CHAPTER NINETY-TWO

CHAPYER NINETY-TWO

ALEX

Her words cut me like a thousand knives.

“He’s not your father?”

Sarah said to the girl.

I didn’t catch her name.

I was too consumed with my rage that I never asked.

But…

The moment I heard her say those words I knew what was coming next.

I don’t know how.

I just did.

Sarah looked past me and pointed towards Jericho.

It all made sense.

I remembered when we had gotten back together.

After her and Jericho had had they’re thing.

She had told me right off the bat that she thought she might be.

I told her it was ok, and I would be there for her whatever she chose.

But she assured me she wasn’t going to keep it.

She didn’t want to be a mother at 18.

I totally got that.

I couldn’t see Jericho changing diapers at 19 either.

Plus…

He was in college studying.

I guess that meant I would play daddy to his child.

But to be honest.

I didn’t really want to be changing diapers at 17 either.

So, I just went along with whatever she wanted.

Because I loved her.

And then afterwards.

Nothing was ever spoken about it.

So, I just assumed she had taken care of it like she said she was going to.

And then the night of the party rolled around, and I saw she was drinking.

That night started playing in my mind as if it were yesterday.

The people.

The music.

The horribleness that happened in between.

Seeing Sarah like that.

I couldn’t.

I didn’t want to remember.

But like I said.

It all made sense.

Even her leaving after what had happened to her.

I didn’t blame her.

I just thought it was because she couldn’t cope with what had happened to her.

But I made her a promise before she left.

And I delivered on it.

With Jericho’s help of course.

I told her I would make them pay.

And we did.

Turns out we should have made them pay a little more.

As the memory fades back to where it belongs in my mind.

I notice Jericho just standing there.

Like a statue.

Eyes not blinking.

Mouth open but not saying a word.

He looked…

Broken.

I turned to Sarah.

“How could you…”

“Do you know what you’ve done.”

“Not just to me.”

“But to everyone here.”

My gaze fell directly on the girl standing beside Sarah and Dennis.

“I’m sorry.”

That was the only comfort I could give to her now.

She had tears in her eyes.

She didn’t need my apologises.

She needed answers.

And I needed my brother to snap out of it.

What a day this turned out to be.

One minute I think I’m a dad.

The next…

Sarah looks towards her daughter.

“Sabby I am so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

The girl has no interest in her mother’s apology.

“Twenty years Sarah.”

“Twenty.”

“What the fuck are you playing at?”

I was seeing red.

“Don’t you talk to my Sarah that way.”

Dennis piped up.

“Oh, now you want to say something old man.”

“You never thought that we had a right to know.”

“You’ve been working for my family for nearly fifty years.”

“You knew your daughter was having Jericho’s child and you said nothing.”

I was in his face now.

The rage was taking me over.

I didn’t understand why.

I should be relieved.

I had dodged a bullet right.

The kid wasn’t mine.

“I’d watch my tone if I was you son.”

Dennis squared up to me as if we were equal in age and size.

I had to give him points for that.

He was protecting his family.

I knew he would go down fighting if he had to.

“SHUT THE HELL UP!!!”

It was Jericho.

To be honest.

I had forgotten he was here in my rage.

Lucky for Dennis.

He had finally come out of his coma.

“I have to make a call.”

He spoke.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

Who was he calling at a time like this.

Then it clicked.

Cassie.

Of course.

I looked towards him.

Nodded my head in understanding.

Even though I thought it was a terrible idea.

And made my way to stand by his side.

I couldn’t not voice my opinion.

“I don’t think it’s wise to be making calls at the moment brother.”

He looked to me.

He knew I was right.

But he loved her.

I get that.

I made a quick glance towards Sarah.

I 100 percent got that.

I would have probably done the same thing if I was in his shoes.

And the woman claiming I fathered a child with her wasn’t Sarah.

Infact.

Sarah was waiting for me back home.

And she was random.

I’d want Sarah to know right away.

Before the story was twisted into something completely out of context.

But…

Jericho couldn’t tell her anything because he didn’t know anything.

None of us did.

Only Sarah and Dennis apparently.

Whilst deep in my own thoughts.

I hadn’t noticed Jericho had already made the call.

But for some reason his cell was on the floor, and I could hear Cassandra’s voice coming through it.

She was panicking.

I can’t blame her for that.

I picked up the cell from the floor.

“Cassie.”

“Alex.”

“Is that you?”

“What’s going on?”

I couldn’t find the words to tell her.

“We’re coming back.”

“We’ll be there soon.”

And I ended the call.

I knew that if I didn’t.

I would have to tell her everything.

And that should be Jericho’s job.

I handed him back his cell.

“I told Cassandra we were on our way back to her.”

He looked at me.

I could see the pain in his eyes.

Any other time I would be rejoicing.

My big brother.

Taken down by fatherhood.

But I couldn’t find joy in his pain.

Not this time.

His eyes zoned in on Sarah.

“We need to speak.”

“But not now.”

“Give me your number and we will make arrangements.”

She nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Took Jericho’s cell and input her number.

He also looked towards the girl.

“What’s your name.”

The girl looked nervous as hell.

She kept looking at her grandfather and her mother.

Finally, Sarah nodded.

The girl looked right towards Jericho.

And it was in that moment that I finally saw it.

She looked just like him.

“Sabrina.”

“Sabrina Louise Masters.”

I smirked at that middle name.

It was our mothers.

Sarah knew that.

I guess she done that to make herself fell less guilty.

Guilty for not telling Jericho he had a child.

Twenty years is a long time to keep a secret.

But then Sarah was always good at keeping secrets.

“I’ll be in touch.”

Jericho said.

This time directed at Sabrina.

My niece.

I was already heading for the car.

Shaking my head as I left.

Christ.

I needed a drink.

I left Jericho to it.

And waited in the car.

He didn’t need me to hold his hand.

I waited until I saw him exit the Masters home.

He needed to know I sort of knew this was going to happen.

But did I really.

Like I said.

I had an inkling.

But she said she was taking care of it.

So, I didn’t really know.

Did I?

Jericho got into the car.

I looked at him and suddenly I felt nervous.

This could go horribly wrong.

But it was the right thing to do.

Which…

In my defence is growth.

I would never think in a million years I would be giving a fuck about how my big brother was feeling.

But then I guess things like this can change a man.

“Jericho, I have to tell you something.”

He looked at me waiting for my confession.

“I knew Sarah was pregnant.”

And before I knew it.

All I saw was his fist colliding with my face.

Well that could have gone better.