Chapter Fifty-Four
Last night, I apologised to Shirley and she forgave me. It felt good. It felt really good to finally let go of the burden that I had been keeping to myself. Now, I feel lighter, less weighed down than I had felt in a while. It was amazing. Knowing where you went wrong and apologising for it makes you see things differently. It makes you grow as a person. I was feeling like a grown person now.
I was feeling so good about myself that I could not help but be cheery. I think Nel also noticed that about me. He kept giving me amused looks and a weird smile. Yesterday, after Shirley left, he asked if I was okay because he had heard me crying. So, I told him briefly that I had a moment of epiphany and finally apologised to Shirley, whom I had hurt the most. Later, I also told him about Mike getting expelled because of a video but not the part where I played the main role. I had not told him anything about it.
We had done serving the customers and the house restaurant was now closed. Since we had changed the house restaurant headboard, many new customers had started coming. The numbers had increased at a way faster pace than I had thought they would. Anyway, the business was going great.
Currently, both of us are in the kitchen cleaning the dishes. He was helping me clean them. I was not in the mood to read today and I told him. He was okay with only one day off.
"Why are you smiling to yourself? What are you thinking?" He asked. Usually, we did everything in a peaceful quiet but perhaps today I was exceptionally quiet. And of course, he noticed.
"You honestly want to know what I am thinking?" I questioned with a smile. He nodded as he placed a plate in the cupboard.
"I'm not thinking about anything." I told him, watching from the corner of my eye, his eyebrows rising high on forehead.
I stopped washing dishes and turned to him. He was still looking at me with his eyebrow raised.
"I'm serious." I said, and he stopped cleaning the dishes too. He leaned against the counter and gestured with his head, telling me to explain.
"In the last few days or since I came here, everything is going exceptionally well. Things are finally turning out to be great. And I couldn't help but feel grateful. Things have been shitty for some time but now, it is feeling like things are changing for something good. I feel like ..."
I stopped speaking at the sound of the door knocking outside. Nel shrugged his shoulders and said, "Let me get this then we will continue." He said before he walked out of the kitchen to get to the door. I waited for him to get done with whoever the visitor was when I grew tired. It was taking way too long for him to be talking to some stranger at the door.
Maybe it's Shirley ...
I pulled off my gloves and headed outside to see. Nel was talking to someone but his back was blocking my view. So, I decided to go nearer and check for myself. What was going on?
I reached Nel's side. I put my hand on his shoulder before I side passed him to see who he was talking to.
"No, Viri. Go inside." Nel ordered me. But it was too late.
My blood ran cold and I froze on my spot as soon as I saw him.
Ergor.
My brother.
As soon his eyes met mine, a devilish smile took up on his face and a malicious look entered. I could not even speak except for letting out a gasp.
At my gasp, Nel turned to see me and then my brother before looking right back at me. He must have seen the fear on my face because he said, "You are not her cousin, you're his brother." And that was the last thing that any of us said.
Reaching over Nel's with the speed of a snake, he grabbed my hair in his fist before yanking it to drag me out. All I did was just let out a scream. I was so shocked, SO shocked that as I was thrown on the ground outside by the hair, I still could not comprehend what was happening to me. All I could see was my brother's face.
A kick landed on my side and that finally jerked me out of my trance. I flipped on my back with a shaky gasp and saw that Ergor almost landed another kick on me. I closed my eyes and let out a squeak. However, the blow to my side never came. My eyes shot open to see that Nel had Ergor at his back. Nel began kicking Ergor when Ergor managed to catch Nel's foot and turned it to the side to trip him. However, Nel landed on the ground with a fist on Ergor's nose. A crack echoed and I knew that he managed to break it.
"Nel, stop." I said in a weak voice before trying to push myself off the ground.
Nel landed another good punch on his face before he grabbed Ergor's collar and pulled him up by it. "Get the fuck out of here!" Even in my weak state, I was so shocked to hear Nel swear. One month in this place, and I never, not once, heard Nel swear. Never.
I finally managed to get up and shakily walk over to him. I grabbed his arm. "Nel ..."
"Father's about to die. All because of you bitch." Ergor snapped at me. Both Nel and my head turned toward him. His face was so bloody, it was hard to make out his face, and not only because it was dark.
"What?" I asked, even though I heard it loud and clear. Pushing himself in his arms, he glared at me.
"He had two heart attacks in this month only. Since he got to know about your pregnancy and all the things you are doing here." He spat the words at me. My hand slipped off Nel's arm as I listened to my brother speak.
"And if you did not return he might have a third. So, stop running away like a little brat that you are and come home with me. You won't be completing your studies or going to school ever again." He said.
"If you want to see our father And our mother alive, she's sick again and could do no housework, then come home. Otherwise, I might drag you with me. No matter how many people you call for help." He told me. And suddenly, I felt my whole body slumped.
Father had two heart attacks. Mother's sick again. There was no one to take care of them. Not good enough financially to aid themselves or even buy medicine. Oh ... god ...
I felt two hands grab my shoulder and shake me to get my attention. I looked into Nel's eyes as they stared down at me with intensity, trying to get me to focus on him. In a blur, I heard him saying to not listen to my brother and that he will figure out a way for this and that he will get me out of this mess when something snapped in me. I grabbed Nel's head from both sides, pushed myself up and kissed him.
As expected, Nel went completely still from my action, shocked or surprised, still not recovered when I pulled myself back.
Looking directly into his eyes, I told him. "You had asked me to be brave and fight. Do not fear anything. So, let me be brave. For this time. I'm sorry, nel but I had to go." I told him. I moved aside and pulled my brother back up again.
"No, Viri, wait ..." Nel said and I stopped. Turning back to him, I grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Don't worry. I also remember that you told me to fight for my happiness and for the life that I deserve. I will fight for it all. I promise."
"One day, I will return here. Complete. With no fear and no scare. I will be back. But for now, I have to leave. To fight for some other reason but be sure, I will win." I told him. Feeling my heart break into pieces, I let go of his hand and turned around to leave when I was, turned around and kissed by the same person, whom I came to fall in love with. I closed my eyes, savouring the moment before both of us pulled apart.
"Then give them the best fight Viri. Tooth and nail. Fight until you win. If you ever really come back, I will be waiting for you." Nel said.
I touched his cheek and rubbed it before, I swirled around and left with my brother. Without looking back.
"I love you, Nel." I whispered to myself.