Making A Hard Decision

Kyla Jackson

"I had no other choice, Kyla, Hailey is sick" he said in a desperate and sad tone.

What?!

Ha... Hailey is sick? Did he just say, Hailey is sick? For how long? What happened to her? She was fine before I left so, how did she end up getting sick?

"What do you mean Hailey is sick?" I asked whilst locking my gaze on him. I have no idea what I'm feeling right now. My whole body system has changed. I love Hailey a lot like my own. Yes, I wasn't the one who gave birth to her but I nurtured her. I see her as my daughter and I don't think I will be able to stand it if anything happens to her. 

"Yes, Kyla. Your daughter is sick. Your favorite daughter whom you've always loved and cared so much for is on her sick bed at the moment. Ever since you had left, she's no longer herself. She kept asking after you and despite me trying to explain the situation to her, it has been hard. She stopped talking to everyone- even in her school, I get complaints every day. Months ago, she fell ill. She has been hospitalized for weeks now but she still won't stop asking about you. She kept asking after her mother" He explained and I scoffed.

"You don't expect me to believe your lies, do you? How am I supposed to be sure that you're not lying to me? What other motive do you have in mind?" I asked glaring hard at him.

"You're getting it all wrong, I'm never going to lie to you. Yes, I may truly want you back but not in this way. I will never lie to you just so I could have you back." He replied in a serious tone.

I can't say what exactly I'm feeling deep within me right now. If he's telling the truth, Hailey must have been going through a lot of pain at the moment. I wonder what he was doing that made her health get worse. And, why isn't his precious wife not taking care of her? Why does it have to be me?- I thought, whilst looking up to his face and staring deep into those blue eyes to see if I was ever going to see any trace of lies but none.

It looks like everything he just said is true.

"You have to believe me, Kyla. I have no reason to lie to you. I will be going back to New York soon, and in the next few days, I will be leaving. I will wait for you so we can both go back to the house" I heard him say like it's the simplest thing to do.

"And, what made you think I will be going to New York with you?" I asked, snapping at him. "I still don't know yet if what you're saying is true and even if it were to be true, there's no way I'm going to leave with you. Let's both go on our separate ways" I hissed and rolled my eyes at the same time.

I don't know what gave him that feeling that everything is now okay between us. Nothing is fine between us. I'm only being considerate right now because of Hailey. If not because of her, I would have walked out on him already.

He's just too proud of his stupid ego. Always believing that he can get whatever he wants in just a little snap of his finger.

I just hate him and his gut. After everything he's done to me.

"Just have this at the back of your mind, Mr. Sky Locason, you can never have everything as you want. Nothing will ever go your way. Just stay away from me" I hissed and turned around to leave but I felt a firm yet, warm hand hold my wrist.

"Kyla... I'm truly sorry if I hurt you-"

"Of course, you did!" I cut him off as I turned back around to face him with a deadly glare on my face. "You did hurt me a million times and I'm not ready to forgive you yet. Just stay away from me, please. I beg of you, just leave. I don't wish to ever set my eyes on you again. I hate you, Sky. I really, really do hate you!"

"I know. I know I did hurt you and I'm sorry for everything but, I'm going nowhere. I'm not going to leave without my wife" he said again and my whole body boiled in anger more.

HIS WIFE?!!

"ENOUGH! That's enough, Sky Locason! I am not your wife, okay? I was never your wife, to begin with. You never wanted me as your wife and you never treated me as one! All my stay with you has been nothing but HELL! You never treated me like I have always wanted so, just stop with this drama and leave already. Just stay away from me" I warned him.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Kyla. I'm truly sorry for everything" He apologized desperately as he placed his palm on my cheeks and began to caress it but I quickly shove his hand away from my face. I truly wish I could do just that- forgive him and forget about everything he's done to me but it's not possible. I can't see myself doing that.

"Nothing can ever work out between us. You ended things between us, don't you remember? Everything is now in the past. So, just let me be, please"

"You're my wife! You're still my wife!" He burst out in a frustrated tone.

"I'm not your wife! We're already divorced. You divorced me to be with your mistress! You never wanted me in the first place! How dare you show your face now to claim me as your own!" I hurriedly remind him in case he has already forgotten so fast.

I don't know what is his problem. He rejected me in the past so, why is he acting all desperate now?

"I'm sorry but I can't do that"

"Sky!"

