Second Chance

A Showdown Between Mothers

Third person:

"Mercy, I'm sorry." Mrs Bonze whispered as she sobbed feeling her entire body burning in hell's fire.

"It's Ms Donavon for you. And sorry doesn't cut it. A sorry won't make up for all of my pain, a sorry won't remove my insecurities and above all, it won't bring back all the years of my isolation. Do you how long I kept myself locked away from people, guarding my heart so that it doesn't get broken again, how tough it was for me to accept my new family? It was too fucking long. And it was too painful. Not everything gets okay with a sorry. Not all mistakes can be mended." Mercy said as she worked hard to get a hold of her emotions.

"Mercy…" Mrs Bonze looked at her like she was in pain. Her eyes for the first time had the longing Mercy always yearned for as a child. But it was already too late. That sweet little was already dead and the woman in front of her didn't give a damn about anyone. Mrs Bonze felt like dyeing as she realised this.

"I said it's-" Mercy was cut off by another cold voice.

"Mercy Donavon enough." Mrs Donavon said sternly, her voice just as cold as Mercy. "Is this how I've taught you? Is this how you treat a guest?"

"But mom-"

"Did I hear a tone from you young lady?" She said looking into Mercy's eyes and Mercy immediately shut up, not daring to refute. "That's better. This is Donavon mansion. Not a fish market. The only people allowed to shout over here are your children. No one else. Am I clear?"

"Yes mom." Mercy replied quietly.

Mrs Donavon nodded, as if satisfied with her answer and turned to Mrs Bonze. "I'm sorry my daughter got a bit emotional. How about we sit down and talk it out?" She proposed.

The entire  Donavon and Montero family shook their heads at her farce. No matter how modern, no man could win a woman in being petty and jealous. Unlike men, women don't fight physically, she conspires. That's why it's said not to get the animosity of a woman. One, because they won't forget what you did, even after after decades and two, they won't attack you directly. But you will, for sure feel their anger when they take their revenge. When compared, men are much more simple than women.

Right now, Mrs Donavon may be saying sorry. But in reality she is showing her authority. She is letting Mrs Bonze know who really is Mercy's mother. Mrs Bonze may have given birth to Mercy. But Mercy was only her daughter.

And being a woman herself, how could Mrs Bonze not understand her provocation? She did. And she felt like beating the woman in front of her to death. People think women are most possessive of their men. But only a mother knew that they were even more possessive of their children. She couldn't share their children, no matter what.

What was even more painful was that just now, Mrs Donavon resembled like an older version of Mercy. Her voice held the same chills and authority that Mercy's held. Mercy may look like her, but her every posture, every action was exactly same as Mrs Donavon.

No. She wouldn't give up. No matter how close Mercy is to this woman, she is after all, her daughter. She gave birth to her. They shared the same blood it's no way that she couldn't get as close to Mercy as this woman is.

"Mercy, sweetheart I'm sorry. You need to understand, I was only eighteen when I gave birth to you. I was a kid myself. It was really tough for me. All the dreams I had for myself, all my hopes were shattered because I was already a mother. I'm sorry I took it all out on you, but I was immature myself. Please forgive me." Mrs Bonze said and for the first time, she said her heartfelt words, not just some pretty lie to please Mercy.

Mercy scoffed at this. "Don't give that crap to me. I was eighteen too when I adopted two children and became their stepmother. It never stopped me from reaching my goals. And above all, I didn't give birth to them, I took them in because I wanted them."

"What? You adopted two kids at the age of eighteen? Mercy how could you do something like that? Haven't you already learned from my experience? This is the age for you to have fun, to see the world and you wanna waste it taking care of two toddlers? Are you crazy?" Mrs Bonze screamed.

Her heart felt pain for her daughter. All the years she was mistreated by her father and stepmother, the only that kept her going was the thought of someday being free and really enjoying her life. But she was burdened with a child before that could happen and all her dreams were shattered. How could her daughter go through the same thing?

"That's enough. My children aren't a burden for me. And they aren't restricting my freedom. If being a mother gets burdensome for a woman, she isn't qualified to become mother and for the last time, it's Ms Donavon-"

"Mrs Montero." Luke finally interrupted Mercy. His heart ached the entire time he heard Mercy's pain and uncomfortable everytime Mercy called herself Ms Donavon. They are married. She isn't Ms Donavon anymore. She is Mrs Montero.

Suddenly, the intense atmosphere of the room changed and everyone looked at the man in disbelief. "What? She isn't Ms Donavon anymore. We're already married. She's Mrs Montero." He replied indignantly.

"And this is the time to discuss that?" Cindy asked irritated.

"Of course it is." Luke answered. "She needs to get her facts correct or she'll make a fool out of herself."

"Son, there is only one person making a fool out of himself now." Mr Montero said, feeling that his son was hopeless.

"Young man, you are so young yourself, yet you adopted two children?" Mrs Bonze questioned Luke.

"I didn't adopt anyone. They are my biological children. I married Mercy so that we can take care of the children together after her sister and my girlfriend Chastity left." Luke replied, feeling mysteriously (to him) sullen over the fact.

"What? My daughter was married off to man who doesn't love her and who she doesn't love to be a nanny of two children?" Mrs Bonze shrieked again.

"You know, being to a married to a young and handsome multi millionaire is still better than being sold off to a man old enough to be her grandfather." Luke venomously struck back, feeling angry that the woman looked at their marriage with disdain.

Mrs Bonze didn't know how to refute to that and Luke wanted to go on criticising her but his words got struck in his throat as looked at the two children looking at them in disbelief as they hid under the table with a cake in their hands.

A/N: What do you think will be the reaction of the kids?

PS: For those who don't know, Luke is short for Lucas, like a pet name. Do not get confused.