Page 10 of All for her Forgiveness

"What does that mean?"

"She drinks when she goes out with Ryan."

I entered the bathroom before I could punch the wall and show the anger thinking of Kennedy with another man caused me. "We're done talking, Pam."

"You've changed with me, Hades. Is it because of her?"

"What?"

"Juliet—precious Kennedy, as you call her, and I still don't understand why you do."

"Her name is Kennedy."

"If she's the reason you don't love me anymore?—”

"Pam, don't test my patience. It's hanging by a thread."

As with previous confrontations, her expression immediately shifted from defiant to sweet. "Sorry. I'll be a good girl."

"Stuck in memories, my son?" I hear Vina's voice behind me, bringing me back to the present.

"Vina, you shouldn't be up," I say without moving, and I tense up when she approaches and hugs me.

Despite continuing to care for her after my grandfather died and taking over Pam's support and education, we were never really a family, which is strange since I considered Pam my little sister.

Since the death of her granddaughter, Vina seems to have broken apart. The strong woman is now just a shadow of her former self.

"The nurses told me to walk a bit. Besides, I'm in a room on the first floor. It wasn't a big effort to come here. Shall we go to the kitchen for coffee?"

I'm not in the mood. After the recent memories, all I want is to keep away from this house, but she said she wanted to talk to me.

About ten minutes later, each sitting with a mug of coffee in front of us—untouched in my case—I confirm what she just said. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes, son. I can't stay on this property. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but if I close my eyes, I can hear them talking, laughing, teasing each other. My heart has been broken in more than one place, Hades. Pam was like a daughter to me, and Juliet . . . I loved her too. I don't understand what could have gone wrong to make her act the way she did."

I stand up. "The past can't be understood, Vina, but justice will be served and the guilty will be punished," I say, because I'm not the type to try to understand why things happen. That phase has passed. "I'll have my secretary send you property options. Once you decide on a house, I'll buy it."

"And what will you do with this one?"

"I'll sell it. I need to talk to my brothers because surely there are things here they'll want to keep as mementos, but after that, I don't want to set foot here again."

Kennedy

Two months later

Present

"Are you going to be okay, Delores?" I ask because I know that in a few minutes, Child Services will come to pick me up.

My lawyers' request for me to respond to the homicide accessory charge while out on bail was granted, but most surprisingly, the judge allowed me to leave the state, which only happens in rare cases?1.

Ernest told me that my secret protector played a significant role in the granting of my freedom. Apparently, he's very influential and knows the right people to ask for favors.

In the end, I was actually in a cell for only two months, and now, I'm anxious to see my son. Just thinking that he has no idea who I am makes me cry. I missed so much of his development because I was in a coma. I missed enjoying his first two years of life.

"As okay as I've been all these years, my love. Don't worry about it. I've come to terms with my fate, Kennedy. Knowing that my Angela is safe, studying, and on the right path is my reason for breathing."

"I'll keep in touch. I don't know if I'll return to Massachusetts before the trial, but I'll try to write letters, and if you can, call me? I know you use your phone call right to talk to Angela, but I'll miss you terribly."

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