Chapter Twenty
Warning: implied abuse
< Nina >
“C-could you get him, please?”
“Daddy says not to interrupt them when they are in the basement.”
“P-please, Rupert,” I start begging, as my whole body trembles. “I-it’s important!”
“But daddy will get mad at me, too. And Gene deserves it because he didn’t—”
“School work!” I suddenly exclaimed as this idea just came spur of the moment. “I need your brother because of school work! We have a school project coming up for tomorrow! Your dad won’t mind if I borrow him, right?”
There is a slight hesitation from the other line and I know that I am actually pressuring a seven-year-old kid to do my bidding. But Gene’s safety matters first.
Finally, he says, “Okay, I’ll tell daddy.”
“Thank you!” And I smile in relief.
Then I hear a soft thud of the phone being dropped on something concrete. Sounds of footsteps become distant while Rupert’s voice calls out for his father until it disappears.
All I need to do is wait.
But…
How come Gene is back in the basement? The last time that happened, Gene and I were fourteen and his foster father was drunk…
That time, I came to his house as usual because I brought a USB of some of the music I downloaded on Spotify. It was Gene’s birthday back then and we had a great time, really.
Then his foster father came along with his wife. They were both drunk and were laughing and when his father saw us, something in him snapped.
Everything went pitch black and the next thing I knew, Gene and I were at the hospital. The only thing that I could remember was seeing Gene in the hospital bed.
For some strange reason, I was left unscratched, minus the bump on my head. But Gene… he needed stitches. A lot of them.
Since then, my mother fought tooth and nail to win Gene for child custody but failed...who were we kidding?
The jury sees my mom as incapable of nurturing another child. A woman who works thrice as anyone, who loves Gene like her own son...yet the court finds his current foster family fitting to be his guardians.
And Gene… he said he was fine with it. H-he said it won’t break him.
‘I’m used to it.’ Words of Gene before I left Freedomville continue to repeat in my head.
Something wet dripped on the empty bowl in front of me and I’ve realized I have already started crying.
I hate it… when I start thinking about Gene being alone. Otherwise, I couldn’t control the overwhelming emotions I have right now.
“N-Nina?” A voice I am yearning to hear speaks on the other line.
“G-Gene…” Relieved, I’m glad to hear his voice again. How long have I been crying that I didn’t realize he came back. But thank God he came back.
“Are you...are you crying?” His voice sounds hoarse, a whisper-like tone that I recognize as if…
…his throat has been choked.
No, you’re overthinking this, Nina!
But those thoughts make me wail, tears overflowing as I slump my face on the table. I hate it when I cry…
…When I cry, I can’t stop it. The uncontrollable emotion that sweeps all the logic I have.
“Gene, I’m so, so sorry,” I say in between my sobs.
Behind me, I am fully aware that the restaurant owner is staring at me yet he doesn’t say a word.
“Gene, why didn’t you accept my mom’s proposal? Why can’t you live here away from them? Why? Why?”
I keep saying why over and over again, trying to find any logical reason behind Gene’s decision.
“Funny,” he muses, his voice despite hoarse attempts at a forced laugh. “After all these years being inseparable, this is like...the first time you cried...if we don’t count back in kindergarten.”
“Gene! Please tell me why you were in the basement? D-don’t you dare dodge this question.”
He doesn’t answer. And honestly, I should wait for his response. Gripping the phone, I rub my eyes feverishly, ignoring the slight sting on my bruised one.
It takes a while till he says, “My dad caught me with a newspaper ad. He got pissed and dragged me downstairs.”
“He was drunk,” he adds, softly. “I didn’t expect him to come home early, otherwise I could have stayed in my room.”
I stay quiet or attempt to be quiet. Tears couldn’t stop and I sniff every now and then.
“But I’m going to be fine, Nina. It’s no big deal. I mean, you saved me. He would be dead tired to continue after our conversation here.”
Even if Gene tries to reassure me, it doesn’t sit well on me. Since coming here, I have had this strange gut feeling. My instincts start to kick in as I blurt out, “Did the abuse get worse...since I left, Gene?”
It was a gamble to ask a question that has been bothering me.
He sighs. Mutter something I couldn’t decipher before he says, “I don’t want to worry you, Nina.”
At that moment, I feel like a shitty friend.
“G-Gene…” I whimper, more tears coming out of my eyes. “I can’t do this...you’re hurt there...I have to be there.”
“Nina.” A firm voice, a rare one I have yet to hear from him. “You have to stay there. It’s for the best.”
“But, Gene. I can go back, just let me—”
“Nina!” he says again, his voice raises a bit which startles me. A rare awkward silence between us and I am unable to tell what’s going to happen next.
He sighs again. “I promise you. I’ll go there for Thanksgiving. And I’ll tell you everything. Sorry, I’ve been keeping this from you for so long. As to why I can’t leave, why my foster family and the people around me are abusive to me….” then he pauses for a bit. “And now we’re at it, I will apologize to you for this. I am terribly sorry that your involvement with me ruined your chance of a normal life.”
“Even without you, I’m sure I’ll get bullied for my lack of good qualities.” I laugh a bit.
“No, Nina, it’s still my fault…” his words falter, another hesitation from him. I am aware that it takes courage to say these things. “You’re being bullied because you never ditch me when they told you to. Remember back then? They said they would leave you alone if you had ignored me as they told you so. N-Nina,” he says, his voice starting to tremble. “I’m the reason why you’re bullied, after all.”
“And I will never blame you for that,” was my immediate response.
“D-Despite knowing this,” he continues. “You never blame me?”
“Why would I blame you?” I smile, warmly. Seriously, Gene is smart. He should know why he has never been blameless.
“Gene, you’re my best friend. Even if the world is against you, I will always be by your side.”
For countless times in this call, he doesn’t reply. At first, I want to bring up a topic or anything if my words have been cringe-y or awkward since my cheeks flustered at my own declaration. But when I start to hear Gene’s restrained sniffles and later on he starts sobbing, I couldn’t contain my own tears as well.
It feels weird, crying in a public place like this. And the fact that the restaurant owner doesn’t complain that I have been such a drama queen, it should be embarrassing, really. I hate showing my weakness as “No-Good Nina”.
“T-Thank you, Nina. Thank you," Gene says between sniffles.
But this is just an exception.
