Chapter 49 Learning The Truth
Dante's POV
She had that distant look in her eyes again as she gave her words more thought. I wouldn't put it past it to be true.
When I felt she had reached some sort of conclusion in her mind, I broke the silence. “You think you've seen her before of recent?” I asked, careful not to come off too strong.
“Yeah,” she replied, looking off at the corner. Then she brought her eyes back to mine with a more assured look in her eyes.
I raised a brow, ready for what she had to say.
Then she straightened her back while sitting and stretched out her hands like she was demonstrating a play.
“Okay, so I run some sort of foundation for lost people or hobos here in Peru,” she started with a repeated nod, like it was all coming back to her.
I nodded, giving her the space to continue.
“But one of the days I was there last week, one of the volunteers came to report to me that a woman had come in need of help, that she was lost,” she narrated slowly.
“And you think that's her?” I asked, jumping in at this point.
“I guess. But that's not all of the story. The young girl told me back then that the woman had panicked and rushed out the moment she saw my picture on the wall as the one running everything. They had described the whole scenario as, 'weird'," she continued, ending it with a distant drag in her tone.
“And could this girl give any description of this woman?” I asked, putting together the pieces.
“No. According to her, she had a hoodie on and left without any further words. My guess is that it was Vanessa,” she added.
“Mine too,” I replied while tapping on the table with a finger.
“But the question I kept asking myself back then, and even till now is, why would she run from me?” She asked with a hint of pain in her tone.
I didn't say anything and she continued as her voice grew sadder with each word. “It was better when I didn't suspect her to be my own sister. But now I do, it just hurts to know that my own blood would run at the sight of me,” she continued.
It was the first time she had put out any form of emotion other than happiness to this extent. “Maria, you don't have to go hard on yourself, these things happen,” I said as softly as I could.
She didn't look my way, like she hadn't heard a word I said. “I mean, I know we haven't heard from each other in nearly three decades,” she admitted painfully.
Three decades. That's a long fucking time.
“I know I am her elder sister and I should have been with her especially after she had Serena at such a young age, but I wasn't. I failed her,” she slurred out slowly.
“Maria—” I tried to speak but she cut me off.
“When she needed me, I left without fighting to remain with her. Nessa's husband had always been the kind type, he let her remain in touch. But I never tried, I never tried to keep in touch,” she ended with her head hanging low.
I got up and closed the short distance between us, rubbing her back before leaning closer to her. “Maria, Carlos wasn't that kind of guy, we both know you stayed away to protect her from Carlos,” I whispered to her.
She just nodded, not lifting her head up still.
“Don't think that's the end. We know where she is, we'll be heading there and we could do with a ride,” I said with a smile.
She lifted her head slowly to meet my eyes. “I don't think I can face her,” she said softly.
“You can and you will. Remember, you are the elder sister here, you need to make things right,” I countered with a slight grip on her shoulder.
“I guess you're right,” she said, lifting her head and arranging herself as I stepped back. “Now, you've starved the rest enough, it's time to eat,” she added with a smile.
“On it, I'll get the rest,” I agreed, walking off.
“Yeah, and bring my niece with you as you are at it,” she added with a shy smile.
I stopped, turning to her and nodded gently before leaving.
Serena's POV
“Shit,” I cursed, immediately throwing a hand to my head as it throbbed painfully.
I looked around for the source of that bang before it came again from the door, but softer than I had heard at first. It was then I realized I had been sleeping, and apparently, the person knocking didn't take that into consideration.
Before I could respond, the door swung open to reveal Dante, dressed in the same pair of clothes but with a smile on his face.
He walked towards the bed and sat with an exaggerated force. Wonder what got him into a good mood.
“Only Serena would be able to sleep on a night after a crash and in a strange environment,” he teased with a smirk.
I laughed. “Hey! Don't blame me, the past few hours have been pretty long,” I whined.
“Sure it has,” he replied, still with a smirk on his lips.
I rolled my eyes as I could tell he was being sarcastic. “And what got you excited in a ‘strange land’?” I asked with a smile.
“Oh nothing much, you'll find out soon,” he replied with a small smile.
“How so?” I asked, honestly puzzled.
“You'll see. Now let's go, someone special to you is waiting,” he teased.
I laughed, feeling he was joking. But when he didn't add a punch line or some other witty joke, I pulled a brow at him.
“Someone special? You got my mom here?” I asked, realizing she was the only special person I was made to know is here.
“Nah, but we are pretty close with the new discoveries. Come on,” he replied, standing to his feet and pulling me up alongside.
I didn't fight back as he pulled me to my feet, then he tugged me towards the front door.
As I stepped out, I remembered the last text the strange fellow had sent. “Now you learn the truth.”
I couldn't help but feel this was part of it.
Dante pulled me towards the living room where Nico was leaning on the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and the strange lady putting dishes on a small table with four chairs around it.
Dante stopped leading me and even stepped back as the lady raised her head up and stopped what she was doing at the sight of me.
She slowly dropped the plate in her hand and walked slowly towards me with a broad smile on her face.
She reached where I was, hovering over me slightly as she was just about an inch taller than I was. She put her hands on either side of my face, squeezing my face softly.
I flinched and pulled back slightly as this felt fucking weird. “Ehm, Dante? What's going on here?” I asked, feeling very uncomfortable under her touch.
“Oh I thought I would never see a day like this again,” she remarked with a huge grin before pulling me into a hug.
I didn't resist, I didn't do anything as she hugged me, then pushed me back slightly to look into my eyes.
“You've got your mother's eyes, and her nose,” she remarked with a smile.
“Hey, how do you know my mother?” I asked, trying to pull back again, but her grip was firmer than it looked.
“Oh my dear, don't you see the resemblance?” She asked in a high pitched tone.
That's when I took more time to stare at her face, noticing the similar bridge in her nose to mine.
“Wait,” I started slowly and she kept nodding hysterically.
“Yes, Serena. I'm your aunty!” She announced excitedly.
Wait. What?!