Saving Lucas

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

"Mama?" Winter asked, taking a few steps toward Samantha. Tears streamed down her face as she finally wrapped her arms around her mother. 

Samantha closed her eyes and embraced her daughter, stroking her hair as she did. 

"Yes, Winnona," she whispered. "Mama's here. It's alright now..."

Winter continued to sob. "But... But how--"

"You..." Bertha whispered, her hands flying to her mouth. "It's... It's impossible..." 

Samantha opened her eyes and led Winter aside; her expression changing. She then passed the gun to the man wearing a brown leather jacket. Anton and Ringo's eyes widened. It was one of the cops who were chasing them a few hours ago. 

Another woman--probably a few years older than Samantha--stood beside her, her expression flat.

"Is it?" Samantha asked, making her way to them. "Can you please tell us why, Bertha? I'm dying to hear what you have to say," she added.

"What are you talking about?" Winter asked, her face reeked confusion.

Bertha closed her eyes.

Samantha sauntered toward her, her eyes never leaving Bertha's. 

"Why that look, Bertha?" she asked. "Surprised?" she laughed. "Oh, I get it. You never thought poor Samantha was alive all this time, did you?" she stopped and turned slowly. "You like my dress? It's Michael Kors. I can afford it now, if that's what you're thinking," she grinned. "You see, after that incident? I met someone. A french man who was doing social work here in the Philippines. He brought me back to his hometown, married me, and left everything in my name when he died. Sweet, no?" 

Bertha held her head high. 

"What's the matter, hon? Cat got your tongue?" Samantha mocked some more. She pulled her hair back and caressed her neck. There were stitch marks. 

"Now tell me, Bertha, have you ever played that stupid game called four-pics-one-word?" Samantha asked with a smile. Bertha remained quiet.

"No?" she said, feigning shock. "Oh, you poor soul. With all this money," she raised her hands and motioned for the house, "it's a shame you're still trapped in a time warp." she laughed.

"But for your sake, let's play a game, shall we? It's called, Samantha-shows-you-her-scar-and-you-tell-them-what-happened. Okay?" she smiled. Samantha caressed her scar again for show. Bertha was still quiet.

"Tick-tock-tick-tock," Samantha teased.

"Time's up, honey," she said as she turned to her audience. "You see, Bertha here pushed poor Samantha off the stairs sixteen years ago," she smiled.

"What?" Winter asked.

"That's right," Samantha turned to her. "She pushed me off the stairs because she knew Fernando loved me. And--" she spread her hands, "she was threatened because of you," she looked at Winter.

Winter shook her head. 

"You see, Fernando was thinking about leaving her," she turned to Anton, "because your mother was a soulless piece of crap.

She never loved Fernando. She just wanted a way out. You see, she grew up in a middle-class family, where nothing was good enough for her. She's an ambitious whore. She married Fernando not because she loved him. She married Fernando for his money. 

Enter me, the poor family helper. The battered wife of the family pilot. Despite my being poor and all, I was raised to be a good enough person. Fernando eventually fell in love with me, and given the way my husband treated me, I fell for Fernando too. Everything passed by in a daze, until one day, I learned that I was having his baby," she paused.