TIANA

None of this was making sense. If this life was set on shocking me at every turn it certainly was doing an excellent job at it and needless to say Cain's face paled to one of mortification at the words Lisa said. However, the surprise subsided to one of anger as his face turned pink at the pent up rage about to spill like molten lava made to destroy anything in its path.

"Bullshit! I may not have a mother but I doubt I'd be born from you," venom seeped from each word that came out of his mouth.

"Maxwell really messed you up, didn't he?" she shook her head in disappointment as she took a cautious step forward toward the guarded male.

"You keep his name out your mouth," he sneered keeping the gun aimed at her," You don't know me!"

"You may not believe me. . . and it's fine- honestly I get why you have nothing but spite at everyone but I swear," she raised her arms taking another step towards him," I am your mother. I once thought Luis looked a lot like him, but you- you're the spitting image of him. All you're missing is the mole just above his upper lip."

Cain's eyes widened and for the first time he seemed unsure of himself as his eyes frantically moved from Luis back to Lisa who had been moving slowly towards him.

"I wish I hadn't left you, but no excuse I could make up right now could ever deplete the guilt I've felt knowing I left you when I should have been there to nurture you, shown you right from wrong."

"You don't know-"

"January tenth at approximately four o'clock in the morning I held you in my arms, Cain," her voice had grown thick with emotion and it was only the squeeze of Luis' hand after grabbing mine that momentarily had me breaking away from the moment to find his orbs burning with tears." You were so small . . . so delicate with a light wrapped around you such that I was convinced a halo would soon appear on your head. But I was scared, a coward too unsure of how to go about raising another human being."

Cain looked away clenching his jaw and even from where we stood, I could see the gun being lowered a bit as her words sunk in. Settling into the air that grew thick with tension as each second ticked by watching Cain's stance change from one evoking a threatening intent to one of hesitation and doubt for all he seemed to know. Till a slip of moisture trickled down his scarred cheek catching us all off guard.

"No- no- no. Dad would never do that- h-he's the bad guy here!" he lifted the gun pointing it towards Luis again glaring and the humane part of him that made an appearance ceased to exist.

Lisa screamed begging him not to do it and just as I'm convinced this may be one of my last moments police sirens broke through the atmosphere disrupting Cain's pursuit to his brother as police men sprang from different directions pointing their weapons at him. The scene was filled with hysterical yelling and screaming.

And even though they told him to put his gun down, screaming at him to comply he refused and the panic about to erupt in me quickly diminished when he was attacked from behind causing him to land on the ground.

"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" he screamed fighting the officer restraining him only to have another pair of hands holding him down to keep him in place as the cuffs were slipped onto his wrists. He was hysterical shouting profanities and I felt stuck in place watching him being manhandled roughly onto his feet and hauled to the car.

A part of me was still scared to the point I needed to see him actually being pulled away from me to ensure myself that this was over.

"You okay?" I jerked in surprise to find Luis' concerned eyes watching me pulling me in close to envelop me in his arms at the fact the horrendous experience had passed. He kept me close tightening his arms around me and as if a switch went off, I broke down.

No longer able to support my body to the degree I leaned against him for support and he kept me upright, breathing slowly whilst rubbing circles into my back. And though there was commotion the overwhelming relief made the noise a distant whisper.

"Let's go," he unwrapped his arms tugging me gently towards him and taking a last glance to the house that stood as living proof of the horrible experience I went through. With its ageing exterior staring back at me, I tightened my hand in his in the hopes it wouldn't drag me back and hold me prisoner.

***

"I really wish I had met you under different circumstances," the man said entering the hospital room, his cola-brown eyes were the first thing I noticed about him along with his large stature that could evoke fear in anyone. He was among the people who arrived and made the arrest wearing a serious facial expression that juxtaposed the warm smile he gave me and my gaze switched in question to Luis who sat by my side.

