Into the Warmth of Ice

Chapter Nine

Thud!

The box of cookies Sam was carrying hit the ground as he let go of it and walked fast towards Kori. He heard their whole conversation and he knew enough that Kori is really hurt. Sam put his hands on her shoulder, and without thinking twice, he pulled her into a tight hug without the intention of letting her go. That made Kori cry out loud even more but she was hugging him back, clinging unto him like a child. Sam let her cry her heart out for some time.

A few minutes passed and Kori was able to calm herself down. They were back at the living room, sitting at the sofa. Sam brought her a glass of water, and she took some sips while still sniffing and trying to dry out her tears. He didn't know what to say and was not even sure if Kori wants to talk about it, so they just stayed silent for a while.

"My mom was raped by her friend in high school," Kori suddenly spoke, ending the silence. Sam looked at her and shook his head in a way to say that she didn't have to tell him. Sam knew it was something so personal and painful for Kori. But Kori just gave him a weak smile which made him know that she wants to let things out. So he let her.

"My mom really trusted my father, but he ended up raping her one night when he was drunk. I learned this from my aunt when I was five," Kori continued. "He was thrown in jail... She thought that she'll be at peace once my father, her rapist, was out from her life but she got pregnant with me. Yes, she kept me... but I reminded her of her dark days. So, growing up, she mostly disapproved of everything I do. Somehow, even though my biological father was the one locked up, it felt like I was the one receiving the punishment.

"She married my stepfather and had Kisses. Her attention was now all over my sister, which I actually didn't mind because her not spending much time with me meant not giving me dislikes. But when she and my stepdad got jobs overseas, her attention were all on me again – doubting my decisions and questioning my capability to take care of my sister." Kori drank some more water and sighed. "So yeah, that's my mom," she let out a little laugh like everything she said was just a joke.

But it wasn't, and Sam felt the misery and agony from her voice. He knew that all too well... being unwanted. "My father left us for another girl," Sam revealed.

"Huh? But I thought he died?" Kori asked, in need of more explanation.

He shook his head and answered, "I lied... The car you saw me vandalizing before? That was his car. That was where he stays with his new girl..." He paused, like he was trying to get some courage to say his next words. "It is my mom who is dead."

Kori was shocked. The whole time, she thought his mom was just elsewhere but still around. She was now listening intently to whatever Sam had to tell, eager to know more. Sam told her more of his story. "When I was eighteen, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. She became depressed but not because of her illness, but because at that same year, my dad left my mom for a new, younger girl. When he left us, it's like for him, we didn't even exist. He never checked up on us, and only kept transferring money in my account like we were some burden beggars." There was bitterness in his voice.

"What makes him more of an ass is a year later, he had another girl. He was out there having fun with his bitches while my mom was suffering, trying to fight at the hospital. He's such a prick. I hated him even more... The 'dropping out of school to get a job' part I told you about? That's true. As much as I hated using my dad's money, I still had to for my mom's medication. But I made sure I wasn't entirely depending on his cash.

"I thought we would could make it... I thought that if I work hard enough, my mom and I could make it even without him... But I didn't know my mom was already so weak and so exhausted battling her illness. After two years, she lost."