Chapter 7 07

ALMA

I remember the walls of this house like the back of my palm. I'd grown up in this building, hiding behind boulders from my stepmother while barely being classified as human.

Even the maids didn't talk to me. They were not permitted to treat me like a person. The only words I was opportune to hear on a daily basis were the yelling of my name after Linda had done something wrong and faulted me for it. Up until this moment when I strode in with my daughter, my steps in this environment had always been dictated by fear and nervousness, but not anymore.

I was over that and always will be. My grip around Velma's hands tightened when we finally entered the building, slipping past the silver gates that had done well with age. At least the house hadn't been brutalized as the company.

Even with all the confidence that I embodied, I wasn't sure bringing Velma here with me was the best option, but there was nowhere else I'd rather she be. This was a Jenkins family meeting anyway. It was open to only those with the last name.

That's how it should be. The security vetted my identity before letting me in. The entrance is as wide as I remember, a vast open field that spread all the way to the end, with several cars lining the walkway. Soon, I was led to the main building, and that fear started to creep in again.

It'd be a lie if I said I hadn't noticed how the eyes of every worker around calculated our movements. Their faces bore questions that my presence seemed to convey answers to.

"You may go down the hall, ma'am," the security finally said, stepping away from the door and ushering me in. I guess he didn't know who I was, either.

My existence was practically erased from the family registry. "Thank you." I proceeded down the hall with Velma skipping by my side.

"What have we to take, mama?" her voice breezed down the hall in an endless echo.

"Oh, you'd see, sweetheart." The door was right ahead of me, waiting to be opened, and as I reached it, I took a brief pause, taking deep breaths, so the shock would be harder than I already mentally envisaged.

I crouched next to Velma and gave my phone to her, along with her noise-canceling airpods. "When we get in there, love. I want you to listen to your favorite show, okay? Plug in your ears and seat. Also, stay only where I put you."

"Aren't we going to meet your family, mama? Wouldn't that be rude?" I smiled. It was beautiful to see that I wasn't failing to raise her right.

"Oh, today isn't family day, sweetie." I stroked Velma's hair. It's war. "Just do as I say."

With a creak and doubt etched at the back of my mind, the door opened, and heads snapped in my direction. My knees went weak, but my face was as stoic as could be.

Scattered around a table were my stepmother, my step-sister- the biggest betrayer of my life and Mr. Page.

No Carl.

Thank goodness. I instantly felt a wave of relief wash over me as it occurred I wouldn't have to be bothered about Velma.

"Miss Alma..." Mr. Page called out in a relieved tone as he got to his feet and welcomed me, helping me inside.

I let my eyes dart around, falling on everyone and everything. My stepmother had her jaw slacked as she eyed me. As expected, there's so much hate behind that gaze. She looked frailer- now the version of Snow White's Queen. All that skincare from the past couldn't hide her ugliness anymore.

"You invited her here?" A very familiar voice chimed. It's none other than Linda, whose recent look could make her pass as my aunt. She was visibly disturbed, shaken, so much so the seat couldn't contain her. Linda was now on her feet, yelling at the top of her lungs. "Why is this bitch in our house? What are you doing here!"

"Language," I shushed as I took a seat next to Mr. Page after I put Velma on the couch, slightly away from them. "I can't say I'm surprised nothing changed, but there's a kid here. You should have the decency to keep quiet, or otherwise, I won't be able to tell you two apart."

I heard a scoff from the other end of the table. My stepmother's raging glare couldn't match mine. I'd shoot daggers from my eyes into her chest if those powers were enabled.

"How dare you walk in here after these years and try to bark orders, Alma?!" her voice lacked the energy it used to. She spoke lowly, and her speech was broken, slurred.

"Bark orders? No, No. I'm not trying to be you, sweet mother. All that barking now has your lips shifted in the wrong direction. Sit, and this will be over as soon as possible."

Linda pulled out of her seat and waltzed in my direction. "What did you say to my mother!?" Her eyes were red and hollow. Dark circles spread under her eye bags like it was character design. She's grown leaner, more pathetic. And I didn't pity her one bit. "Repeat what you said?"

"Is mental decline part of what you're suffering from?" I scoffed. "If it is, then get a note, Linda. Don't be a kid and make a big deal out of this."

"You impudent--"

"Shut up, woman," I cut off my stepmother's words. "Keep yelling like that, and you might end up in E.R." I turned to Mr. Page, the innocent and evidently confused lawyer who had entangled himself in this. "I thought about it and changed my mind, thanks to you. Let's get started, sir. I'm sure you don't have all day."

A satisfied smile was formed on his lips, but that moment was swallowed by Linda's loud voice. "We are not starting anything until you apologize to my mother. If you don't, I'd make hell rain on you!"

"Still all bark and no bite?" hate boiled through my veins, and every time I raised my head to look at her, I was taken back to the past and made to choke on the pain from their betrayal all over again.

