Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

Few weeks ago…

"Thank you, Marie," Hazel said quietly.

Marie gripped the steering wheel a little too tight, steeling herself not to cry. The tears were threatening to spill out at any moment.

"What for, exactly?" Marie asked, controlling her voice from cracking.

Hazel smiled weakly and whispered softly, "For taking care of me,"

"You deserve life and happiness," Marie whispered back and turned to look at Hazel.

Looking closer between them, the only difference they had was in the length of their hair and body size, otherwise, they could have been mistaken for identical twins.

Marie's hair was longer and she was on the plump side, while Hazel's hair was shorter and she was so thin and frail, her skin was pale and eyes sallow, as opposed to Marie's vibrant skin and eyes 

"You are an angel, Hazel. You deserve everything good,'' Marie continued.

The mood in the car was somber. Hazel reached out her hand and placed it on Marie's shoulder. Her hands were cold.

"Maybe, like you say, if I'm an angel, I should be up there with Him,"

"Oh, please, save me that…" Marie did not trust herself anymore behind the steering wheel so she pulled over in front of a café.

Hazel stepped out of the car and walked over to Marie's side.

"Come out, please, and stop crying," Hazel's voice was so weak and soft which made Marie cry harder.

Hazel's condition was really bad, but Hazel never took it that way.

"C'mon, Marie," Hazel nudged her, putting her arms around Marie in the process. "If anyone sees you this way, they will think you have boy problems," Hazel tried to lighten the mood.

Marie's sobs had subsided. She wiped the tears off her eyes and sniffed, stepping out of the car.

"Let's go get some snacks," Marie suggested weakly as she closed the car door.

After getting some snacks and coffee, they drove to a park. The evening was quite breezy as they strolled around the park, watching people (mostly couples) hangout. Marie started reminiscing about their past.

"I would exchange my health for yours in a heartbeat, Hazel. You know that, right?" Marie suddenly spoke up.

Hazel knew that. She knew how much Marie meant what she said but decided to ignore it this time.

"After mom and dad died when I was around three," Marie paused, then continued. "You were barely six years old when you took up motherly duties, with no one to help you with them,"

A stray tear rolled down Marie's eyes, "No one ever tried to check up on us or help us, just because our parents had been really proud and snobbish, pushing everyone away,"

Hazel remembered. She was only six years old when she learned how to take care of herself and a three year old. Sure, they had had maids, but after their parents were assassinated, the maids lorded the house and squandered their parent's money. Hazel learnt life the hard way.

"I did not even help out matters," Marie sniffed after she took a sip of her coffee, "I was very stubborn and hotheaded. Thinking about that, I can't help but hate myself," Marie smiled bitterly at the memory.

Growing up, Marie was not calm or quiet like she was now, in fact, she was the exact opposite of that description. She had always been rude, obnoxious, throwing tantrums, getting into street fights. She acted that way towards Hazel too, but it never really bothered Hazel.

Her actions always stressed Hazel, but Hazel seemed nonchalant towards it, even when she half-heartedly reprimanded Marie.

"You were quite a character, I recall," Hazel chuckled, remembering the explosive tantrums Marie had when she wanted something. "You changed suddenly at some point, I wonder what happened,"

Marie tensed at that question. A lot of things happened during her late teenage years, that was when she had begun to appreciate Hazel's presence in her life. 

Sighing, her mind went back to a memory that triggered her so much.

She was walking down the lonely path leading away from the house one evening when she met a scene that frightened her to the marrow.

A group of six guys were surrounding Hazel who held tightly on to a small package. They started touching her inappropriately which infuriated her as she hated such things. 

Luckily, a car was coming towards the lane and the guys started dispersing, calling out to Hazel that they would soon see again.

She had watched Hazel from the bush, running towards their house in tears. Getting back home to see Hazel in smiles, as if nothing had happened earlier, Marie was shocked. She lost it when she discovered that the small package was a necklace Marie had thrown a tantrum about getting.

Marie remembered having an emotional breakdown throughout the night as she wondered what exactly Hazel had always gone through just to make her happy. Marie hated herself, and in a ft of rage, she seeked those guys out one by one, and things went south immediately.

Five of them were in critical conditions when she left them, and one had unfortunately died due to an illness he had prior to the beating.

Marie remembered the fear she felt after she realized what she had done. Even if she didn't regret her actions, she swore never to be violent again. 

The police never suspected her because she had no contact with them, and there was no form of evidence at the scene. Plus, they gave up trying to find one.

"Nothing happened. I just decided that my attitude towards you was really unnecessary. That was enough for me to stop," Marie quietly replied, staring intently at a spot in the park. 

Strands of hair covered part of her face, and she moved to tuck them behind her ears.

"I never got to say thank you," Marie spoke after a few minutes of silence. The look on her face portrayed how much she had longed to say it. "Thank you for being my mother, Hazel,"

Hazel smiled sadly and quietly pulled Marie into her arms. The unsaid things between them was said in the hug.

After they pulled away, Marie spoke again, "I applied for the loan, I should be getting a response tomorrow,"

"You didn't have to…" Hazel was moved to tears for the first time that

evening.

"I will do anything for you, Hazel. Anything…" Marie whispered the last part.