CHAPTER 226: FAREWELL

Abigail and Josh sat huddled on the big sofa in the movie room. Josh leaned comfortably against his mother’s side, while Genevieve sat on the seat adjacent to them.

A bowl of popcorn sat in the coffee table beside them with two glasses of juice and a glass of milk for Josh. Every now and then, one of them reached for popcorn without looking. Abigail fed Josh.

They were watching a funny animation which they had chosen for Josh’s sake.

Josh laughed out loud at a joke only a child would find hilarious, his giggles filled the room. Abigail laughed too, ruffling his curly hair, and Genevieve smiled quietly to herself as she watched them both, wanting to commit this moment to memory.

The laughter slowed as the movie rolled on and Josh’s eyelids fluttered more often now, his body sinking deeper into his mother’s warmth.

Josh’s eyes finally closed. His tiny breath rose and fell gently. Abigail adjusted him so that his head was on her thigh and she gently ran her fingers through his hair.

Genevieve didn’t say anything. Neither did Abigail.

They both kept their eyes on the screen, though neither of them seemed to care about what was happening in the movie anymore.

The room felt quiet now, except for the sound of the television. But it wasn’t an uncomfortable quiet. It was just still.

Abigail peeked sideways at Genevieve. She sat straight, legs tucked beneath her, the same small smile on her face — but her eyes looked far away. Like she wasn’t really watching the screen at all.

Abigail wondered what Genevieve was thinking. She knew that Genevieve had likely wanted them to do this because she was going away with Stefan soon.

But why did it seem like she was already saying goodbye in her heart? Was she thinking of leaving and never coming back? It seemed like it.

A strange ache tugged at her chest at the thought that this might be the last time she’d sit this way with Genevieve.

Genevieve could feel Abigail’s gaze on her. She kept the smile on her face and her eyes on the screen until Abigail looked away from her.

Genevieve blinked slowly, her smile fading bit by bit as her gaze drifted toward Josh. She had noticed that Josh didn’t seem surprised when Abigail spoke to her.

Did that mean Josh had known that Abigail could speak but had been keeping it a secret?

Well, she couldn’t blame Abigail for not hiding the fact that she could speak away from her son. But she wondered what Abigail must have told Josh for a child of his age to be able to keep such a secret.

She reminded herself that Josh was a very smart kid, so she shouldn’t be so surprised.

Thinking that this might be the last time she saw the kid, her throat became tight. She blinked back the tears in her eyes and looked back at the screen.

She was scared.

She didn’t know how she would live without this house. Without the people in it. Without Abigail who had been a part of her life for so long even while she was miles away. Without the little boy who had wormed his way into her heart.

But she knew she had to go if she was going to do the right thing for herself and Abigail.

She had to get away from her father to be able to do it— even if it meant feeling lost and missing this.

When the credits rolled and the movie ended, the bright music filled the room again.Abigail reached for the remote and lowered the volume.

They both sat there silently as the credits rolled neither of them willing to end the moment since they weren’t certain what the future held.

Abigail wished she could ask Genevieve if she was planning to leave and not return, so she would tell her not to do it and assure her that she didn’t hold anything against her, but she couldn’t.

Genevieve on the other hand wished she could damn the consequence and open up to Abigail before leaving. But she was afraid. She didn’t know how Abigail might react to that, and if Abigail chose to confront Ryan immediately then she’d be in danger.

"I think I might leave earlier than I planned. I might not be going to the office with you tomorrow," Genevieve said softly, still looking at the screen.

Abigail turned toward her. "Is there a problem?"

Genevieve turned too. "No. I think the friend I was going to visit in Ludus is coming to surprise me for a getaway trip. At least that’s what Pete made me believe."

"That’s nice," Abigail said, giving her a small smile. "If it’s supposed to be a surprise why did Pete ruin it? Seems he can’t keep a secret."

Genevieve laughed quietly. "I don’t think it was intentional. He assumed I knew about it. But yeah, it’s nice."

Abigail nodded slowly, looking at her. "You like him a lot. Your friend, I mean."

Genevieve smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Yeah. He’s a really nice guy." she wondered what Abigail would think of her when she eventually gets to know that the guy they were talking about was her childhood sweetheart.

"That’s good to know. I guess the feeling is mutual seeing how he can’t wait for you to visit and is coming down to surprise you."

"I guess so," Genevieve said with a short breath.

"I hope you’d be happy together," Abigail said but Genevieve said nothing.

She knew that was never going to happen once she told them the truth. She looked down at her hands. Then back at Abigail.

"I just..." Genevieve started. Then paused.

Abigail waited.

"I hope you’ll always be happy, Abi," Genevieve said, her voice thick with tears she didn’t want to shed. "And I hope... I hope you won’t hate me too much. Even if I deserve it."

Abigail tilted her head, eyebrows raised slightly. So, it was a farewell.

"I don’t hate you, Genny," she said in a soft tone. "I never did. Maybe at some point I might have thought I did, but I didn’t hate you. I hated how you treated me, but I’ve never really hated you, and I never will. We’ve been through this before. I’ve forgiven you for everything, Genny. Both the things you did to my face and the ones you think I don’t know about. I don’t hold anything against you. I think it’s your own forgiveness you need."

Abigail hoped Genevieve would remember this after she hears from Stefan that they she knew the whole truth.

Genevieve looked down again, pressing her quivering lips into a thin line to keep from crying. Abigail didn’t know what she was saying. If Abigail knew the magnitude of what she had done she wouldn’t be so forgiving.

"Thanks," Genevieve said as she rose and picked up the glasses and bowls. "You should take Josh to bed now."

Abigail nodded as she lifted Josh into her arms and rose. "Good night, Genny," she added gently. "Enjoy your trip. Try not to worry too much about anything."

Genevieve nodded once. "Thanks," she murmured, and watched as Abigail walked away with Josh.

When Abigail got to Josh’s room, and laid him down on the bed, he opened his eyes and smiled at her sleepily. "Will you sleep with me with your angel face?"

Abigail smiled back and ran her fingers through his curls, "I’ve not freshened up yet. Want to sleep in my room instead?" She offered and he nodded.

She lifted him and carried him to her bedroom. As she laid him on her bed, he looked at her. "You forgot to not talk in front of Genny."

"I didn’t forget. Genny knows I can speak," she assured him but remembered only then that she had spoken to Genny in front of Josh, so Genny must have realized now that Josh knew she wasn’t mute.

And she had also spent time talking to Genny and Josh in the movie room. Any of the staff passing by could have heard them.

She couldn’t keep pretending to be mute now. If she was going to leave soon, the least she could do was let the staff hear her voice before she left.

What was the point of keeping it from them when Ryan knew she could speak?