His Lethal Love by Monika Singh (short story to read txt) 📗

Chapter 21

Past

Camille

I stood in the church watching people show fake sympathy for my family during the funeral of my mother. Some of them pulled me into a suffocating hug, patted me on the back, and whispered sweet words about my mother. 

 

 

 

“What a lovely heart she had,” said an old lady while wiping her tears. 

 

 

 

Nobody there could understand how I felt at that moment, not even my dad. The guilt was cutting me deep. I was torn between keeping alive or dying. My stomach was churning with remorse and pain. As memories of my mother flashed through my head, my hands clenched painfully. How could I get over this grief? 

 

 

 

When she needed me most, I should have been there for her.

 

 

 

When she was taking her last breath, I should have been there for her. 

 

 

 

It was impossible for me to breathe, knowing my mother had left me forever. I felt numb all over. 

 

 

 

“Our condolences are with you, Mr. Davidson,” a brunette woman said to my father, placing her hand on his shoulder as she squeezed him. 

 

 

 

Dad didn’t pay attention to her as his eyes focused on the floor and he stood frozen. His expression was one of shock and disbelief. My mother’s death made him feel lifeless, and I knew how much he loved her. 

 

 

 

“Say something, Neil,” that woman commanded him while gently shaking his shoulder. “You’re frightening me.” 

 

 

 

Suddenly, dad shot out his hand and grabbed her neck before dragging her out of the hall viciously. “You caused her death!” Dad shouted and shocked us as everyone snapped their heads at him. “You took away my wife. If you hadn’t seduced me, she would have been with me, and with my children.” The next moment, he collapsed on his knees and howled loudly like an injured animal. He grabbed his head while crying harder. His entire body was shaking as he was allowing himself to drown in sorrow. I should be angry with him as he betrayed mom, but all I could see was my fault. As much as he was guilty, I was guilty. 

 

 

 

My father’s uncontrollable tears caused me to weep. I had always seen him confident and proud, but to see him in pain that day broke another piece of my heart. Though he betrayed her, I was sympathetic towards him. I wondered if she would ever forgive us. My father was unable to fulfill his duty as a husband, and I was unable to fulfill my duties as a daughter. She died alone in a hospital bed. 

 

 

 

“What’s happening here and where is mother, Cami?” Clarence, my baby brother, asked while clutching my arm tightly as if he was scared. 

 

 

 

Natalie chided while snatching Clarence from me, “Come here.” I frowned at her strange behavior. Since the day mom died, her behavior towards me had completely changed. She became rude and ill-mannered day by day. “Go get dad. He’s embarrassing us in front of our guest,” she grumbled while nodding towards dad. 

 

 

 

Approaching him, I kneeled next to him and gently stroked his back. “Dad, are you okay?” 

 

 

 

In a matter of seconds, he lunged at me before grabbing my shoulders and hugging me like a baby. “Camille!” he whispered to me. “I told her not to leave, but she...” his voice cracked. “I abandoned her. It’s too late. She won’t forgive me. She hates me. She never wanted to see my face. How do I deal with my life without her? I loved her like hell…” 

 

 

 

“You should have thought this before getting another woman on your bed, Dad,” I said stiffly and got him to his feet. “It’s your fault. You’ll have to live with this.”

 

 

 

And I will have to live with this.  

 

 

 

*******

 

 

 

While sitting in the greenhouse where my mother used to sit every day, I hugged my body. I could smell her papaya and cider scent as if she were roaming there. It was dark there; only moonlight was the source of light filtering through the glasses. A few discarded leaves brushed against my bare skin as I touched the plant. 

 

 

 

Crying was not an option because she hated me when I shed tears. She always hoped I would be strong, courageous, and powerful, just as she had been for her children. She was cruel, but she was a wonderful mother and wife. She stood up for her children and stayed with her husband. Despite being young and beautiful, she never cheated on my father. If I could, I would want to punish dad for everything he caused her, but I couldn’t do this knowing how much her death affected him. 

 

 

 

“What made you leave us?” I demanded angrily while looking at the dark sky. “I wanted to share many things with you. I wanted to share my pain and happiness with you. You betrayed me, didn’t you? You don’t know what I have been through. You don’t realize I was rap...” I let out a shaky breath, trying to hold back my tears. “I need you, Mom. No one is there to listen to the cry of my broken soul. Why don’t you take me with you? Why did God do this to me? He made me weak, and helpless. I don’t want wealth, I want you! I want you no matter how horrible you are, but as long as you’re in my life, I’ll always love you." 

 

 

 

“I miss you, Christian,” I murmured, resting my head against my knees. My eyelids were heavy as I drifted off slowly. My eyes closed, I slipped into sleep. 

 

 

 

After a while…

 

 

 

“Camille!” 

 

 

 

“Camille!” 

 

 

 

“Camille!” I sat bolt upright when I heard my name again. Rubbing my eyes, I cleared my view to see Scott kneeling next to me, his hand on my shoulder and his expression worried. Before I could speak, he growled, “What the fuck are you doing here on this frosty night?” 

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