Chapter five
906 Words
5
“Pack your bags, You're living tonight”
Sunshine sniffed “mom where??? I'm sorry, please mom” she knelt on one of her knees,robbing her palms, pleading to her mom, "are you chasing me out? ”
“Awayyyy…far away Sunshine!” She shouted on top of her voice “You're not having this baby here”. She breathed in four times and breathed out, faded to tears.
“No one must know !!!"
"Mo…mmm”
"My word is my command!!" her voice screamed louder.
Later that night, Sunshine stood outside the house with a small suitcase, the California sky dim and heavy like it knew her shame.
The night wind tasted of fear.
Sunshine stood in front of the house with her little suitcase, her fingers trembling against the handle. The street was too quiet and too dark. She felt like the whole world could see her shame, even the moon.
Her mother stormed out behind her,voice shaking with anger and heartbreak.“Get in the car,” Selana snapped “Now!!.”
Sunshine wiped her tears with the back of her shaking hand.
“Mom… please. I’m sorry. I swear, I didn’t plan for any of this.”
“You didn’t plan?” Selena hissed. “So you want me to clap for you? A baby? With that man?”
Her voice cracked. “You want this family to drown again?”
Sunshine bowed her head, stomach twisting. “I’m scared, Mom.”
They entered the vehicle. The engine roared to life, breaking the silence.
As they drove out of the neighborhood, Sunshine turned and stared through the back window, watching the house shrink behind her like a memory burning to ashes.
And then, not even five minutes into the journey her chest tightened.
Her thoughts drifted back to her night with him, when he invited her for a private meeting. Her nails dug into her thighs as the memory choked her.
Nathaniel’s fingers traced down her arm to her hand, brushing over her palm as if memorizing the feel of her skin.
“I… I can’t…” she breathed, trying to push away, but his body followed her movements, closing the space she tried to create.
“Why?” His voice was soft, almost tender, but there was a dark edge beneath it.
“Why push me away when I haven’t done anything wrong?”
She swallowed hard, her mind a battlefield of emotion. “I don’t understand… what I'm I here to do? This?” She squeezed her face in disgust, “Thought I'm here for a buisness meeting?” She took her face away after asking.
“Yes, you’re here for that” he said, tilting her chin up so her eyes met his. His gaze pierced her, sharp and knowing, making her pulse hammer. “You could have walked away, and you didn’t.”
“What do you mean?", You're testing me or what?”
She bit her lip hard, like too hard until she tasted blood, realizing that's when it all started.
“Mom…” she whispered.
Her voice broke. “What if I can’t do this?”
Selena didn’t look at her.
“You must. I will hide you. I will fix this. No one must know this child belongs to you, do you hear me?”
Sunshine nodded weakly.
“Where are we going?”
“A safe house,” her mother muttered. “A private place where I once lived before as a spinster while working as a nurse outside the city.”
Her voice dropped. “Somewhere they won’t find you.”
But as soon as those words left her mouth…
Sunshine felt a sharp twist in her gut. She felt some people watching them. She lifted her head. Looked behind them.
A black car speeding.
It kept a careful distance,too careful.
Her heartbeat slipped into panic.
“Mom… someone is following us.”
Selena glanced through the rear mirror.
Her shoulders stiffened, her breath hitched.
“Don’t look back again,” she whispered sharply. “Just… sit still, I don't think they're after us, they're prolly traveling as well”
But Sunshine’s hands shook uncontrollably.
Her pulse throbbed in her ears.
Her phone buzzed in her lap.
She looked down
NATHANIEL CALLING.
Again.
And again.
“H-How does he know?” she whispered, voice trembling.
Selena’s knuckles turned white on the steering wheel.
“That girl…” she muttered. “That Ava… she saw something. I knew it. I knew it!”
Sunshine’s breath hitched.
Her stomach rolled.
Ava?
Ava suspected?
Ava monitored us leaving too?
Before she could speak again…
Her phone vibrated once more.
A message preview flashed:
“Sunshine, stop running. We need to talk.”
Her chest tightened so fast she couldn’t breathe.
“No… no no no…” she whispered.
Her tears spilled again. “Mom… he knows? How? I didn't tell him!.”
“Don’t pick it!” her mother screamed. “Put the phone on airplane mode! Switch it off!”
Sunshine fumbled until the screen went black.
The highway stretched ahead dark, empty, endless.
But the black car behind them didn’t stop.
Didn’t turn, slow. nor disappear.
It followed quietly and patiently.
Sunshine curled into herself, pressing a hand to her stomach.
Inside her, the truth kicked gently… reminding her she couldn’t run forever.
By midnight, they reached the outskirts of California.
- Writer
