Chapter 33

So, there we were; standing from across each other. He was in the elevator and I was outside. The emotions have filled the air and neither of us knew what to do. As soon as I saw him I thought to myself "Maybe I handled things the wrong way. If I haven't even thought about breaking up with him ... Or maybe I even regret the way I reacted to things. If I had held on to him and talked him out of it, we wouldn't be here looking at each other without saying a single word ... Maybe we both do.


Neither of us moved a muscle until the elevator door closed in between us. I don't know how to feel right now. So I turned to the door leading to the stair way and slowly made my way to my office. 


Things were slow that morning. I did my job as I am supposed to and listened to some stories and rumors about me and just like that lunch hour came. As everyone was leaving to have their lunch one by one, I stayed behind. Oliver -like he always does- invited me to lunch. But since I wasn't in the mood to eat, I declined and stayed in my office. As I was sitting there; I started to put my plan together one by one. I pulled out a paper and a blue pen and started writing everything down. I needed a fresh start, a new beginning. So I needed to plan it all out in order for it to go smoothly.


1-    Make dad confess his treachery to mom


2-    Move out and start fresh


3-    Never date a co-worker again


4-    Forget Shawn and focus on your job


5-    Get promoted and show everyone it was because of your skills...

 

I know that it will take time to forget Shawn or get a promotion; but I know that I needed to cross all of it off to be complete. So my first step was to make things right at home. 


After I got off work I rushed to the bus stop and went home. I had fire burning inside of me. And in order for it to burn out, I needed my dad to be honest with all of us. So knowing that I was going to get an answer one way or the other, I marched in to the house with loud stomps and broad shoulders as a gangster. 


As soon as I walked in, I saw three people in the living room. The first person I saw was my mom, who was sitting in front of the rest two. Then the next person I saw was my dad, who was sitting from across my mom and was next to the other person. But the third person almost gave me a heart attack. It was her. It was the women with the long hair and giant mole on the left side of her forehead from the café. 


When they heard me walk in, all of them stood and looked over to my direction. Oh my God; I think he has told mom everything about everything. I was confused enough by my dad bringing his mistress home but what confused me more was the lack of reaction on my mother's face.


"Princi, come sit. We need to talk." My father said pointing to the seat next to my mom. I walked and sat with my gangster shoulders still up. I am now sitting in front of the woman with a giant mole on her left forehead, just staring at her with hatred and resentment thinking that she was going to be the reason for my parents' divorce-which in my head has already happened-. 


"Princi" my father called out to me so I gathered my eyes and attention towards him. "This is _he said holding the shoulder of the woman next to him_ Helen. Helen Jona and she is my sister."


Every work I heard in that sentence took time for me to recognize what they really meant. He said Jona which is our last name; and then he said sister. Oh My God, I thought to myself. What in Gods' name did he just say? What the hell am I hearing right now? My dad paused to let me sink in what has just been said, and then he continued.


"I have been trying to make you understand of the situation but you were not willing to listen to me. And I know you have every right to do so. Anyone in your position would have assumed that I was having an affair."


I know he is trying to make me feel better but he was making it worse. I feel like such a jerk for not listening to my father when he tried to explain everything to me. 


"Your sister..." I asked because I was so stunned. How is this even possible? I didn't even know that my dad had a sister.


"I know that this is all new to you" said my dad "But it is the truth. I have never told you about my sister for the same reason your mother and I never told you about your grandparents...." Everything he said after that was a blur. I didn't listen to a word he said, but let's be honest; if anyone in this world did what I did, you wouldn't listen to him too. I was stunned. It was as if they realized that I wasn't listening as well when my mom put her hand on my shoulder and asked me if I was fine.


"I... I have to... I have to go..." I stood up like I was possessed by a ghost and walked slowly away from them and went up the stairs. I opened the door of my room and sat on my bed. I don't know for how long I was sitting there but my room was getting dark by the minute. After dark my mom came up and knocked the already open door to my room. "Hey" she called out in an apologetic tone. When I gave her no answer, she turned the lights on. 


