The letter

I let the water sweep my long white gown as I threw my mother's ashes into the ocean. Dad stood beside me, he was my strengthold in that one week I struggled to accept the sudden demise of my mother.

"May her soul rest in peace." He commented and I sighed deeply letting go of the small vase that held her remains. After taking time to pay my last respect to her, I turned around and said, "Take me to my father's grave."

"Of course." He muttered and side by side we left the ocean shores.

All my nineteen years on earth, I had never bothered to ask where I originally came from. My mother never had once mentioned having relatives or talk about her family. I almost believed she was an orphan. It took me her death to know the history of my birth father who I never knew what he looked like.

"This is the Gates' mansion." My father said as he pulled over at a small field.

"And definitely that's my father's grave." I pointed at one old grave.

We drew closer to the grave and I bent to look at his epitaph.

"What a coincidence? He died the same day I was born and tomorrow is my 20th birthday."

"It's indeed a coincidence." Dad ascertained.

"Wait, there's something else. A letter."

I found a letter after cleaning the leaves on his epitaph.

"What does it say?" Carissa asked.

"Dear Azora, it wasn't my wish to keep your father away from you. You were born as a result of an assault. I didn't expect my stepbrother to mistook my kindness to something else when he took advantage of me. I had to ran away from home and when I realized there was a child on the way, I tried every possible way to get rid of it but I was bound to die from the deed. I couldn't let my parents know about the aftermath so I killed your father. I stabbed him after giving birth to you, I'm sorry Azora. I tried to be a good mother but I was doomed from the day my innocence was taken away by your uncle. I hope one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive your mother."

The letter was suddenly drenched with my tears. "She killed him."

"Hey, come here." Dad pulled me into his embrace and I don't know how long they had consoled me when it began to rain.

We scurried to the car and drove to the nearby town to get a reservation for the night.

That night I didn't get a glimpse of sleep when Sara who was sleeping beside me snored. I stayed awake until the following morning when I drifted to sleep.

I woke up later in the day and knocked on Dad and Mom Carissa's room. The door was left open and I walked in.

"Mom! Dad!" I called in several attempts but no one responded.

I was about to walk away when I jolted up because of the sudden bursting of balloons.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!

"Wow! You almost scared me guys."

"Happy birthday honey." Dad gave me a tight hug.

"Birthday big Siz." Little Sara clinged onto me.

"Thank you little Siz." I gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Happy birthday." Carissa gave me a motherly hug and I made it tighter.

"I can see you guys are getting along. It's time for you to make a wish." Dad made me pull away from the warm embrace my mother could never give me. Life had given me a second chance, a second mother and a family to come home to.

I closed my eyes and wished for happiness, love and care in my newfound family.

"What did you wish for?" Little Sara asked.

"Happiness." I muttered.

I blew the candles on the velvet vanilla cake and they clapped for me. For once in a such a long time, I was having a real birthday just like other kids I used to envy back then. I cut the cake and was about to stuff it into my mouth when I felt nauseous. I ran into the bathroom and threw up several times before stepping out.

"Honey, are you okay?" Dad asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." I muttered. Only I knew what that vomiting meant, I was carrying Fox's child. My monthly visitor had delayed and I didn't think much of it until I threw up. After that night Fox had me in the rain, I wasn't on my pill and considering the series of misfortunes that followed suite, I had no time to observe my health.