Chapter 192
Aileen
Just like at Cyphers Maximum Security Prison, Meryl waits out in the corridor as I go inside the visitation room, taking my seat with the glass partition stretched out before me.
I take a few deep breaths to calm my nerves while hoping for the best. The flight to get here was long and while I expect a certain outcome, I’ve been waiting for this specific moment – to meet the woman who gave birth to me. I can’t help but wonder what she’s like.
Finally, the door on the other side swings open and a corrections officer escorts her into the room. She looks nothing like her pictures but I’m not too surprised as I already went through this a few hours ago. I can see just how matted her hair is despite having it in a ponytail, which accentuates the sharp angles and deep lines on her face. She pauses before taking her seat and it actually sends a shiver down my spine as she takes in my features with an unreadable expression.
Then, she takes her seat and immediately leans forward out of curiosity, her eyes still scanning my face. She obviously sees the resemblance. I lean forward, too, realizing I actually have her eyes.
The silence doesn’t make me nervous at all as I anticipate the moment her lips will curve into a smile. Suddenly, she leans back in her seat with her chin high, her expression still blank as she picks up the telephone.
“So,” she says, her voice void of any emotion. “You’re finally here.”
I furrow my eyebrows, not sure how I should feel about the first words to come from her chapped lips. “You…were expecting me?” I ask, clutching the telephone.
“How could I not expect you?”
“How did you find out so quickly? Did the information come from Cyphers Maximum Security Prison?” “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I thought it’s because I went to see Waylen Guthrie.”
“You visited that asshole before me?” She huffs. “I shouldn’t even be surprised, but no, I didn’t find out you’d be coming because of him.”
“Then how did you know?”
“How could I not know my own daughter? Just by looking at you, I could tell. You look just like me in my younger years.”
Despite her hostility, I smile a little. “You really could tell just by looking at me? It was different at the other prison.”
“That prick didn’t give birth to you, I did.”
My smile fades as I get right to my burning question. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time now. I found out about you through some documents and articles detailing the crimes you two committed. Did you really do those things?”
She angrily slams the glass. “Are you fucking blind? I’m in this place, so that should tell you!”
I flinch and move back a little, composing myself as I shake my head. “You’re both so alike. You’re… you’re…”
“Distant?” She completes my sentence.
“Exactly.”
“What did you expect?”
“You said you knew just in the first few seconds of looking at me. As a mother, you’d be a bit more thrilled to finally see the daughter you lost.”
“But that’s the point. I didn’t lose you. I left you.”
Her words feel like a strike to my heart and I try so hard to hold back my tears.
“You know, I’ve only been here for a few minutes and it’s already clear that I’m not wanted.”
“Oh, sweetie, that’s not true.” While she maintains her hostile expression, her tone is filled with sarcasm.
I press my lips together and gently close my eyes, scared that if I shut them too tightly the tears will run down my cheeks.
“Have you ever dreamt of the moment you’d reunite with your daughter?” I ask.
“Nope.” She nods firmly, saying nothing more and it crushes me.
“This should’ve been one of the best days of my life, but it turns out it’s the worst.”
She sighs. “I don’t know what you hoped to accomplish by coming to see me here.” “You’re my mother.”
She rolls her eyes. “Am I? I might just be seeing things or some shit like that.”
Only a minute ago, she said that I
look just like she did in her younger years and she knew who I was when she saw me. How can she suddenly sound so doubtful?
“Maybe I just have a strong resemblance to you but I’m not your daughter. What mother would act this way?” My voice trembles with emotion.
“Wait, you think that just because I gave birth to you, I should be thrilled right now? I’m rotting away in this fucking place! What’s there to be
happy about?”
It hurts to know that this is what I came for and it leaves me in denial, leading me to make a certain demand.
“I want to take a DNA test,” I sniffle.
She scoffs. “Well, go right ahead. Like that’s going to change anything.”
My first meeting with her is already worse than what happened at the other prison and I can’t take it anymore, so I abruptly hang up on her and she doesn’t even seem moved by it.
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I put on my shades and hat, rushing out with a hand on my chest to ease my broken heart.
Meryl approaches me, comforting me again as I tell her how awful it was.
“Are these two really my biological parents? I didn’t expect any of this.” I sniffle. “It makes me want to give up right here.”
“Hey, don’t say that. We’re getting this done all the way, alright?”
I take a deep breath, gently nodding.
“Good. Now, let’s get what we need from here and get these tests done.”
With a collected sample from Arlissa, Meryl and I make our way to a private hospital and she seems so deep in thought.
“Is there something on your mind?” I ask, trying so hard to distract myself.
She sighs, her expression still thoughtful. “Something here just doesn’t make sense about what happened with the Guthries.”
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