"We'd see about that!" she raged as she lunged at me, but her hit wasn't fast enough. I shoved her off me and rose from my chair. Before she could come to, my palm landed across her face.

I slapped her, with burning intensity, with unquenchable rage. My fist came in hard contact with her face, and it felt so good! I'd been waiting to do that all my life. "That's for that setup!"

I wasn't done. Her hair was flipped to the other side, but she turned to me, and I slapped her again. "For your lies and deception!"

"Let go of my daughter, you bitch." my stepmother yelled, but didn't move an inch. I appreciate how Mr. Page didn't mutter a single word.

Again, I wasn't done. I raised my hand for the last hit when a voice yelled out from behind me. "Alma, Enough!"

The voice pushed against my skin, and my hand hung midair. That voice. That hell of a voice. No. No. I snapped my head back, and my eyes fell on him. The demon in my life story.

I'd trained for this day. For the day, I finally saw Carl again and inflicted upon him as much pain as he'd caused me. I inhaled deeply. You've prepared for this, Alma. He doesn't faze you anymore.

He doesn't faze you anymore! You don't need him!

I turned back to Linda and landed that last slap on her cheek, and caused her to stagger further against the wall. Nothing could stop that one. "And that's for Velma, you good for nothing!" I spat and watched her drive back to her senses.

It was funny how the roles were now reversed; I used to be the one in that position. My heart was pounding against my rib cage as though it tried to tear its way out. But I didn't look back, even when I was filled with the gnawing urge to turn to him and see what he'd become over the years.

My chest heaved with anger, and I wanted nothing more than to slap him, just as I had done to her. They both deserved every bad thing coming their way. I glanced at Velma, and she was exactly as I wanted, oblivious to all of this mess.

"You fucking bitch!" Linda finally found her voice and tried to lunge at me but was stopped by her lovely husband. "Did you see what she did? Babe, did you see what that bitch did to me? Why aren't you saying anything!?"

"Calm down, Linda. Be composed!"

Why was he even here? I thought this was supposed to be a family meeting. Carl's presence was slowly disrupting my balance, but I knew I wouldn't crack. I couldn't afford to. I eyed him from the corner of my eyes. The bastard remained unaging. Nothing about his style had changed, except he looked weary.

Well, good for him. Good for all of them. My gaze flicked to my stepmother, too, and that was when I finally saw it. Her wheelchair. That must've been why she didn't try to fight me off for her daughter. What happened to her?

"Mr. Page, I want to sue her!" Linda shouted again, despite Carl holding her. My heart skipped every time I took a look at him, but his gaze remained unwavering, further enhancing my discomfort. "I want to sue this violent bitch! I will destroy you, Alma. I'd done it before. I'd do it again. I will destroy you!!"

"Do not make a scene," Carl mentioned to her while looking at me. I hated how he looked at me like he was searching for something, and I especially hated how that made me feel. "Let's do this and get it over with."

I turned to Mr. Page. "I thought you mentioned that this was a family meeting. I didn't expect any outsiders."

Knowing who I was referring to, his attention drifted to Carl. "I suppose, but--"

"I'm no outsider in this family, Alma," Carl gave me a direct response. I feared I'd hit his head with a bottle if ever he called me again. "I'm representing Linda." He sat next to her, all while trying to calm her down.

I thought I'd completely gained dominion over it, but it still hurt like hell. It felt like scraping open an unhealed wound and dressing it with salt. Was he happy after he treated me like that? That son of a bitch!

I paid him no mind, acting like he didn't exist. "Mr. Page, please go on. You were saying something."

"Carl is not an outsider," my stepmother added. "Leave my son-in-law out of this!"

I laughed. "I guess picking the wrong time to speak must also be included in your list of problems, sweet mother. Let's listen to the lawyer."

I caught Carl's eyes on me once more, scanning me. I stared right back at him, letting myself go into those blue eyes and find the hate and anger in them, just as he'd shown me the last time.

I found none of it. Just...regret. No, no. Carl wouldn't be one to regret anything. I was reading this wrong. I cut eye contact.

"Before we proceed, I want to sue Alma on the count of violence!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that without evidence," Mr. Page responded.

"Without evidence? You were here!"

"But I saw nothing. All I have seen today are defamatory comments from you to Miss Alma. She can sue you for slander if she sees fit."

He was on my side, good. Everyone reasonable should be on the winning side. "Can you leash your pet?" I asked my stepmother, and I stood up. "I can't stay here if there's a wild animal roaming. I suppose we can reschedule, Mr. Page?"

Before the lawyer could respond, Carl did, looking up at me so earnestly that disgust brewed in my stomach. "Alma. Sit, let's--"

Sit? Who the hell does he think he is? I grabbed the glass of water on the table before me and spilled it on his face out of annoyance.

I slammed the glass on the table with a loud bang that made almost everyone jolt. All except Carl, who was still in the middle of processing the water on his face.

"The next time I hear my name from those filthy lips, your blood will be the next liquid you're wet with."