Where The Dandelions Grow

20 - Wounded

Echo's POV

Brandon stands up, his eyes wide and takes a step back from Sara. "Echo, what are you doing here?"

"I thought you said you didn't tell her," Sara hisses.

"I didn't."

I cross my arms and look at Brandon in disgust. "I trusted you, Brandon. I trusted you with my life and you go and cheat on me with my sister? That's low. What did I never do to deserve this?"

He shakes his head. "You don't understand. I wanted to tell you—"

"What don't I understand, clearly you two are very familiar with each other." I turn to my sister. "What have you done together, hm?"

She shakes her head too. "Nothing," A simple whisper. A clear lie.

I laugh humorlessly, tears drying up over the crusted wet lines on my cheeks. "The least you can do is tell me the truth," I say to Brandon.

"I lied to you yes, but not because I was cheating on you, Echo. I could never cheat on you."

"Yeah? So, all of this, explain it."

He sighs and shares a glance with Sara. "I met Sarah at the party we went to several days ago and I kept in contact ever since to try and see if your relationships can be rekindled."

"Let me get this straight, not only did you lie to me about if things were okay, but you were also doing what I told you I didn't want to ever do?"

Brandon head is low. Silence dances around us.

"Aren't you going to say anything at all?" I plead.

"Echo?" I hear form behind me, an unfamiliar, yet, familiar, voice.

I spin around to see an older woman who looks to be about in her forties, smiling with tears in her eyes at me.

I recognize her. I've seen her face before. When sad had recently died and I was at the supermarket, she was there. We bumped into each other and then she ran off.

But now I see what's going on. Now I know who she is.

"Mom," I say as my breath escapes. "Now that I'm connecting the dots, she looks like the picture of her that's on my phone and in Saras wallet.

"You're very beautiful, Echo."

I want to hurl. Who does she think she is?

"Why," I whisper. "Why did you do it?"

Her eyes are flooded with tears, her arm lifting to try and touch me. I flinch, moving backwards. Pain flashes over her expression.

"Don't even try it. You're pathetic, you know that? You pretend to care and be so sad, but you've had the chance for decades to show me you were alive."

"I—"

"Do you have any idea what I've been through?!" I explode, not realizing the tears that's now dripping from my cheeks. "You abandoned me with an alcoholic, an mentally abusive alcoholic that only cared about himself. You left me to believe that I killed my own mom and had no choice over it. You ruined my life before it even started. I hate you. I hate you and everything about you and I don't even know you yet."

I glance at Sara. "You can have another daughter though and give her everything I ever wanted. What was it? You felt too bad about what you did to me, you had to make up for it? Get a new daughter? Start fresh? You never cared for me, you never cared about."

I wait for her to respond, but she doesn't.

Pathetic.

"And you." I turn to Brandon, and I try to ignore the sadness in his face. Seeing him on the verge of crying does something to me, but I can't care right now.