44
To say Leo was shocked at the revelation is an understatement. Just as Derrick finished saying, everyone gasped that included Damien’s mom too.
So all these while, all he was living in was a lie. He had blamed his father wrongly since all these years. He had despised his father wrongly since all these years.
His mother had done something as forbidden as that. His father had been under her spell since those years that they were together.
No wonder…
*Flashback: Then*
“You did this to yourself. If you had hearken to my advice at that time. This would not have happened to you.” He overheard his aunty say to his mother. They had just come back from school and his mother was down with supposed fever.
“Sister, promise me. You will take care of my kids.” He heard his mother quivering voice asked.
His aunty sighed.
“I will. I have used almost every herbs I know. Yet your condition is deteriorating. Stupid wolves!” She cursed harshly.
“You see where you gave brought yourself to… Janet… You did this awful thing to yourself.” She said with her voice broken.
Leo could not understand what they were saying so all he did was stare at them through the slight opening of the door.
“I will go to Alfraine to see if I could get the elder witch for some potions or something.” His aunty said and he wondered what or who Alfraine was. He knocked on the door when he saw that his mother and aunty were staring at each other as if they were communicating telepathically. Their gaze broke and they turned towards Leo.
“Oh, Leo. You are back.” His aunty said. He looked at his aunt eye bags, they were already darkened like she lacked sleep.
“Mom needs some rest. She has been working since morning.” His aunt was quick to say when she saw his unwavering gaze on her. He nodded his head silently, not speaking a word.
“And yes, Leo. Aunt will be travelling to a place. You must take care of your mother and your sister. Will be back soon.” She said and stood up. And just like that his aunt never came back.
But one day she did and that day….
*
*
*
*Some Months Later*
“Mom, why are you shivering?” Leo asked his mother who would not stop shaking vigorously on the bed. It was already late in the night. Leo had come to ask her to help him to get water but then he met her laid on the bed. The past few days she had always acted strong to take care of them and in the night she will collapse on the bed and start writhing out in pain from all joints. She made sure her whimpers were quiet, well she did her best to silent them.
She had fallen sick for the past two weeks and her condition was slowly deteriorating. It was not helping matters at all. Leo and Leticia both went to school and came back each day to meet her lying in bed, sleeping sound and when it was morning, she would force herself up.
After they had left their dad’s house, they moved into one of their aunt’s house. The aunt had embarked on a journey, although Leo and Leticia did not understand what the said journey meant but their mother knew too well what the journey meant. Their aunt had gone to see their grandmother(mother’s mother). Their mother had done something forbidden and blameworthy and it was what was affecting her and might also kill her.
Their aunt had to meet their grandmother to look for a way to cure her.
They kept asking for the time and day they would move back to their dad’s house but their mother kept giving them flimsy excuses. Sometimes, she always did her best to evade their questions.
And now she is yet on the bed slowly dying, their aunt is yet to come back from the place she had gone to.
“L-Leo.” She stuttered out as a shiver ran down her spine which made her twitch a little. She must be really affected by the backfired spell.
“Yes, mommy.” Leo answered and held her right hand that was close to him.
“P-Promise…” She coughed out with a rough, soar throat. Just as she was about to talk, Leo noticed something which made his eyes go wide in worry. “Mom…” He stuttered out and slowly brought his right hand to the side of her lips. He touched the black colored blood that has spilled there when she coughed out and brought it up to show her. “You… Coughed out blood.” He indicated to her. She winced out as she brought her stiff hand to touch his hand. “Listen to me.” She forced out and dropped her hand down. She could not keep it up for too long.
“Mom.” Leticia called out as she walked into the room. She has woken up when she could not feel her brother close to her. Her mother titled her head a little towards the door. She saw her little girl standing with fear evident in her features.
“C-come closer.” She croaked out as she used rigid finger to direct her in a come-hither motion. She trotted towards them.
“Mom, why are you shivering?” She asked in a childish, quiet voice since it was night already. Her mother forced a tight smile on her lips and pulled her closer to her chest. Leticia blocked her nostrils, as her mother had this horrible scent that had her thinking why her brother was so so close to her despite the smell. She slowly wriggled her way out of her mother’s arms when she could no longer breath. Her mother looked at her, knowing fully well why she did it.
“What happened to mummy? She was fine days ago, right?” She asked as she stared at her brother. Leo darted his gaze away from his mother to Leticia.
“As you can see mom is not feeling fine.” Leo answered. Then suddenly, their mother’s breath started becoming sporadic. Her chest started moving up and down, her coughs were deep and thick. Leo seeing this, quickly went towards the stool and poured water from the jug into the cup with shaky hands. He ran towards her and placed the cup close to her mouth but she would not stop coughing.
“Mom, take water.” He urged her. She eventually pushed the cup away making it fall and break on the floor. Leticia yelped and ran towards the wardrobe as she watched her mom cough out excessively. “Mom!” Leo called out in fear.
“Leo…” She coughed out.
“Mom, what is happening?” He asked, teary-eyed.
“Listen… To… Me… Promise… Me… That… You…” She was talking amidst the coughs.
“Mom, don’t talk. You should save your strength, aunt would be back soon.” Leo cut her off and held her palms. She shook her head since she knew she could no longer to keep fighting a lost battle.
“Promise… Me… That… You… Will… Never… Visit… Your… Dad… Again.” She stuttered out as she tilted her head to look at him. He nodded his head positively. “But please, don’t leave us.” He begged her with tears scrolling down his face already and shook his head, sobbing out loudly. She gave them a bleak goodbye smile before breathing her last breath with a lone tear slipping out of her eyes. She closed her eyes.
“My OBSESSION over HIM was my END.” She thought sadly and dropped her hands lifeless.
“Mom, I promise but please, don’t leave us…” Leo was still begging her when he felt that her chest was no longer moving up. He fearfully placed his head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat. When he did not hear anything, he screamed out loudly that the rain that was beginning to drizzle started falling heavily.
“Mom!!!” He yelled out in wail. He shook her and shaking his head, imploring in his mind not to leave him. Not to leave them. Leticia ran towards them and knelt down beside them. “Mom.” She cried out then suddenly they felt a presence in the room. They slowly turned around and saw their aunt that had gone on a journey with her clothes drenched by the rain and her hair was wet.
Leo stood up and ran towards her. He grabbed her two hands and said. “Aunt, finally you are back. Mom… Mom is no longer breathing.” He explained to her.NôvelDrama.Org content.
“Come and wake her up.” He said as he tried to drag her towards his mom. She stood firmly on her ground and only stared at him.
“Leo, your mother and my sister is dead.” She announced with an emotionless face before snatching her hands away from him and walking out of the house. “No!” He screamed out and ran towards his mother back. He started shaking her to wake her up. But… She did not even open an eye. Leticia cried and yelled for their mom to wake.
They had lost the pillar supporting them. The only one that was there to assist them whenever their dad was not around.
They lost their mom.
**Flashback Ended**
Slowly, ever slowly. Leo stood up and walked out of the pack house. He tuned out all the voices that were calling out to him.