The silence in the car was awkward as both of them would not stop looking the other way. After the drama at dinner, Mr. Blackwood didn’t even know what to say to Anna, he felt a little bit of embarrassment for starting an argument only to get schooled by his father, after losing the first round of verbal confrontation.
To break the silence, he began. “So… What about Jennifer? I haven’t heard of her in a while.
Anna hummed with a little smile, reluctance to answer on her face. “You are not the only one having Daddy issues,” she couldn’t resist making fun of him.
MB frowned as he turned to her. “What does that mean?”
“Well, Jennifer returned home to sort things out with her father. They are also not on good terms, fathers! I am sure you must understand that. After all...”
“Do you have something to say to me, Ann?” Mr. Blackwood interrupted.
Anna laughed. “Okay, I am sorry, let’s not talk about your father.”
“Good, I appreciate it.” He replied with a straight face.
“Just out of curiosity, I understand that you are hurt, but why do you not want to let go of the past? You can't hate your father forever, you know?”
“Ughh!” Maxwell growled in a deep voice, wondering why she never listens. “Just drop the topic entirely, Anna. I beg you.”
“What if I don’t want to?” she replied with a crumpled face.
Mr. Blackwood shot her a deadly glance; there was something different about this Anna. Was it because he had been away from her for a month or was it something else? She was suddenly much more stubborn, persuasive and conniving.
“If you are so desperate to talk about the past, then how about you answer that question because it also applies to you?” Maxwell uttered.
“What do you mean?” Anna asked, curiosity etched on her face. She was lost by what he meant.
“You know what I mean, Ann. You are only rejecting my advances because of our past, you refused to let go of the Maxwell you first met and acknowledge the new me. You have refused to accept me for who I am now and continue to judge me based on our past.”
Anna immediately looked away from him, unable to stand the truth. “That is not true.” She whispered.
“Yes it is, you just want to punish me for all the things I did and said to you in the past few months, you want to punish me for the way I had treated you, that is why you are refusing my love for you. Take your own advice, forgive and forget the past, then tell me if you still don’t want me in your life.” Mr. Blackwood said.
“MB, it is much more complicated than that,” Anna said in an emotional tone as she summoned the courage to face him.
“Then make it simple, love doesn’t have to be complicated, do you love me, Anna?” he asked sincerely.
Anna once again looked away from him, she couldn’t possibly answer that question. If she was honest about her feelings, then how can she explain to him the reasons she was refusing his proposal?
How does she tell him that she was carrying a child who could possibly belong to her toxic ex-boyfriend?
How does she explain to him that she cannot bring herself to open up to someone again? She wants to but her inner woman has gone into self-defense and would not open up to love again?
Even if this child turns out to be his, was she ready for the baggage that came with dating Maxwell Blackwood? The Maxwell Blackwood she had met was a damaged sadist, how is she certain that he would just fall back into being that miserable guy again?
There was silence between them till they arrived at Anna’s house. She silently bade him goodnight and alighted from the car. As she got inside, she stared out from the window as he drove off.
Slowly, tears began to roll down her eyes. Was she making the right choice by pushing him away? What could be worse than saying yes to him when within, she was repulsive of love? This relationship is doomed to crash if it ever happens, there were so many blockages standing against their love for each other. Maybe it was best that they never got closer than they already were.
**
As Maxwell pulled into the shadow of the mansion, his headlights cut through the night, leaving diamond-like marks on the leaves. He groaned softly before the engine died, and then there was quiet. His fingers were tapping on the steering wheel as he sat there. The weight of the night was still hanging on him like dust.
As he came down and headed for the front door, he noticed her. With worry lines on her face, Maria stood there in the dark like a silver wisp.
"Welcome back, son," she said, and her words soothed his hurt feelings. “Is Annabel alright? I didn’t want to ask earlier today but she didn’t look fine to me.”
Maxwell mumbled, "She's good, mom" and came closer to her, the night air blowing against his face. "Good, but tired." He added
She looked all over his face and saw that there was a storm building behind his eyes. "And you?" she asked, her voice as soft as leaves falling.
He let out a heavy sigh, and the sound filled the silence. "You planned this, mom, didn’t you?" He asked softly, his eyes full of suspicion.
“Planned what?” she replied
“Peter, you knew he would show up here, you were expecting it, weren’t you?”
Maria just smiled, her lips curled in a sad, alert way. "Maybe I did," she said, her voice almost too low to hear. "But it was all in good faith, Dave. I just want my family together again, isn't the time not right?”
Time. The word hung in the air like a thick web that he couldn't get away from. After years of fighting in his head, seeing Peter Forbes again was... well, hard. Seeing his father today was like making a wound that never really healed bigger.
"It was... complicated," was all Mr. Blackwood could say, but the words couldn't describe how upset he was.
She took a step closer and cupped his cheeks. Her touch, which was warm and gentle like sunshine, broke through the ice around his heart.
"I know, sweetheart," she said, feeling bad for him. "I saw the pain and anger in your eyes." Maxwell, holding on to that will only hurt you more, it is about time you let go.”
"Listen, I love you, Mom," he said in a low voice that was rough from sadness. "Yes, I really do but I can’t do what you ask of me... I'll never forgive him."
Maria didn't move. She just held him tighter and looked straight into his eyes. "I understand, sweetheart. I know it's difficult for you, but you are not doing this for him. you are doing this for you. It's the only way to get better and break free from the pain of the past.”
Mr. Blackwood sighed. “Goodnight Mom,” he muttered.
The words hung heavy in the air as he turned away. Did she say forgive? As long as Peter Forbes was the topic of discussion, that was a strange word, a faraway shore that he could barely make out through his pain
“Dave…” She called softly and he paused, turning back to her.
He whispered, "I... I need time," and then turned to leave. He needed time and space to sort out his feelings and thoughts.
Maria watched him leave with a heavy heart that was both full of love and sadness. Even though she knew it would be hard to forget, she was also sure that Maxwell could find his way to the dawn with her love and guidance, plus she wasn’t doing it alone, she had Annabel now.
TBC!!