TRUTH OF THE PAST I

Ivan waited in the study room for almost an hour. One reason was, his parents were not done eating and another reason was his grandfather who came to visit them.

When his father arrived, he was currently sitting on the couch while flipping through a news magazine.

"When did you decide to have eye surgery?" his father asked as he walked towards the opposite couch in front Ivan. He sat down leisurely while waiting for his wife to sit beside him.

"Not long ago. I thought it was the right time. Where is she now?" Without further ado, Ivan asked his parents the main topic after he answered them of their inquiry.

"You've found out the truth, didn't you?" this time, it was his mother who asked him a question. Her eyes were full of sadness and disappointment. Ivan didn't look at her instead he looked at the picture placed on the top most part of one of the bookshelves. It was a family picture.

"I found something but I'd rather hear it from you. This is really important to me." Ivan told his parents. There was a little plea on his voice that was clear to anyone's sense of hearing.

"She's still in the country. Your grandfather asked her to leave but I couldn't let that happen. I allowed you to visit her every summer to give you time and bond each other. Over the years, I didn't know things would be out of control. Yvonne..."

30 years ago...

Yvonne Maine, the second child of the Maine family after Grace. She studied psychology for children when she was in college. However, before she could graduate, an accident happened.

The second daughter of the family got pregnant but she wouldn't say anything about the father of the child.

"You're stupid! Bastard! Useless!" Elder Maine slapped Yvonne a few times. His finger prints left a mark on his daughter's lovely face. She cried and cried but didn't utter a single word.

"Make sure to get rid of that child! I don't want a bastard in my family! Get rid of it!" Elder Maine slapped her again which caused her to stumble and fall on the ground.

Nevertheless, Yvonne made sure to protect her stomach. She got up and looked at his father with determination in her eyes.

"I will not rid of this baby! You don't want this? I don't care! I will raise my child on my own!" After saying that, she ran from home and never showed herself again.

Grace, as the elder sister, wasn't informed of the news since she was studying abroad. When she came back, she could no longer find her sister.

"Dad, do you have to do this? Even if we don't know the child's father, that baby is still Yvonne's flesh and blood. He is my nephew. Your grandchild." Grace persuaded his father in behalf of her sister. She knew she couldn't find her sister on her own but her father could certainly do that.

"If you want to find her, find her yourself! I don't care about her anymore!" Elder Maine was stubborn and wouldn't change his mind. Grace had exhausted all her resources already but she still couldn't find where her sister is.

Yvonne gave birth to a healthy baby boy after nine months. She didn't have anyone beside her to lean on which was rather difficult for her. She didn't mind it in the least though.

Time flew fast and Ivan had turned two years old. The money she had saved were running out already. Yvonne decided to look for an online job or anything she could do at home to earn money at the same time, take care of her child. Just as she was about to submit her application letter, the doorbell rang and she went out to check who were looking for her.

"How are you?" Grace greeted her younger who looked so old given her age or being 22 years old. Yvonne didn't say anything and decided to close the door as if she didn't know the people outside.

"Daddy wanted you to go home." Grace once again spoke to ger sister which stunned the Yvonne.

"I don't have a father." she slammed the door in the face of her sister. She had decided long ago to cut her tie with them. She didn't want to do anything with her family.

Yvonne sat on the cold floor. A tear fell from her eyes but she couldn't get over the pain she felt. Even if her sister was the closest person to her, she didn't want to involve Grace with her own matters.

However, her sister didn't give up. She would visit her everyday bringing toys or food for them. Even though she didn't want to accept the things given to her, her sister kept sending them.

At one point.

"Please help me." Yvonne was running downstairs barefooted. She was carrying Ivan in her arms who was pale and shivering. He was having a high fever. "Baby, please hang in there. I'll get you to the hospital." she whispered to her child again and again.

She ran out of the house without caring how she looked like. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were disheveled. She waved her hands to hail a taxi but there was none. It was almost 10:00 in the evening so there were less vehicles.

"Please hang on, cupcake." It was more like a comfort for herself instead of her child. She was so scared. She was sweating profusely already.

Suddenly, a black car stopped in front of her. "Get in." It was her sister who came to her rescue. Disregarding her pride, Yvonne got inside the car and asked them to send her to the nearest hospital.

"Ivan. Ivan don't leave mommy, okay? I only have you. I've got no one else in this world." Yvonne was crying as she cradled her son in his arms. She was still crying until they got into the emergency ward of the hospital.