Oh Brother!

Came home around 6 pm after work. It was a good first day. I went into my study

and continued working. Had to make some international business calls. The

downside of being the CEO of a multi-billion international company. Work never

ends. By the time I look at the clock it's 9 pm. Wow, I've been working for 3hours

straight. Am proud of myself. My hand strays to my necklace and it is the last gift

my birth father gave me.

His last moments, telling me he loves me, protecting me in his last breath. I have to

make both him and my adopted father happy. They both passed right in front of me

and that's my drive to want to work hardest to make them both proud. The

necklace, my birth father gave the day before the incident. I close my eyes as I feel

tears stinging in my eyes. "Don't let it consume you Chloe" I say to myself just

then Juanita the maid came in.

"Ma'am I think you should come and have some dinner, your food is getting cold."

She said in a caring and soft tone.

"Thanks, Juanita I'll be there in a moment." She nods and excuses herself.

As I was about to leave for dinner my phone lit up a message from an unknown

number. I opened and it turned out it was my brother Juan. After 10 years he texted

me. He stopped talking to me 3years after father Rafael adopted me. I wonder why

now

JUAN: Hey, I heard you are in New York and I thought we could meet up. Juan

I remember the last time I had an encounter with him there was a lot of shouting

and harsh words were spoken. Maybe he wants to make up for it.

CHLOE: Hey, Juan I am free. Tell me where and I will meet you there.

Almost instantly, he responded

JUAN: the coffee shop

That was all he sent me. There are only a million coffee shops in New York. Come

to think of it, which coffee shop are you talking about? Then it hit me 'the coffee

shop' the one I last saw him at. But why? That is where our family broke or at least

what was left of it. I went into my bedroom to bet ready. I wore a pair of black slim

jeans, a loose white blouse, and a casual pair of stilettos that matched my purse. As

I was about to leave the house Juanita walked up to me questioningly.

"I need to meet someone I'll be back soon but don't wait up"

"But the driver already left ma'am"

"I can drive myself, you know Juanita I'll be back soon," I said, smiled at her and

walked away. I got into my range rover velar because I did not want any attention

tonight. I drove off with a lot to think about. I am somewhat nervous and I don't

even know why. When I got to the coffee shop, I sat in my car for about 3minuites

gathering the courage to go in and talk to him. Finally, I got out of the car and

locked it because this wasn't the safest neighborhood here. As I walked to the shop

people snapped their necks in my direction. I tried to be discreet but am guessing it

did not work. As casual as I was, I was overdressed for this location. The place had

changed a lot since the last time I was here. I walked into the café and my heart

started racing when I saw Juan. And I saw his back but I knew it was him because

we all got matching tattoos, Aria our older sister Juan and myself.

We got it a year before the incident, I was only 14 and he was 17, my sister, Aria

took us to the tattoo parlor back home in Italy. She was 20 so I guess they let her

give us tattoos.

"Juan" I called out, making the people around him turn too. He looked so different.

He looked like he had not slept in a while or even shaved. As I got closer to him I

realized the little golden flakes that used to be in his eyes were now gone. He had

grown his hair too. His face lit up as he saw me. His eyes looked at me for a while

as though he was studying me.

"Hi Juan," I said when I was close enough to him

"Hi Chloe," his voice was different too. He had some emotions laced in his voice

as if he was happy and sad at the same time. He gave me a hug

After 10 years, he hugged me again. I couldn't respond to his hug immediately as

though I was savoring the moment. I was trying so hard not to cry. I was trying to

keep the teats in. I just became stiff. I did not hug him back. He let go and looked

at me. I looked at him too. I put my hand on his face and traced a scar that was not

there before. I had a bad tingle in my stomach that made me fear. My eyes were

getting watery but he held my face and said, "Hey am ok. And good come sit with

me." He said and guided me to the table he was sitting at. We sat together and just

stared at each other for a while as though looking for words to say to one another

but they weren't any. However, I had to break the ice.

"How have you been?" I asked trying to keep a cool head

"I've been good. How are you?" he said with a low and husky voice

"I'm getting by each day I mean I have a home and food so I can say I'm doing

good"

He pulls in, holds my hand, and holds it tight.

"I know it's hard for you to see me after all these years. I get it and I know we have

many issues to talk about. But I have a more pressing matter to discuss at this time"

his voice became cold like the way it was the last time I saw him and that made me

pull my hand away. Nevertheless, he took it again and looked into my eyes.

"Please, Chloe, don't do that. Before we begin, I just want you to know that I love

you no matter what. Even after all these years I still love you so much." I nodded

and he continued with a cold voice again.

"Now let's get into the business. I have terrible news. Our mother has been

diagnosed with stage4 lung cancer" he paused waiting for my reaction but I do not

know what he wants me to say. The woman abandoned 13years ago like I wasn't

her own and gave me a burden no child should have to carry. She threw me out of

her house when I was 15 and had just lost my father right before me. She blamed

me for his death and threw me out with no food, no money and no place to go.

Now I find out she is dying and please forgive me for not feeling any remorse but I

do not think I can. I pulled away and put my hand to my side. He looked at me

sadly, understanding me but he continued regardless.

"I know you hate her and you have every right to be she put you through hell but

Chloe she is dying and all she wants is to apologize to you that's her last wish. She

made me fly out here and have you come home so she can apologize, Chloe, she is

very sorry for what she did. I mean this is the least you can do for her after what

happened with dad..." he said the words before he could stop them

I snapped. After all these years, he blames me for what happened to our father

meaning he lied to me all these years. He made me believe that he was on my side

but he is just like our mother

"Juan finally you've told me how you really feel after all these years you blamed

me for papa's death." I stood up "I don't care if mama is dying or if she wishes to

see me because if my memory of that night is correct she said she never wanted to

set eyes on me or even cross her property. She threw me out the house into the rain

at night with nothing but a burden of guilt. Now she needs me, am I just supposed

to up and go? Besides growing one thing I learned from her is never to defy her

and I am just obeying her commands." Tears were running down my face now and

I turned to leave but he held my hand

"Chloe listen to me I don't think it's your fault but I do know that mom thinks it's

your fault and she did horrible things to you but Chloe she is dying"

"Don't you think I know that but I don't want to flipping see her. All of you

freaking turned your backs on me when I needed family most of all. When I saw

my father murdered In front of me and I needed you, all of you abandoned me.

And you all thought it would be any easier blaming it on me. But it was hardest on

me. I never got to properly mourn our father. I wasn't even allowed to the funeral.

Being traumatized and alone on the cold streets all by myself and I do not want to

see her Juan, hell I do not even want to go to Italy. For no reason. I have a lot

going on right now" I pulled my hand out of his grasp with all the strength I had

and I could see his eyes water too but I walked right out of there and he just stood

there.