A Twinkle In The Stars

Chapter 26

Our mother died some months later. I remember it like it was yesterday. She was sent to the hospital the day before because she was feeling more sick than usual. Our father came home and looked after us and aunt Gwen told us she'd pick us up to see our mother. On that day, our dad was extra protective over us. Him and Gwen got into a fight once she came over to get us.

"You are not taking my girls anywhere! It's your fault this is all happening to Eliza! She's been eating your food and all of the sudden she's sick. You really are twisted Gwen." He spat.

"Edgar, your confused. I would never do anything to hurt Eliza. You and her are my family. All that I have." Gwen lied.

"Get out of my house and don't you dare think about coming back. I'm gonna call the hospital and make sure you can't visit Eliza. You are gonna pay for what you have done to this family."  Edgar yelled.

Gwen left and wasn't heard from for a while. Our Father was based at home for a while so he tried his best to take care of us. Most times we were the ones taking care of him, but we didn't mind.

Our Mother died and we had a memorial for her. Our dad took it really well, he had come to terms with her dying a long time ago and now it was just hard to imagine raising us without her.

By the time we were twelve, two years after Gwen left, our father got shipped out again.

"Listen, I got shipped out again. Aunt Gwen is gonna come and take care of the two of you. Now I know how it may look but she is our last resort. I love the two of you no matter what. I promise I will come back as soon as I can." He spoke to me and Ailita.

"We love you too Dad. We understand." I smiled with tears in my eyes.

We hugged him and he walked out the door and Gwen walked in. At the time, we had never had a bad experience with Gwen.

Her abuse started a year later after my father relinquished his parental rights and went AWOL from his post. He completely disappeared and we dare not ask her why he hadn't come back to get us.

Let's back track.

After our father left us he was beginning to regret his decision to go into the Navy. He missed us and phone calls and video calls weren't enough anymore. So he was going to leave. He wanted out, he wanted to be with us and raise us like our mom wanted. So that's what he did he left.

But let's back track even further.

In the two years where our Dad was raising us, Gwen had gone back. Visited her blast from the past, Madame Zay. 

"It's good to see you again Gweneth." Madame Zay welcomed her into her home with a hug.

"My brother threw me out. Eliza has cancer." Gwen cried.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Your always welcome here." Madame Zay reassured her.

"I just needed a friendly face is all. I'll be fine." Gwen wiped her eyes.

"What about your nieces? How are they doing in all this?" Madame Zay questioned.

"Fine I guess. I haven't been very close with them. Eliza always watched me closely when it came to them." Gwen rolled her eyes.

"Well you were gunning for her territory. Plus, it's hard to trust when it comes to her children." Madame Zay advised.

"Why won't people just let me and Edgar's past go?! I'm tired of everyone hanging on to it and bring it up." Gwen shrieked.

"People can't let it go because your still hanging on to the idea that if Eliza is out of the picture you still stand a chance with Edgar. He is your step brother, Gweneth. It's wrong no matter if you do share real blood or not. You poisoned Eliza and now she has cancer. You took your nieces' mother away. All because your hanging on to a love interest that will never happen again. You need to let Edgar go." Madame Zay advised.

Gwen let Zay's words sink in. Her single goal in life was to get Edgar back and she hadn't really thought about what else she would do in life.

"What am I gonna do Zay?  I am such a horrible person. I broke up a family! I killed Eliza!" Gwen cried.

"You can't take back the past. You can only fix it with your actions now. If ever Edgar wants to talk you need to make it right. And as much as it'll hurt him you need to confess that is the only way you'll ever feel better about this." Madame Zay continued.

"Fine. Can we go back to the old days? We were great together back then." Gwen took Madame Zay's hand.

"I'd love to have you by my side again." Madame Zay squeezed her hand.

The two built an empire in Granada Falls in those two years. But Zay made sure she took the stake in the business. Naming what the two did Zay Enterprises, she put a name out for herself but made Gwen do all the grunt work.

Fast forward two years and Edgar calls Gwen because he is being shipped out again. She was excited this would be her chance to reconcile and make things right.

"I have to leave. Edgar is getting shipped out again and wants me to come and take care of Aracely and Ailita." Gwen quickly packed her suitcase.

"Your gonna leave? All because Edgar asked you too? And you just leave at his beck and call?! This is exactly what I'm talking about Gwen. You pack up and leave as soon as he calls! What about me?! What about our empire, everything we've built?!" Madame Zay shook Gwen by the shoulders.

"You mean the empire I made the moves for and you slapped your name on like you did all the work? You may have organized  all the work but I was the one doing it all! Without me Zay Enterprises will fall!" Gwen spat.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. But I didn't see you complaining with the million dollar vacations and cars. But you know what go back to your sham of a life with the crazy idea that Edgar would ever want you!" Madame Zay tossed the suitcase out into the hallway.

Gwen gathered her things headed to fulfill her duties as an Aunt.

She never got the chance to talk to Edgar one on one. Once she got to the house, he was already on his way out.