Chapter 107

Chapter 107
JACK’S POV
I felt Vera shiver beside me, and when I turned to check her face, it was clear, she looked scared and confused. Slowly, I looked back at Maureen, who was now standing and blowing cigarette smoke into the air.
“What are you talking about? I’ve always known Monica. I never even heard of you. I used to visit her dorm, and her roommate was a guy. A gay guy, to be exact,” I said, confused, my forehead wrinkled as I tried to remember everything clearly.
“We met at our school parking lot,” Maureen started calmly. “You tried to park your white pickup truck and hit my black BMW. You kept apologizing and promised to fix it. But I was having a terrible day, so instead, I slashed your tires.”
She turned around now, facing us while her back touched the window glass. A soft smile pulled at her lips.
“And I told you, ‘Now we’re even, so no hard feelings.’ Then we both laughed like crazy. We had our cars towed to a nearby repair shop, and while waiting, we shared pizza and ice cream. That day was wild, but it’s one of my favorite memories.” She paused, then sat on the couch’s backrest.
“We talked for hours. I even took some pictures of you and forced you into selfies, even though you didn’t like it. You refused to tell me your name, and said I had to earn it. So I made you a promise, I told you I’d find you again, and when I did, you’d be mine.”
I nodded slowly, remembering vaguely that day. I'd thought it was the same person when I met Monica. 
“I went home and told Monica everything. Every single detail. Two weeks later, she came home with her own story about meeting a guy and falling in love at first sight. I didn’t think much of it then because I had just found out about her illness. Her doctor gave me her test results by mistake. I was devastated.”
Maureen gave a sad nod. “Even when Monica showed me pictures of you two together, I stayed quiet. I could tell you thought she was me. But seeing her so happy… I couldn’t take that away. I decided to let you go.” She exhaled and dropped her cigarette into the ashtray.
Vera’s voice broke the silence. “So how did you two end up fighting? Why did you leave?”
I squeezed Vera’s hand, not letting go. She was the only real thing in my life at that moment. My eyes stayed on Maureen as she replied.
“She saw the pictures from the repair shop. She knew right away that it wasn’t her in them. Still, she asked me about the guy I met and fell for. When I confirmed it was you, she got angry. Said I shouldn’t have given you up for her. We argued. We yelled at each other for the first time. And then I left.”
She looked away, trying to hide the tears in her eyes, but one slipped down her cheek.
“You’re the best sister anyone could ask for,” Vera whispered, her voice shaking. “You gave up your happiness for hers. If someone had cared for me like that, I wouldn’t have made so many bad choices.”
I felt Vera stiffen beside me. Her hand twitched slightly in mine.
“I never felt like I was with someone else,” I said softly. “You both had the same laugh, the same sense of humor. I loved Monica, and I don’t regret it. What hurts is that I didn’t realize how much pain she was in. We had promised to stay together no matter what, and yet she still left.”
Maureen lowered her head again. Silence filled the room. We were all lost in our thoughts, thinking about our past, our mistakes, and what we could have done differently.
Then Maureen cleared her throat and stood up a little straighter. “I didn’t come back to stay. I just needed to do this—to make peace with both of you and with our parents. I want them to come with me. I have two kids and a publishing company in New Zealand. That place became home. I read a lot while I was away, and that small town helped me heal. I want my parents with me now. I need your help to talk to them. Maybe if they go with me, Monica’s death won’t be such a heavy burden.”
Vera looked at me, then nodded. “Of course, we’ll help. Why wouldn’t we?” she said, her voice cracking.
“Don’t worry,” I told Maureen. “They’ll be happy to see you. Your father was so excited when he heard you were back. When you’re ready, we’ll go together.”
I stood up, and Vera stood too. We were still holding hands.
Maureen picked up her purse. As she moved, my mind flashed back to the day she slashed my tires. She’d done it all with her left hand—opened the trunk, grabbed the screwdriver, and stabbed the tire. Earlier today, she had smoked with her left hand too.
How did I not notice that she was left-handed?
The scar under her eye was also a clue. It had always been there. Somehow, I had missed all these signs. This was fate, and I was glad we finally saw the truth.
When I met Monica and told her I had finally found her again, she laughed and told me her name after I begged. Her stubbornness made it believable that she was the same girl from the parking lot.
Half an hour later, we were outside the clubhouse, planning how to talk to Maureen and Monica’s parents. Maureen was saying goodbye when my phone buzzed. 
I checked the screen. It was Max.
I almost ignored the call but answered it anyway.
“Is something wrong, Max?” I asked.
“Sir, I’m really sorry. The police just left the house with Malone. I tried to stop them but…” He was talking fast and then coughed.
My stomach dropped. I knew Malone was unpredictable, but I didn’t think it would get to this point, cops showing up at my house!
“I’m coming now. Watch the house till I get there.”
I hung up, and both Vera and Maureen stared at me.
“What happened?” they asked at the same time.
I looked at both of them, unsure how to explain what kind of trouble was waiting for me back home.