"I'm never going to let go of you again. I will do all I can to win you back" he said with finality laced in his tone.

What exactly is wrong with him? How in the world did I fall in love with a man like him?

"I swear, I really hate you. After dumping me for so many years, I can't believe you decided to show up and start claiming me back again like I meant nothing! Do you know why I hate you so much? Because of your stupid ego. You always believe that the world revolves around you- you can do whatever you wish to satisfy yourself and your stupid ego. But let me tell you one thing, Sky Locason... I'm no longer that girl anymore. The girl you can just order around and control as you want, I'm no longer that same girl again. Just go and look for someone else to use because there's no way I'm going to allow you to walk over me this time around again" I burst angrily at him whilst poking him on his chest with my index finger before turning around to leave but immediately I turned, I ended up seeing four pairs of eyes staring back at us with their eyes widened in horror.

"Mrs Tina? Mandy?" I called out their names in a surprised tone. I'm shocked to see them standing just a few inches away from us.

"Wait, what did I hear you say just now? You're Mr. Locason's wife?" She questioned in a surprising tone.

"It's not what you think. I... I can explain" I stuttered whilst trying to explain myself to her but it was already too late for me because Sky beat me to it.

"Yes, Mrs Tina. Kyla is my wife" He said proudly.

No, I must have seen it wrong!

And, did he just call me his wife? He should refer to me as his ex-wife for goodness sake! EX-WIFE! We're already divorced!

"Oh my goodness! Is this true? Wait, you mean, something is going on between you two?" She questioned and before I could answer, she continued again. " You were very upset at him earlier, Kyla. Is that the reason why you were so cold towards him the other time? Oh my goodness, I can't believe this... So, you're our benefactor's wife? But I thought you were single?" She questioned again, surprisingly.

Now, this man has completely ruined everything for me. I just can't stay here any longer. I need to leave right now before I end up breaking down in front of them. I may have appeared strong but my body is betraying me. I need to leave right now. I just want to go away from here before he ends up seeing my breakdown.

"Excuse me" I hurriedly excused myself before she could pin me down with any of her questions again and run back inside.

I heard Sky calling after me but I just don't want to talk to him right now. Why can't he just let me be? Can't he read between the lines? I don't want to see him or have anything to do with him again!

I walked into the kitchen and finally let the tears out. I thought I had forgotten about him completely. I thought I would no longer be affected by his presence again but, what I didn't know was that I'd been deceiving myself all this while. He still holds a tight spot in my heart and I hate this feeling so much. I hate everything about him. The moment I saw his handsome face earlier, my whole body weakened.

I just don't want to have anything to do with him ever again but, is that even possible? He just told me a while ago that Hailey is sick and she needs me. I don't know how she's doing at the moment. I wanted to go and see her. I missed her so much- I know I always think about her and worried sometimes but that's all I could do. Never in my wild imagination have I ever thought that she was sick.

Or, could he be lying to me?

No, there's no way he would throw out such big lies just to have me around him. If Hailey wasn't sick, I would have sensed that from his tone- from his words.

Does this mean I will be going back to New York again? To the place where I was once badly hurt by the only man I truly fell in love with?

Two Weeks Later

A wide, proud smile crept at the corner of my lip as my gaze got fixed on the certificate in my hand. I have finally gotten my certificate and now, I am a graduate. This made me to be so proud of myself. I never knew I would be able to do this- all thanks to my benefactor who always encouraged me with his kind words. He's been very supportive all through the journey.

It's been two weeks already since I last saw Sky. After that incident, he vanished into thin air and I never heard anything from him again.

When I got back home that night, I called my Mom on the phone and explained the situation to her. She told me to follow my heart and to do what I feel is right.

Of course, checking up on Hailey is right but with Sky around, it feels somehow.

To clear my doubt, I had to also call Alissa- my friend and Sky's cousin. I just needed to be sure that I wouldn't be making the greatest mistake of my life. After I left New York three years ago, I deactivated my call line and stopped reaching out to everyone that I knew. I just wanted to move on with my life very quickly without being stuck with the past.

She was shocked and happy at the same time when she heard my voice. I told her everything and also apologized for not keeping in touch. After we both talked for a while, I decided to ask the question on my mind- about Hailey's sickness if it's true. 

I asked her and her response was a 'Yes'

So, he wasn't lying after all I thought worriedly.