JUNE’S POV
Kathlyn and I locked eyes with unwavering intensity. I was incensed by her audacity to disparage a child, especially in the child's presence.
"Let us all take a moment to compose ourselves," Bryan interjected as he approached us, aiming to diffuse any potential conflicts. The tension in the air was palpable.
"Is this all because of her?" Lolia asked with malice, but I chose to ignore her. Instead, I walked over to Lily, lifted her onto my shoulders, and cradled her head against my neck, whispering gentle and reassuring words. My principle was to raise my children in a nurturing environment, free from toxicity, but the current circumstances made that aspiration seem far-fetched.
"Don't initiate anything," Miguel uttered curtly, fixing a stern gaze on his sister, while I soothedLily by patting her back.
"How did you become aware of this, mother?" Miguel inquired, casting a questioning glance at his mother, a question that I also longed to have answered. Kathlyn remained silent, retrieved her phone, made a brief call, and then shot me a piercing glare, to which I reciprocated. At that moment, I decided to no longer harbor fear or concern about her opinion of me. She already held a negative view of me, so how much worse could it get?
Suddenly, a figure with ginger colored hair and emerald eyes entered the room. I was taken aback, my eyes widening in astonishment and my mouth agape.
"Griselda?" I murmured in disbelief. The situation was becoming overwhelming, prompting me to lean down and whisper in Lily's ear, instructing her to retreat to her room and not emerge until I fetched her, promising to treat her to double the amount of ice cream on Sunday. Lily complied, and I lowered her to the ground before she scurried out of the living area and into her room.
"Hello, cousin," Miguel greeted with a touch of disdain. I observed Bryan, who sat in serene silence.
"Do you know her?" I inquired of Miguel, still puzzled by the situation. My attention shifted to Kathlyn, who wore a sly smirk, seemingly relishing in my confusion.
"Know her? She is my cousin!" he declared. Lolia, also appearing weary, took her seat while Bryan remained silent, unwilling to be drawn into the situation.
"Hello, June!" Griselda greeted, and I remained silent, endeavoring to comprehend her presence.
"Do you two have a history?" Miguel questioned, to which I simply nodded.
"She's the companion I mentioned to you," I whispered for his ears only, prompting a frustrated groan from him.
"What have you done this time, mother?" Miguel inquired, his face buried in his palm in exasperation.
"What any mother would do. I conducted a thorough investigation into your supposed fiancée. I needed to ensure she was the right match for you," his mother explained, pacing the room slowly.
"So, you sent someone to spy on me?" I retorted with disgust.
"It was the minimum gesture I could offer. Otherwise, how else would I have discovered that you are not only experiencing financial difficulties, but also that you are a single mother attempting to exploit my son for your own financial gain?" Kathylyn exclaimed vehemently, leaving me in a state of complete shock. I glanced at Griselda and could hardly recognize the young woman I had accidentally bumped into several months prior. She appeared markedly altered; more assertive and daring, exuding a vitality that starkly contrasted with the individual who had previously attempted to take her own life.
"Was that the lie you fabricated and spewed to them? That I was using Miguel? I trusted you Griselda, I thought we were friends," I uttered, unable to contain the tears that cascaded down my cheeks. I had experienced yet another betrayal, and this time, I was responsible for allowing my guard to be lowered so easily. The Lyons had not only breached my privacy but also altered the trajectory of my life.
"Why did you engage in such behavior?" I inquired, gazing at Griselda in anticipation of an explanation.
"The primary rule is to not place trust in anyone. June, you were excessively trusting. Anyone could have exploited your vulnerability," Griselda asserted candidly, causing me to flinch at the stark truthfulness of her words. I had lowered my defenses for Bryan, for Miguel, and for Griselda, only to find myself in this unfortunate predicament.
"Oh enough already with the insincere display of emotion!" Lolia, previously silent, interjected abruptly, catching me off guard with her words.
"Miguel, it is time for you to part ways with this lady. It is ill-advised to engage with a single mother who lacked clear purpose and sense of direction"
"What if she has a child?" Miguel defended me, attempting to shield me from his mother's disapproving glare. However, I needed him to comprehend that I did not require his protection. I was fully capable of caring for myself and Lily, a responsibility I had shouldered for the past six years. Placing my hand on his shoulder, we exchanged a meaningful glance.
"So you were aware of this?" Kathlyn inquired. It was now her turn to be taken aback as I vigorously brushed away the tears from my eyes.
"From the onset!”
“And you still decided to stay with her?” Kathlyn asked in disbelief.
“Your dissatisfaction seems insatiable. Initially, you urged me to find someone to marry, and now that I have finally found someone who gives me peace, you are attempting to drive my her away as well. What is the reason for this behavior, mother?" Miguel Inquired, his tone reflecting hurt and disappointment. Kathylyn began to respond, but was abruptly cut off by Bryan,
"That is the consequence of your discontent," Bryan murmured.
"What did you say?" Miguel inquired sharply, turning his head towards Bryan. I could sense another conflict brewing and foresaw a lengthy night ahead. I lowered myself onto one of the sofas, drawing my knees up to my chest and burying my face within them. I was fatigued.
