Chapter 111:The unveiled past
Jacqueline stared at Grandma Penelope with her mouth hung slightly open, as though she had told her that the earth was flat.
"What do you mean my parents are still alive?" she mouthed in a whisper, barely able to utter the words. "They died in a car accident… I was just a child!
Penelope's looked gently and said,
"Jacqueline, listen to me," she said firmly. "You were told a lie to protect you, to keep you safe. The truth is, those parents of yours were not your real parents”.
Jackie shook her head, "No… no, it can't be that-it's impossible. I remember, Grandma! I remember the accident! The flames… the wreckage…" Her voice cracked with every word that tumbled from her lips, and her hands fisted at her sides. She refused to believe it. She couldn't afford to.
"I know it's tough, kid. But just think about it for a minute." Penelope said.
"Have you never wondered how rare your blood type is, yours and mine? You never questioned why it was so unusual, or why it connected us so closely?"
She closed her fists more tightly, her heart beating painfully in her chest. "But… but that's just… it doesn't mean anything," she stammered. "I'm-
"It means everything," Penelope interrupted.
"It means you come from a family legacy, one that has been kept from you. Jacqueline, I am not just your grandmother. I have been your protector all this time, but I need for you to understand why. Your mother and father-they are alive.
Jacqueline's lips quivered, the part of her mind begging her to run,
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "I don't want this. I… I don't want to go back to that place." She turned toward the door and left.
Jacqueline, wait!" Behind her now, Penelope's voice was piercing.
"Jacqueline!" A too-familiar voice called after her, and in the haze of her grief, a strong arm caught her as she stumbled. She looked up, her tear-streaked face meeting Alexander's concerned gaze. "Jacqueline, hey! Are you alright?
The moment crystallised into time as she simply stared at him, her eyes locked on his, and felt the walls she'd so painfully erected over the years crumbling away. She wanted to speak, to explain the torrent of emotions which had entered her suddenly, but she couldn't. Instead, she buried her face against his chest, the warm tears welling out and soaking into his shirt. "I don't want to know," she whispered brokenly. "I don't want to go back to that… that nightmare.
Alexander wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and resting his chin atop her head. "You don't have to explain, Jacqueline," he whispered, his voice a solid anchor against the turmoil. "You don't have to go through this alone. Whatever it is, I'm here for you.
She clung to him, her hands clawing into his shirt as if he were her only anchor in this real world. His arms were warm, solid, reassuring-felt like a barrier against the relentless battle of memories and revelation. For a moment, she let the weight of his arms wrap around her, the protection they promised.
"Please, just… take me home," she whispered to him, her voice muffled. She didn't want to face Penelope anymore and didn't want to listen to any more explanations or find out truths that she was not ready to accept.
Alexander nodded sans hesitation. "Let's go," he said low, his hands guiding her gently down the hall. They left behind them the sterile brightness of the hospital, stepped out into the quiet night, and as they did, in the silence, a small sliver of peace took up residence within Jacqueline.
Her eyes were sad, yet accepting, as she watched them go. Back in the room, Grandma Penelope took a steadying breath and let her face tighten into a mask of resolve as she turned to Romano and Ariel, both silent witnesses to the exchange.
"So it is true," Romano murmured, curiosity and disbelief tangled in his voice. "Jacqueline's parents are they alive?"
Penelope nodded slowly. "They are. But we all made the choice to hide her origins, to protect her from those that would use her against them."
Ariel's eyes widened. "And you kept this from her all these years? You really thought it was best to let her believe they were gone?
Penelope did not flinch when she looked at Ariel. "Yes. To protect her, we had to keep her from the truth until the time came. But Jacqueline should never have found out this way." Tired, almost as if the full weight of those years bore down upon her at once, she rubbed her temples. "Sometimes, the truth has a way of coming out at the worst moments.
Romano shook his head, his lips tugging up in a faint smile. "Well, it seems the past is catching up with all of us, doesn't it?" He took out his phone, checking messages when it buzzed unexpectedly. His expression altered as he read the screen, and across his face flashed a spark of surprise.
"What is it?" Ariel asked, noting the sudden change in his demeanour.
He turned to her, a sly smile spreading. "Nothing too earth-shattering. Just a message from Ariel." His eyes sparkled with amusement. "Apparently, I have to stop kissing my girlfriend in hospital rooms because someone's mother might not approve."
Ariel rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Your mother might disapprove? Oh, please. Since when has anyone ever dared to tell you who you can or can't kiss?"
He leaned in closer, his hand slipping around her waist as he whispered, "I think you should remind me, just in case I forget."
Ariel laughed, her hands playfully pushing him away. "You're incorrigible."
Penelope let out an exasperated sigh, a smile belying her frown. "To hell with you youngsters," she muttered, shaking her head in their direction. "A lot of you are incorrigible.
He grinned, tipping an imaginary hat. "Why, thank you, Grandma Penelope. Coming from you, that's a compliment."
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