I didn't expect anyone to visit...

I walk to the door in my puff sleeve gray loose blouse and white jeans, as I am barefooted and my hair is naturally wavy down. I open the door, and my eyes widen who appears; Patrick, Della, and Mom. "Hi... come on in."

Mom is the first person who hugs me as she walks inside. "Hello, darling. Benjamin told us that you need help."

"He did? Oh..." My family waits on the threshold, and I guide them to the kitchen. "Sorry, I didn't know you guys were coming. Tea?"

They all nodded and I make some tea for them as they sit down at the table. Patrick insists on standing up leaning against the kitchen counter, "Benjamin shouldn't have called us... I just don't like being told about the meeting with family by someone else."

Della infers as she's sitting at the end of the table, "But, we're here now... Sis, I guess my pride flag luck didn't do the trick?"

I shake my head to her, "Leo and I fought, and he moved out with his father. I'm sorry, Mom, I tried."

Mom comforts me, "Darling, it's ok. I don't want Leo to stay away with him either..."

"What I'm hearing with the two of you is that you want Leo to move back to Mum's, I assume?" Mom and I both nod to him as Mom is pouring her tea, "Which it won't be easy, the way he is about Dad."  I give him his tea and he takes a sip before he proceeds as I sit down with my water, "Unless if he knew about that night."

Della inters, "We need cookies... Da-"

"If he knew, he'd come back." Patrick continues and looks at Della, with terrified looks on their faces. He turns to Mom, "It's time, Mum... It's time you stopped lying to him."

They know...? Mom assumed me that they didn't remember. "I've never lied. I've just not said. And in the not saying, you spare pain, protect, what's wrong with that?"

"So much, Mom... even though you already told Dahlia what happened that night. But all this silence, this denial, it's mind-fuck." Patrick looks at Mom close to tears, "Not just for Leo, who doesn't understand why things are the way they are, but for me, for us."

Della turns back to Patrick, "Don't speak for me."

Patrick looks at his sister, "What, you're really going to play the well-adjusted card?" Patrick looks at me, his eyes are not familiar to me. He's getting teared up, "What about you, sis?" He looks around the room while people are in silence, "Fine, now it's just me, then, turning it all over again and again, thinking maybe it was a dream, maybe I got it wrong that I didn't see my dad beat the shit out of my mom, and tried to kill himself?"

Oh my god, it can't be... they couldn't have... "I thought..." Mom responds to his pain, "I thought you didn't remember."

"You wanted us not to, there's a difference." Mom put her hand on her head, relapsing herself. "Not just you, Mom. Not just from that night... There are more. Sister?"