No one else but you (Book 3. of „Only you")

Thick air

Narrator POV

Nora entered her room with nurse Olivia expecting to see Lizzie there on the chair that is next to her bed on her right. But familiar voices twisted Nora's heart like a plastic bottle when it gets crunched.

„Didn't know you expected so many visitors..." Olivia mumbled to Nora from behind while she was rolling her into the room.

„Me neither.." she answered and everyone straightened themselves up.

„Olivia you can leave. This is a private matter.. thank you for today." Nora spoke to Olivia and she nod walking out after he helped Nora get back into the bed.

The door closed and all eyes were on Nora. Her bother Oliver was next to her stepmother Jessica on the right side while Sara and Wess stood on the left. No one knew what to say. They all looked shocked because everyone thought that Nora died six years ago when she crashed her car into the ocean.

No one really wanted to break the ice between that dreadful silence but one had to talk eventually.
„It is probably written all over our faces. We all honestly don't know what to say to someone who came back from the dead." her stepmother spoke up after she coughed for her attention.

„I didn't really came back from the dead. I wasn't dead at all. Even if you all would have wanted that."
Nora didn't hold herself back because she's tired of doing it. She's tired of keeping things in her mind that should be said.

„That is not true Nora." Sara joined the conversation while she shook her head.

„Oh is that so? At least be honest with yourself and except the fact that y'all weren't giving a damn about me back then. I would be surprised if you'd be now."

„We were all wrong for acting the way we did. How we treated you was unbelievably disrespectful."

„Wow don't they say that the realization is the first step to improvement." Nora let her sarcastic side out and no one of them is really used to it but that is how she always was. Trying to be sarcastic in the most serious situations.

„I guess George told you all what was going on?"
I asked and they nod silently.

„We all weren't the same after what happened.
We all reflected on our behavior and we realized that this was not the right way." Wess spoke up and he is one of the only persons she came along with sometimes. Maybe because she senses that he is gay and he doesn't show it. Maybe that is the only connection they have except for being blood related as well.

„Throughout the six years a lot of things have changed. I went to therapy and my therapist heard how fucked up this family is."

„Sara.." Jessica interrupted warning Sarah cause she said fucked up. Some habits never leave us I guess.

„It's true Jess don't play the saint here."
Nora raised a brow for the fact that Sara spoke back and for the fact that she called her jess and not mom. Not like they always used to do. Nora was the only one who refused to call her mom.
Maybe something did change in that broken family.

„Anyways. What I was trying to say is that my therapist convinced me to bring everyone along for a family therapy session. Everyone was against it especially our parents. So we three went on our own until we noticed improvements on our behavior and perspective. Jess came along too after some months."

„What about George?" I asked and Sara smiled a bit.

„We we're able to get this stubborn ass into the boat too. It was hard and he refused to open up at first when we were all sitting together. But eventually the truth showed up." Sara went silent and I noticed that she wasn't really into talking further.

„Father told us what happened on the day you where born." Oliver my oldest sibling spoke up.

„We weren't aware of why he put all his hate into you. He influenced us with that immensely and we portrait that hate onto you too. When we heard how she was crying and screaming saying that you killed mom."

„We as little kids didn't realize fully. We didn't know how to act. We lost our mom. He says you killed her and of course we adapt this onto us as well. It went on like that because we never asked for closure. We all were cut way to deep and we all wanted to hide and forget that. Instead of talking it out. We let it out on you."
Wess explained and we all had tears in our eyes.
I would have never expected to see them so open and reflective about what they did.
This was all I ever asked for and now it comes true and I can't believe it. I want to but it's hard.

„We all came clear after decades. Mom insisted on letting you live and she told that the doctors so dad had no say in it. But instead of loving we because you look so much like her and you remind us of her so much. We started to hate you and we can't put our sorrow into words because that wouldn't be enough. We don't want to give you only words that might feel empty. Actions speak volumes and if you allow us we would love to have you back and we would love to get to know you."
Sara added work tears in her eyes.

„Only if you want we do not want to pressure you at all. We just offer this to you to let you know that we really mean what we say and we all regret our actions unbelievably." Oliver spoke up and I really didn't know how to comprehend this all.

„Our therapist also said that we shouldn't expect forgiveness from you. Because she made it clear that we actually don't deserve it because of how fucked up we were." Sara added and I nod on that part. Looks like they got a realistic therapist.

„With that being said. We will wait with open arms for as long as you need the time to come by, and even if you don't want to that would be okay. Because we don't expect forgiveness. What we did was tremendous and we are forever sorry for that." Jess added as she spoke up again cause she was silent for the whole time.

Without being able to say anything the door opened and I saw Lizzie walk in. She scanned the room and probably felt the thick air that surrounded us. She looked shocked towards me not knowing how to act and I waved my hand towards me slightly signing her to come in.

„This is our cue then." Wess spoke up and everyone took their jackets to head off.

„Oh and one thing." Sara stopped before everyone headed off.

„Your family is welcome to come too. Not just you. We would love to know them all." Sara smiled softly to me and then towards Lizzie.

...