Page 25 of Return To You

I shouldn’t be here. The only way I could get here was by riding the bike, and I don’t feel comfortable doing so, especially with me pregnant.

I swallow hard and fidget with Noah’s hoodie, and walk over to where he and Vanessa are sitting.

She doesn’t look at me while my brother eyes me.

“What did you need to speak to me about in person, Al?” I ask warily.

Van scoffs and turns my way with such hatred my heart breaks.

“What do we need to speak to you about seriously? You’re a cheating whore!” she snaps, and I raise a brow.

“Wow, tell me how you really feel, Vanessa…. Last time I checked, my brother asked to see me, and I took time out of my job to meet up with him, not you, so if you hate me that much, then maybe you can wait outside!” I snap back, fed up with feeling like the bad guy.

I never left Noah, I never touched anyone else. He was my only, yet he believed his sister's lies.

Tamera sent me the photo he saw, and it was fricking innocent. It was the guy I bought the motorcycle from, emotional because a teenager gave him $200 more so his daughter could get surgery. If Noah had loved me as much as he had said over the years, he would have confronted me and not run off like a coward.

Alejandro growls, “Don’t talk to my girl that way, Rose. You’re the lying whore right now; you don’t have a leg to stand on!”

My eyes widen, and I take a small step back, hurt building. Al looks down, ashamed, but it's too late; he’s already opened his mouth.

I knew coming here was a mistake. Shaking my head, I turn and walk back out of the dingy café. I hear the door open behind me only seconds later and turn around, thinking it’s Al. I'm ready to give him a piece of my mind, but my cheek stings and tears burn my eyes.

I quickly put my hand over my right cheek and look at Vanessa in shock while she looks at me in disgust.

She just hit me, and my brother is standing behind her with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You’re a disgrace, and you are no longer welcome near me or my family, and if your brother has any sense, he’ll no longer contact you either, because if he does, then I’ll leave him….”

I look at Al, but he shrugs. “What Van wants, she gets. I came here to hear your side of things, but how you just spoke to her shows your guilt. As far as I’m concerned, you died along with mom.”

My tears fall, and with all the hurt I’m feeling, I croak, “You’re going to regret this. Both of you will. When you realize your mistakes, you’ll think back to this moment, and you’ll understand why I’ll never forgive you, and why I’ll never allow you in my life.” I look at completely at Al and whisper, “Thanks,big brother….”

He flinches, his eyes sad, but I ignore him and walk away, never looking back….

And I hadn't heard from him since, until two months ago, and even then, he only contacted me after finding out I was invited to Cal’s funeral. He told me if I show up, he’ll have me physically thrown out. He said Noah would be there, and I wasn’t welcome.

He said that he and his wife came first, even though Cal was like a brother to me, a protector, and I know he’d be turning in his grave right now.

I still haven't visited him, but I know I will when money is better. Even though I feel guilty for not being there, I refused to create drama, which is what I told his parents.

Julie, his mom, messaged, stating she bought the biggest bouquet and said they were from me, and a screw you to Al and Van for doing this to me.

I grew up with Cal, too. I rode his back when I was four, and stayed in his house when I was having nightmares at the tenderage of six and he was the only one who could get rid of them for me.

He was my family, too, and they stopped me from saying bye.

I give a young mom a small smile as I pass her little girl a piece of paper and some crayons, then I head back to the counter to grab the next lot of plates, but then I hear the radio, and I freeze.

“And now playing, for the first time at number one, a song that was only released last week, the Delinquents ‘Rose’s Thorn’….”

Tears build, and I will them away as Noah’s voice comes over the speakers.

“We had a plan to travel the world together,

To build our life and start a family,

You were all I wanted, but you played me,

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