My eyeballs felt like they were going to fry when the lights went on because I was in the dark for too long. After adjusting to the light I looked over at my mom. She told me to come down for dinner and left the room. I changed, washed up and went down stairs for dinner. She was still there sitting in front of the seat I usually take at the dining table. All of them stared at me as I took a seat. I had so many questions than needed immediate answer but I held back because I feel like we are passed this stage. But as we were eating I couldn't help but wonder what the entire story was. I looked over to my dad and then to my mom and then to my now aunt. They were all enjoying their meal which made me wonder how they could pull off being so calm. I couldn't take it anymore so I just asked away.


"Ok, I really need to ask. Why did you feel the need to hide the fact that you had a sister? I mean I understand why you had to hide the fact that my grandparents disowning you guys, but I still can't see why this had to be a secret?" 


"Well" my dad said putting his spoon down "Have you ever wondered why I pushed your brother and you towards business?"


"Ya... In fact I always wonder that." I answered.


"My father, your grandfather is the chairman of a flower export company. He is actually a third generation Jona to run the company. I was supposed to take over after I come of age but after your mother and I got married; my father cut me out of his will. So the company instead of me will go to my baby sister Helen."


"But what does that have to do with Kevin and I going in to business?" I asked.


He answered me "I thought that maybe if you or Kevin go in to business, my father would at least give you the chance I lost. I wanted you two to go in to my fathers' business so you can have what I couldn't. But your grandfather never seemed to be interested."


"So after all this years, why did you two decide to meet again?" I asked another question and this time Helen was the one who answered.


"It was because I asked him to meet me. My father has been pressuring to take over the company now that he is too old to run it. But I don't have any intentions to do that."


"Why not... I mean it seems like it would be a great opportunity?"


"You're right" she answered "It would be a great opportunity for someone that is interested. You see I have always been in to fashion and I have been working with some of my friends for a giant label in town behind my fathers' back as a designer. But it hasn't been easy now that dad is looking into everything I do because he wants me to take over. I don't even know the first thing about company management. But I'm scared to tell him that. He knows how to say 'No' to dad in a way I couldn't."


I put my spoon down "I know how it feels to be pushed into something you don't want to do in life" I glare over at my dad and continued "But one thing I still don't understand to the reason why dad has been changing in to his fancy cloth when you go out and change into your regular when you come back home?"


My dad cleared his throat "That is because I am the son of a great flower exporter. I couldn't let my sister see me like that." 


After dinner and hours of taking to Helen, I found out what a cool person she really was. She even showed me some of her work as a designer and I was really impressed. Since it was getting really late we let her stay over and she slept in the guest bedroom.


As I crawled in to bed I realized that a huge weight was lifted off my shoulder. And in a very long time I finally had a great night sleep. The next morning the four of us sat around the dining table and had breakfast. As we were eating dad said laughing "Now you don't have to threaten me about moving out..." Then he looked at me just for clarification. 


"Right.... About that... I am actually moving out. Can you pass some sugar please?" I quickly changed the subject.


"Wait..." said my dad "You said you would move out if I didn't tell your mother the truth."


"I know I said that, but I had already decided to move out before I threatened you about me moving out."


"So you lied to me?" Asked my dad frustrated by me."


"I didn't lie, I just bend the truth a little bit."


"Why are you moving out?" my mom asked this time.


"Well with all the things that are going south in my life; I just thought a fresh start would be good."


"What things.." asked my dad "I already told you I am not cheating."


"I know and I am really sorry about that again. But I am talking about the whole work and Shawn thing. After we broke up I figures that moving out with MC would be like amputating an infected part of my life."


"So we are the infection that you need to cut out?" asked my mom.


"No. You guy have covered me from everything my whole life and I just thing that it might be time for me to start doing things by myself."


"At least the good thing is that MC would be there with you." my mom commented.


"Why is that a good thing?" I asked.


"We would have worried that something would happen to you if you were alone but since you are with MC she can protect you." said my dad.


"Why can't it be the other way around? I might be the one that protects MC." As soon as I said that, my mom and dad cracked up a serious laugh with a snort in the middle.


"What is so funny?" I asked and my dad answered with his laugh interrupting his words "The idea of you being a protector is just... Sure you can protect her."


"Ok... I am going to ignore the fact that you called me weak and go to work."