"This is my dad, Chris," Luis gestured towards him," he's also the one-"

"Who came to the rescue and arrested that lunatic. How are you feeling?" he moved forward and occupied the only other vacant seat in the room.

Though to most it was a simple question, given the circumstances I didn't know where to begin to unravel everything that I was still processing. From Luis having a half-brother who happened to be Lisa's child, I felt exhausted just thinking about everything.

"Still trying to grasp if this in fact is real. This is all just a mess," I sighed rubbing a hand down my face.

"I'm so sorry about everything," he began only to be interrupted by the door swinging open revealing my mother's worried face. The tears in her eyes disrupted the initial calm inside me as tears began to form in my own at how much I had missed her. I had convinced myself that I would no longer see her again yet here she was wrapping me in her arms, shielding me once more into safety.

"Thank God," she breathed tightening her arms around me, running a gentle hand across my cheek after she pulled away. I smiled grabbing her hand, in disbelief that she was here with me and not some optical illusion that was a manifestation of my tired mind.

"I was so convinced I'd nev-"

"Shh," she placed her finger on my lips shaking her head profusely," you're here and safe. That's all that matters." She turned her head to Luis who had been watching us the whole time," Thank you," she switched her gaze to his father," thank you both for your help."

He nodded and stood up from his seat," I think we should give these guys a moment, Lu."

Luis slowly stood up and leaned forward to whisper in my ear," I'll be right outside if you need anything, okay?"

I wasn't sure how to react, I had yet to say anything to him much less discuss what Cain told me. And though Cain was not to be trusted- the nagging voice in my head told me to keep my guard no matter how much I enjoyed his attentiveness and refusal to leave my side. I watched his retreating profile until the door was closed silently behind him.

"He could hardly function when you were taken, we both couldn't," she said softly.

"You make it sound as if his care comes from a genuine place," I vacillated shifting on the bed. My mother looked baffled by what I said.

"It does. Regardless of what his father di-"

"You knew!" I sputtered without a thought but her expression had yet to change as she nodded her head," B-But why didn't you tell me?"

"Do we really have to get into this now? You need to rest- and try move on from this traumatizing experience," she responded tucking the curls from my face.

"The more questions that go unanswered the more I won't be able to stop thinking about it . . . any of it." And it was true as much as I tried to forget about what happened- it was impossible to ignore much less forget.

She pursed her lips seemingly contemplating my question, "It wasn't my confession to tell. He came at the shop and it was the strangest thing- took me off guard but at the same time his sincerity to make amends as if he was the one who initiated the unbearable pain in our family was something that touched me."

"I can't believe this," I whined in disbelief of everything she was telling me.

"It wasn't a coincidence he was there just in time to take me to the hospital, you know," she smiled eyeing me carefully.

"I remember that day. . ." I frowned recalling the anxiety and the way I rushed down the halls of the hospital like a maniac in search of her room.

"He wanted to apologize to you in that moment and leave. But I think your attitude towards him scared him away."

"I never liked him, then," I chuckled despite how much I didn't want to.

"Yet you like him now."

My head quickly whipped in her direction to find her giving me a toothy grin that had me rolling my eyes," I'm going to need some rest now."

"You were wide awake when he was there guarding you," her smile dropped to one of concern as her eyes moved over my body," please tell me you're alright. Cause if that man laid a finger on you- I swe-"

"I'm fine . . . it's taking a lot for me to come to grips with all this but just me being here," I breathed blinking back the tears to avoid crying,". . . is something I'm grateful for but I think I'll be dealing with more nightmares for a while," I mumbled and given the look she was giving me, I chuckled lightly to try come across as giving a joke. But she wasn't buying it as the tears continued falling.

I tugged her gently as she lied next to me sobbing lightly in the room and I would have honestly joined her but I didn't have it in me. And I could only hope that after all this I'd try have some form of normalcy in my life where I'd be able to feel remotely safe anywhere