Claire used her eyes to follow the movement of the book as it settle on Daisy's hands. Then her eyes drifted to her mother's eyes, curiosity feeling her soul. Was she going to show her photos of her children? Well, Claire was interested in seeing Donald's photo.
"I took pictures of them and I literally stare at them almost every day because I miss my child, Corey," she opened the book and began revealing to Claire her children's photo. And from how she explained it, Corey really was gentle and calm. In every photo, he was smiling calmly while his brother looked super excited and more capable than his brother.
"They are cute but where's Corey?" Claire asked. Raising her head at her mother-in-law, she saw tears.
"He died," Daisy answered simply. "He didn't want to go, I made him and I shouldn't have, I really shouldn't have. For days I couldn't find my sons. They told me they were going to play and it wasn't the first time Claire," Daisy became so emotional that she took the girl's hand.
"Hmm," Claire answered, feeling vulnerable for her mother.
"He left with his brother and for days we searched for them and saw them in an abandoned building. There was fire, I saw my sons tied to blocks separately. I desperately wanted to go get them but the fire in my way stopped me. My husband too was holding me back so my husband's brother said he'd go save them.
The fire increased after Donald was free and he told me he'd bring my son out. I heard my child cry out to me but I couldn't do anything, he called my name crying that it was too hot for him to bare but I couldn't find him because the fire had covered all my view so my husband took me and Donald out of the building. His voice kept ringing in my head and when the explosion expanded I ran mad. My son Corey, why him? I stayed in the psychiatric hospital for five years because I keep hearing his voice, his cries and how much he needed me but I failed to be a good mother to him." Daisy's head fell as she sobbed. "I miss him," she muttered.
Claire suddenly felt this sharp pain in her chest, she leaned closer to Daisy and hugged her, stroking her back gently. "He was my favourite, I love them both but the way he leans on me for everything, seek me first and celebrates whenever he sees me around or when I come back from work. He'd stare at me waiting for me to extend my hand for him to come to hug me and he'd run to me. Donald, immediately he sees me, he surrounds me with his hands but Corey always waits for me to give him a gesture. I wanted him to go without me gesturing first but he was always that way.
Then one day when I arrived, I didn't stretch out my hands. After Donald hugged and kissed me, I decided to act as if Corey wasn't there. I walked past him to my room as their father arrives home later. He followed me and called me, so I turned around only for him to extend his hand as if reminding me that I didn't do it to him. I smiled brightly at him and leaned down to his level. "Come and hug me instead," I said to him and he came to me and wrapped my neck. I remember his voice. "Mummy, I got high grades today, I want to show you," his voice was cuter even though he sounded just like his brother. It would be easy to differentiate between both of them but their voices confuse me sometimes and I usually know who is Corey and who is Donald by their facial expressions. Right now, I miss Corey. Donald had been nothing but stubborn to me, he treats me as if he doesn't need me and show to me that he was older.
I know it's true but I'm his mother, he should kiss me too."
Claire only smiled, "I'm sure wherever Corey is, he's happy and has forgiven you." If only they both knew.
"I hope so," Daisy nodded her head and soon they returned to watching the photo albums. Daisy showed her mostly Donald's pictures.
Meanwhile, Corey was taken to a chicken restaurant. He had been thinking and imagining what his uncle might do to him. Although he had told himself that his uncle couldn't kill him no matter what but the truth was that, his uncle could get revenge on his brother without him. Using him was just an easy way of getting into his family and using Corey would be devastating to the Tiffins.
Corey was still being held tightly even though they knew he couldn't run away. He had been feeling tired ever since he killed his brother but he had pushed himself to be strong. Especially when he Injured himself for Claire.
As he went closer to the secret room of the restaurant, his heart began to react in fear and his throat went dry as he swallowed but still was dry.
Soon, he was in the room and the door went shut the moment he saw his uncle staring at the outside world, back facing him that was coming in, escorted by those two. "Corey," he heard his name from that voice that had done nothing but send shivers down his spine for fifteen years. His uncle hadn't totally been strict and ruthless to him but he expressed his ruthless side to him more as if he hated him but Corey refused to believe his uncle hated him.
Sitting on a wooden chair he watched his uncle turn around to face him, causing his head to press down.
"Good day, uncle," Corey fearfully let out. He was feeling sick in his stomach and sleepy at the same time.
"Care to explain to me why I called to see you?"
After hearing that question, Corey now realized that he was sweating because when he looked up to get a hint from his uncle's eyes, his sweat fell off his temple and then he realized his forehead was sweaty.