Chapter Thirty One

This chapter may be triggering to some readers, read with caution ⚠️

"Is everything alright, you guys stood outside for long?" Mum had asked immediately we stepped into the house.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I half lied and headed straight for the kitchen.

Temi was standing behind the cooker and she turned when the click of my heels echoed throughout the kitchen. Her eyes lit up when she saw me.

"How have you been? You literally left us here," she complained as I hugged her.

"Been busy, how have you been?" I smiled genuinely for the first time today.

"I missed you oo, look at you," she looked at me properly from head to toe.

I twirled for her and she clapped. "Thank you," I mock bowed and she laughed.

I was wearing a blue Senators suit, it had a touch of Ankara at the front of the shirt.

"I'm really sorry about Andrew, I know how you guys really love each other," she said and I tried for the mood not to shift completely.

"It's fine, it's not the end of the world," I looked into the pot and looked back at Temi.

"Egusi? Please tell me there is pounded yam."

"Of course, trust your mother." She laughed then turned off the gas. "Please tell mummy that the food is ready."

"Okay," I left the kitchen and bumped into Miles on the way out.

"Sorry," his hand reached out to steady me but this time he held my arm instead. "I was looking for the restroom."

"Down the hall, first door on your right," I directed and he nodded before I walked away to look for my mother.

"Good evening dad," I greeted when I saw him in the living room, his gaze fixed on his phone.

Our guest hadn't arrived yet so mum was still sitting on the couch beside dad. "Mummy ounje ti Å¡etan" (food is ready.)

"Okay," she stood up and walked to the kitchen just as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," I told Dad when I saw him standing up.

I looked down at what I was wearing, straightening imaginary wrinkle on my shirt before opening the door and smiling. "You're welcome," I moved aside so they could all step in.

"Victoria!" Beverly smiled and hugged me as she stepped into the house. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas!" I greeted all of them and closed the door when the last person had entered.

I led them to the living room and after everyone was done with the greetings I noticed that Miles was missing so I walked to the bathroom he had entered and knocked on the door.

"Miles, are you in there?" I called.

There was no answer so I knocked again, "Miles?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." His deep voice called back to me so I waited for him to walk out of the bathroom.

"Are you okay? You were in there for long." I studied his face but got nothing, he looked normal.

"Yeah I'm fine," he walked away without even waiting for me.

I reached to close the bathroom door but stopped when I saw something that I hadn't seen in the bathroom before.

It was pills in a sealed bag. I took it up and looked at it, somethings were written on the body and I had to squint to see it.

I didn't really know the name but all I knew was that it was an anti-depresant because I had seen it among Funke's drugs once upon a time. I had asked her what it was for and she told me.

Why is he using it is the question. Is that why he isn't sleeping? What could be wrong with him?

I stuffed it in my pocket, making a mental note to ask him about it later. I joined everyone else in the dining.

***

"You guys look so good right now, with the matching outfits and all that," Beverly cooed and I forced a laugh.

"Thank you ma," I pushed Miles and he seemed to snap out of his thoughts as he rushed a "Thanks mum."

"We should take a picture," Maeve suggested and I looked at her, giving her a look that said she should quit it but she wasn't getting it.

It was as if no one could see past the facade that Miles and I had put up. Miles has been down a lot lately and everytime I'm around him, he just happens to wash his mood allover me.

Also I'm really worried for him, he looks like he needs to talk to someone but he refused to talk to me.

We forced a smile as they took pictures, even when they forced Miles to place an arm over my shoulder. We sucked it in and pretended like everything was alright.

Half an hour later when all the attention was no longer on us, I took Miles upstairs in the guise of 'I want to show you my room.'

His eyes scanned my now almost empty room. I had moved most of my personal items, leaving only a few things here and there but it still felt like home no matter what.

He walked to the balcony and looked out. "I like the view," he said.

"I know right?" I chuckled. "It's beautiful."

He turned to me, "okay why did you bring me up here?"

"I was waiting for you to ask. Miles, is everything alright?" I went straight to the point.

"Yes Victoria, I've told you a thousand times already," he rolled his eyes and looked away now.

"Then maybe you can explain this," I took out the sealed bag and rose it.

He turned back to me and his eyes widened, "where did you get that?"

"You forgot it on the bathroom counter," he reached for it but I took a step back so it wasn't in his reach. "Do you mind telling me or you'd want me to force it out of you?"

"I don't want to talk about it Riya," he looked away again. "Please."

"I'm not going to just sit back and pretend that everything is okay when it clearly isn't. So you might as well just tell me so that I can help you. You know I won't judge you," I pushed, hoping for answers.

"Why do you so badly want to know?" This time as he looked at me, his gaze remained.

"Because I care about you," I gave him the drugs back. "And I don't like seeing you like this."

He sighed, "we were sixteen, he was the rebellious one, I was the opposite but I still followed him because he was my closest sibling."

I nodded, urging him to continue. "We had just gotten our drivers license so we drove to a party a little far from town. We were drunk, him more than me but I was still sober enough to drive so I had to drag his ass with me or our mother would have killed us if we hadn't gotten home that night. The car came out of nowhere and hit us, from his side of the car. I was the only one who survived."

A gasp escaped my lips as my mouth dropped, my heart already breaking for the man in front of me

"The other driver was wasted," his voice broke and he took in a deep breath. "I lost my twin brother that night, Marvin. Ever since I always told myself that if I hadn't insisted on us leaving, Marvin would still be here today. Even though our mother would have been angry but we'd both be alive at the end of the day. That night had haunted me ever since. I've had to go to countless therapy sessions. When I turned twenty one, I stopped taking the drugs and going for sessions, at least I tried to. Sometimes I have nightmares, sometimes I don't but ever since I met you, everything stopped, I didn't have to use the drugs, at least until Andrew came back and everything has been hell. Sometimes the sleeping pills I take don't even work."

"Miles," I couldn't help but feel bad for causing him pain.

"Don't please, don't blame yourself for anything please," his eyes pleaded with me. "I'll get through this, I know I will."

***

Miles :( If you're going through such out there, stay strong.

There might be an update schedule soon because I'm back to school but I'll try to write as many chapters as I can before school fully kicks in.

You know the drill, vote, comment and share!