Forgetting Yesterday - Episode 23

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Sandra.

We don't say anything, my family is pretty quiet about all this.

I mean I want to scream and ask what's going on but I can't.

Jew is wheeled to the theatre doors and Justin lean down to kiss her sleeping head.

He steps back, holding the hands of his other kids.

Other kids .

God.

I watch him as he watches the door close.

The little girl tugs on his shirt.

"Daddy, is Jew going to come back?"

He smiles as he crouches in front of her.

"Yes baby, she will be coming back soon"

He stands up and turns to us.

"I can explain, but please not now, later, when all this is done"

He says and Justice nods.

"Daddy, I have to pee"

Raine says.

"Ok baby, let's go"

"It's fine, I will take her"

I say.

"You don't have to"

"It's alright, I have to use the bathroom too"

He nods.

I hold out my hand to the girl and she looks at it suspiciously.

"It's ok, I don't have cooties"

I say to her and she nods.

I lead her to the bathroom and she does her business.

I help her wipe and wash her hand before she zips up her skirt.

I go about my own business, as I step out from the bathroom stall she asks.

"Who are you?"

"Am Sandra"

"Are you my Aunt?"

"Well, kind of"

I say.

So, what do I say to that?

"I like your hair"
She says.

"Thanks, I like yours too"

"Thank you, daddy take me to the hair salon every weekend"

She says and I nod.

"Daddy must really like your hair too"

"Oh, he does, he says I look just like Mommy"

She says and I nod.

We step out of the bathroom to see Justin standing there.

I raise an eyebrow.

He grimaces.

"Am sorry, am a worrier"

He says.

What?

He thinks am going to kidnap his child?

I shake my head to dispel that thought.

"Daddy can I do my hair like Sandra's?"

Raine asks.

He turns his eyes to me before looking to his child.

"When you are 40 baby girl"

He says and I roll my eyes.

Typical dad.

"But that's so far"

Raine says.

"Patience is a virtue baby girl"

"What's a virtue?"

"You will find out when you are 40 sweetie"

Raine rolls her eyes and I almost burst out laughing, so comical.

"Don't roll your eyes at me young lady,"

Justin rebukes.

"You are too mean father"

"Yes I am your father, I can be mean sometimes"

She almost rolls her eyes again but stops when Justin growls in a low voice.

"Don't even think of it"

She giggles as she pouts, the little minx knows she has her daddy wrapped around her fingers.

She holds my hand and Justin's as she tries to skip between us.

I almost sigh.

It's so obvious that they both have a good relationship.

Justin is a good father.

We turn the corner and we see that our little party has grown.

Tamara is there with Daniel and Alec, she must have gone to get him at my parents house.

Tamara is the Maxwells's cousin, Daniel is her son.

She is helping with baby Abigail and Cara.

I exchange greetings with her before turning to Justin.

He has moved away to his son .

The little boy seems to be shy in the face of so much attention.

Sigh.

I know how that feels.

Alec moves to him, Daniel follows.

"So you are my brother"

Alec says in typical Alec fashion.

The boy doesn't respond just stares at  him.

It's disconcerting, it's like looking at a little Justin and justice.

"Am sorry Alec, Styxx doesn't like to talk much"

Justin says.

I noticed that.

And this crowd does not seem to be helping.

Alec nods.

"You must be scared for your sister"

Alec says.

Styxx just lifts a brow.

I shiver, someone just walked on top my grave, it's a mini Justin.

"He's like a mini Justin"

Kele whispers behind me.

"Am not scared, she will be fine and when she is we can go back home and leave all you people here"

Okay....

I don't think he likes us much.

"Styxx, this is your family"

Justin says softly.

"No, I don't want this family, let's just take Jew and go home"

He says.

Justin stands up straight from leaning on the wall.

"What's that supposed to mean Styxx?"

He asks and I can hear the dangerous edge in his tone.

Apparently, daddy does not go soft on his little boy.