"I meant that had you been content and not gone after June, we wouldn't find ourselves in this predicament," Bryan reiterated. I lifted my head only to witness Bryan and Miguel facing off, their muscles tensed with anger and intensity.
"And what precisely does that imply?"
"Now, now, gentlemen, let us not create a commotion." kathlyn commented
"You have already created a commotion," Lolia stated calmly, and I simply gazed at the Lyons family. I felt ensnared between the Lyons, with no apparent means of escape.
"That evening at the bar when you glimpsed her on my phone, you felt envious, didn't you?" Bryan inquired with malice, as I observed Miguel endeavoring to maintain his composure while I remained seated in silence, bearing witness to their discussion about me as though I were invisible amidst them.
"Children?" Kathlyn attempted to summon their attention, yet they were too preoccupied with each other to acknowledge her.
"You are mistaken," Miguel asserted with surprising composure.
"Oh, really? I observed the envy evident in your furrowed brows. I noticed the way your eyes sought answers in mine, without even asking. And just when I began to feel lightly lucid from the alcohol, you inquired about her address, exploiting the situation. Despite knowing my feelings for her, you still proceeded to take her away," Bryan shouted, poking Miguel in the chest. I observed the two men with a lack of amusement or reaction.
This was news to me.
"Do not merely observe! You are the cause of this, therefore you must rectify it!" Lolia demanded, as I gazed at her distantly, remaining silent. I searched for Griselda in the room, but she was nowhere to be found. It seemed she had left the house unnoticed. I watched as Kathlyn nervously chewed on her lower lip.
“I found her first!” miguel yelled baffling everybody.
“How?” Bryan queried with anger evident in his eyes. I could not stand the fact that they were having a heated argument because of me yet I felt too weak to stop them.
“At Royale coffee shop!” Miguel retorted and Bryan scoffed.
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“I do not care what you believe.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. You have already taken everything; mother favors you over me, Lolia would rather confide in you and the Lyons company is enlisted to you. Everything you have and the one thing I got, you took that away from me too! What next are you going to take? My life?” Bryan yelled at the top of his lungs. He was hurt and everyone present in the room felt that hurt.
It looked like we were going to have a brothers’ spat
“You just couldn’t handle me being father’s favorite could you and now because he’s no more, you decide to take everything that gives me joy, isn’t that right!” Bryan taunted when Miguel kept quiet.
Miguel’s eyes flamed with rage and in one quick action, he punched Bryan. It seemed as though the mention of their father had triggered something primal in him.
I widened my eyes in shock and watched as Kathlyn screamed at her sons to stop it. Lolia watched as her brothers exchange punches and she walked towards them but in their anger, they pushed her away.
“Aren’t you happy now? My sons are fighting because of a woman, more so because of you. Have you no shame?” Kathlyn said with disdain as she spoke to me.
My head was buzzing and all I craved for in that moment was for some peaceful slumber. I watched as Kathlyn’s mouth moved, indicating she was talking but I had zoned her out. I felt dizzy and it felt like I was going to faint.
Bryan and Miguel fighting brought back memories of I and my sister.
I shook my head to dispel the thought and focus on what was happening in the moment. Thinking about her wasn’t going to bring her back. Bryan had sustained a cut on the on his lip and a purple circle had formed a patch around his eyes. Miguel’s nose was bleeding lightly and that was when I found the strength to stand up.
“…you this wretched…” Kathlyn was saying but I cut her off. I couldn’t bear to take any more barbaric insults from her.
“For a woman as old as you are, you should be nicer and more supportive to the womanhood, maybe then the world will be a better place while you’re still alive because I know for sure, it’d be more conducive when you’re six feet buried below the earth.” I said with so much spite and hoped my words hurt her as much as hers did to me.
“And as for you…” I said turning to address Lolia.
“I really do hope you don’t end up as miserable as your mother. One would think you’d be more compassionate towards your fellow women considering how your husband is never around, one might mistake you for a single mother who still lives with her mother” I said disdainfully.
“Bryan! Miguel!” I called out loud enough for them to hear me. They momentarily stopped fighting and focused their gazes on me.
“I really do not care if you decide to kill yourselves, just don’t do that in my house. I wouldn’t want my daughter to witness that.”
Miguel opened his mouth to speak but I held my hand in the air. I did not want to hear whatever he had to say.
“Take your mother and sister with you, they can help bury your bodies when you two are done killing each other.” I stated with finality and watched as they all exited my house with their head bent down in shame.
I locked the door after they had left and exhaled slowly in relief and that was when the tears rushed out. I wished i had never met Miguel, I wished i had never met Bryan. i never wanted any of this drama. i only wanted to be able to take good care of lily and myself and lived comfortably, not to be dragged into the Lyons drama. I cried so hard and was oblivious to the amount of time that had passed.
I looked around and realized they had created a mess during their little duel but I felt weary to my bones. Exhaustion clogged my brains and I felt consumed by fatigue. I would attend to the mess tomorrow but for now, i needed sleep.
I trudged on to Lily’s room and saw that she had peacefully fallen asleep. i climbed into bed with her and she naturallu snuggled closer. i held her close to my chest and welcomed the peaceful oblivion that came.