Chapter 85
\nThree Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 85<\/p>\n
Lawrence spoke carefully, weighing every word. \u201cI\u2019m asking what happened to her three years ago when we broke up. Why did Shirley say Bonnie can\u2019t hear well out of her left ear?\u201d<\/p>\n
Odette noticed Hannah\u2019s palm was slick with sweat, so she squeezed her hand, trying to calm her. When she finally answered, she\u2019d already made her decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean that? I do know what happened. Bonnie was determined to fly all the way to the States to get answers from you. Shirley couldn\u2019t stand it, felt embarrassed\u2014like Bonnie had no pride\u2014and slapped her. Maybe she just hit her too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Odette figured Lawrence must only know the surface of things. She didn\u2019t want to gloss it over, but it had already been three years, so why dig everything up again? With the way Lawrence cared about Bonnie, if he found out everything, he\u2019d never let it go and would probably tear the whole family apart.<\/p>\n
Then what would Hannah do? What about Jasper?<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t watch Hannah fall apart again. For once in her life, Odette was putting Hannah\u2019s feelings first, even if it meant being selfish. She decided to let things stay the way they were.<\/p>\n
\u201cBonnie\u2019s got a stubborn streak. After Shirley slapped her, she refused to come home. I heard from teachers at The Cabinda School that she hasn\u2019t taken a cent from her family since. She\u2019d skip every holiday, never visit. Maybe it was pride, maybe just stubbornness. Either way, she wouldn\u2019t get her ear checked, so it dragged on and turned into hearing loss.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lawrence listened, feeling like someone had split his heart straight down the middle. The pain made him slump in his seat. But he still couldn\u2019t shake the doubts. Was it really possible for a mother\u2019s slap to damage her daughter\u2019s hearing? Just how much anger would Shirley have needed to carry to do something like that?<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, don\u2019t lie to me,\u201d Lawrence said, voice steady and low. \u201cDon\u2019t keep things from me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Odette tried to smile, holding on to Hannah\u2019s trembling hand. \u201cWhen have I ever lied to you? If you don\u2019t believe me, you can go ask around the staff apartments at Cabinda. Bonnie hasn\u2019t been home for three years. Everyone knows.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hannah\u2019s lips parted, and she looked like she wanted to say something, but Odette squeezed her hand even tighter, giving her a small shake of her head. Hannah bit down on her lower lip, swallowing her anger and everything she wished she could yell.<\/p>\n
Odette\u2019s voice was gentle and coaxing. \u201cLawrence, it\u2019s already in the past. Right now, you should focus on the family you have. They need you, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lawrence said nothing. He felt empty and numb inside. He kept his eyes shut, haunted by memories\u2014Bonnie clutching her left ear in pain, Hannah tracing a fruit knife over her wrist, the lively, graceful swan from the stage now just a shadow.<\/p>\n
Everybody needed him. But who did he need? No one seemed to care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-753","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/kampoengnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}