"It means we don't need this people, they can go home, we are with Jew, they can stop pretending to care"

He says.

Apparently, little boy is not scared to go against daddy.

And wait.

Since when did little kids get so articulate?

How old is he?5?6?

He can't be older than Alec.

"Styxx..."

"Dad, we don't need them, I don't need them"

"I need them daddy"

Raine shouts in typical Raine fashion.

"Shut up Raine, you are stupid"

"Don't call your sister stupid Styxx"

Justin says.

"Whatever"

Styxx murmurs.

Are you serious?

"Styxx, follow me, you are on time out"

Justin says and finally the little boy looks scared.

He leads him a little ways from us.

How stressful it must be dealing with kids this age.

Poor Justin.

******

Justin 

I knew Styxx was different, matured for his age, a genius but never did I think that I keeping them away from my family will affect them like this.

"Is there anything you want to say?"

I ask him.

He shakes his head, going back to silence.

How convenient for him, he only talks when he wants to.

Well that ends now.

"Styxx, your sister needs my families support, she needs your support, don't you think it's better that she has people that loves her with her?"

He doesn't respond.

"Styxx, use your words"

"I want to go back home dad, I don't like this people"

"Why?"

He doesn't respond.

"Why Styxx?"

He still doesn't respond.

"Styxx, I need you to use your words"

I say, my voice going up this time.

Am not going to let my son act like a weak girl.

If he has problems with what he doesn't like and he voices it, then he should be strong enough to stand by what he believes.

"They steal you away from us"

He says softly and I almost did not hear.

"Styx...."

"You abandon us and go back to them every other day, last weekend you came on a Saturday instead of a Friday.

Dad, they steal you away"

He says with his little man voice and my heart breaks.

I think I single handedly destroyed my family.

I didn't know my absence made them feel insecure.

Sh-t.

"Styxx...."

"Are you going to marry her and leave us?"

He asks and I frown confused.

"Who?"

"The one with the red hair, you look at her different".

Leave it to my kid to understand my feelings for Sandra in an hour than I could understand it in 2 years.

"Styxx..."

"You can go dad, I will take care of Jew and Raine, we will be with aunt Leila"

He says .

I sigh as I scrub a hand down my face.

Mariah, our kid is too brilliant for his own good.

I see justice signalling to me at the edge of my vision.

I turn to Styxx.

"We are going to talk about this later, ok Styxx?"

He doesn't respond.

I turn his shoulder as we move back to our group.

I turn to Justice.

"The girls are going to go home to freshen up and take care of the kids"

I nod.

That's good, the doctor was already talking about decongesting the hallway.

"I will call you if there are any changes "

I say to julliet.

She nods.

I turn to Sandra.

"You gonna be okay?"

I ask her.

"Am not leaving you"

She says.

"Squirrel...baby..."

"I can't leave you Justin"

"Am fine, take Raine and Styxx and Leila home, I will call you I promise"

"Ya?"

"Ya."

She nods.

Raine instantly grabs her hand and Sandra leads her away with the others.

Styxx follows at a slower pace.

I sigh as they go out of view.

I take a sit beside Justice who is typing away on his phone.

"Is he okay?"

Tony asks.

He is still here?

Am surprised.

But I nod.

"He's gonna have to get used to having lots of people around him"

"He has mild autism, I think that's going to take a while"

"You will be surprised, he's a good kid, saw the way he was watching his sister to make sure she doesn't get hurt even when he was angry"

I nod.

Styxx is my broody hero.

I smile slowly.

"Thanks for that"

"Anytime brother"

I nod.

I feel like one good thing has come out from today, at least I am a step closer to understanding Sandra's friend.

 

AN.

Heya.

Thanks all for the comments.

Y'all are awwwwwwwsome.

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It's 04:42 Am over here .

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Love you guys so much.

. .

Read " Love Eternal " by the same author ( Bebe Ernest )

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All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/forgetting-yesterday