The Rotten Fruit

22

My heart shattered into a million pieces. Tears crawled down my cheeks, the thought of Amanda not alive created a wave of unbearable pain, i didn't even get to tell her bye.

"How did she die?" I whispered

He sighed as he recovered from crying.

"After I was born, we lived with my grandmother. She took care of me while my mom worked at a restaurant, working shifts day and night tirelessly. One day, at work, she met a man named Lysander. He was a lawyer. They fell for each other and eventually got married, built a house and lived together like the lovers they were suppose to be."

He stopped and inhaled some air, more tears ran down his face as he tried to speak on.

"The year that my grandmother died was the worse. My mother was depressed, she missed her a lot and so did I.., one night while my mother was crying, Lysander came home drunk as hell. He told her he lost his job cause he was caught selling drugs and then he-"

Tears fell uncontrollably down his eyes as he buried his hands into his face. I rested my hand on his shoulder assuring him that it's okay. He exhaled deeply the proceeded.

"He started hitting her and she just cried, and this became our life. She worked whole day and if she wasn't home on time, he'd beat her. I remember her screaming her life out and I didn't do anything, jus sat in my room and jus cried. I was helpless, she always told me not to get involved because she was afraid he'd hurt me but I didn't care..I'd take the beatings for her any day. Sick, tired, weak or not she had to go to work and bring home money or she'll suffer a consequence she didn't deserve." He cried.

The pain in my body worsen, my stomach felt upset and I was beginning to feel nauseous. I couldn't contain the tears that were falling as the image of seeing Amanda being abused made me feel like screaming out until I couldn't scream anymore, I felt died.

"I sat in my room every night and fell asleep to the sound of my own mother crying and screaming. It pained to see her live the way she did. The next morning, she'd wake up crying while covering the bruises and scars he placed on her."

"Didn't the neighbors hear her screaming!? Why didn't they call the police!?" I interrupted him.

"Lysander had a reputation and no one wanted to be apart of it."

I was in disgusted.  "People heard her cries and didn't even care to assist her but they had the guts to tell her hi on the streets when they saw her!?" I shouted.

He nodded. "That's how it was...One night, her screams were shorter than before, when I ran downstairs, it was too late. Lysander escaped and left me with me dead mother. I laid next to her and bawled which felt like whole night. The entire kitchen was covered with blood when the police arrived."

He sniffed wiping his face with his hands. "I was placed in a home and I wasn't alive, like the sense of reality that was there died in me. I didn't go to school for a year and when I did, I was labeled, misjudged but at that same time Caroline was around and she helped me get back on my feet. She paid for a therapist, bought clothes and school supplies for me, gave me advice, assisted with my studies. She was there for me..,sometimes I thought of her as my mother and I as her son but I guess she thought different, she'd be the mother to someone else."

"This is all my fault." I cried.
"No it's not Damien."
"Yes it is, all I had to do was be a man and she'd be alive, living her with me and-"

"Yeah and all I had to do was tell the police, but I was too young and afraid.., and so were you. We were afraid of the consequences that would've happened, yes she would've been alive if I told the police and if you were more mature. If what happened to her didn't occur I'd never meet you and you wouldn't even know I existed, its like she did this to bring us together."

I wiped my face. "But she didn't."

"Things happen for a reason Damien, I mean, yeah she died a painful death but that isn't something to hold on too, took a while to understand that. I love her a lot and I'd never forget her, you should to." He said.

"When Amanda and I was dating, she told me she always wanted to name her son Jesiah. That's why the first day you came, I wasn't surprised."

A small smile appeared on his face as he hugged me. All the memories that Amanda and I had replayed through my mind. The silence in the room ended by a knock on the door.

"Aye um Damien. You good man?"

It was Peter. Oh shit, the party. I completely forgot that we were still at the party, I checked my watch and I didn't notice we were in the room for about an hour.

"Uh yeah I'm fine. I'll be there in a minute."  I replied.

I turned to Jesiah who still have a gloomy expression on his face, I didn't want him to stay here in this condition, I know he wouldn't enjoy himself plus people might ask him question. I then took out my phone from my pocket and dialed the number for the limousine.

"Hey I think it's best if you head home."
"Yeah, I think so too."
"I already called the limousine so you can leave through the back so you'll avoid the paparazzi."

He nodded and got up questioning my still body.

"Aren't you coming?" He then asked.

The look in his eyes pained me a lot, I realized he wanted company and since Kathy wasn't really talking to him, he looked towards me for it. I felt bad having to turn him down but I just have too. My silence was enough to inform him of my answer,

"I get it. It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked

"Tomorrow for sure." I said.

He replied with a small smile and left. I exited the room and reunited with the guest and  continued the eventful night.

~~~~ Josiah's POV ~~~~

I rubbed my head with my hand, I sighed. I had a horrible headache and I was so hungry.

"Hey do you mind if we go to the drive-thru at pizza? Kinda hungry." I told the driver.

He nodded his head in agreement. I took off my shoes and made myself comfortable as I leaned on the window and closed my eyes. Damn, what a night.