The Family You Choose

I broke. In that moment, the world lost all sense - or was it just me? I felt the sunlight draining out of my life. I feel the dark creeping in and staining every ornament I held sacred. Staining my heart. Staining my soul. Staining my everything.

I fell to the heated vinyl floor, but it felt as cold as ice. My world froze over the instant he said the piercing words. My husband for nearly a decade. The father to my two wonderful sons. The man I had called lover for so long. How dare he tell me," Your sister and I are lovers!"

I went pale as I sat on the floor staring into oblivion. Flooding my mind with so much in such little time. Then I felt my heart skip a few beats, not like in the movies though. This was horrible, like someone had just ripped out my soul. And in the next second, the world went black.

Dark as it was, a dim little light shone in the middle of it all. Is this it for me? Is this my end? I asked myself as the light shone brighter as if calling me towards it. I took a step forward and all my worries floated away. I was at peace, beautiful undeniable peace. What my husband had just told me faded into the dark. It was just me and this light. And I wanted it to stay that way.

As I stepped closer, the peace grew sweeter, until I heard a voice.

"Nadia, no, don't do this to us! I am so sorry, my sister! Please don't go!" It was her, the girl who had just torn my world apart. And the light disappeared.

With one deep breath I was up, weak and heartbroken, but up. I couldn't make out the four faces looking down at me, but I knew she was there.

And she spoke again,"Thank God you're okay Nad." Then only her face became clear. She didn't mean what she had just said I could see it on her face. If there was an ounce of guilt I would have seen it too, but no.

Then with the faintest voice I coldly said,"Leave my house!"

"Nad, calm down, please," he said and I slowly turned to him.

"Both of you!" I commanded as I sat up.

"Mom, what are you saying?" A soft voice asked from behind me. I turned and saw my two angels sitting there with tears flooding their eyes.

"Why are you saying that dad and aunt Tony should leave?" Asked the eldest of the two, Jerome.

Seeing them brought me a second wave of emotion. It consumed me whole and I broke out in tears. I didn't want them to see me like this.

"Jerome, go and watch TV with your little brother, okay?" I said trying to hold myself together," Mommy, daddy and auntie have some grown-up issues to discuss"

I watched my boys as they stood and walked away, but Tesla, the younger, turned back and blew a kiss before he walked out.

Without turning back to face the traitors I spoke with disdain clear in my voice,"How could you? Both of you?"

"Nad..." Before he could continue I raised my voice and punched the floor. My knuckles shattered, but the pain faded as quick as it came.

"My own... Sister? You are sleeping my own sister?" I turned and stood up to face them directly.

"Nad, your hand," she said,"it's bleeding, we should call a doctor.”

"You did this to me," I said as I caressed her face with my bleeding hand," You broke me, Nafiza!" And the next second, the same hand planted a sharp slap across her pretty little face.

"Nadia, stop it she's pregnant!" Sam yelled as he went to her and held her.

"Pregnant?" I couldn't believe it, these fools had been at it for some time. They even made a baby,"How could you do this to me Sam? My own sister? Pregnant for you?"

"Nad, am so sorry," she said while being held softly in my husband's arms.

"How long has this been happening?"

She looked away, afraid to tell me how long she's been opening her nineteen year old thighs for a thirty five year old man. My thirty five year old man.

"And how far along are you?" But she remained without a response." You shameless idiots, out of my house or I'll call the police." Legally I had the right, Sam bought the house under my name when we got married.

***

They left. Without much struggle. But it seemed way too easy. Then as I stood there, in the middle of my room, it hit me. They had been planning this for longer than I thought, they had a backup plan for when I kicked them out. They wanted me to kick them out and let them finish their love story in harmony. Well, not on my watch.

Over the next few weeks, I contemplated how I would make the lovebirds pay for tearing apart my nest. I went through all the articles I could on how to get back at your ex. Too bad no one ever wrote anything about my situation. And honestly, it would sound awkward. How to get back at your husband and sister who became lovers under your own roof and even made a baby? 

I read through tons of internet advice sites, until I got worn out. I realised I don't just want simple revenge, I wanted mortal payback and I couldn't rest until I finished them, completely! I made a call to an old friend, a shady narcotic I bailed out of jail once. I knew she'd have exactly what I needed. Not drugs, gosh no! Nothing that would diminish my control. I wanted something that could put the control in my hands only.

I met up with her that night, at an old abandoned alley. I gave her a bunch of cash and she gave me what I was craving. A gun with a silencer at the tip." That's for the sound, no one will hear you, but whoever crossed your path will feel you," her crooked advice threw a mix of emotions at me. I mean, I wanted to make them pay, but did I really want them dead. I thought it over for a second then realised I wanted them dead more than anything else in the world, all three of them.

Then I started walking to the apartment building they were now staying in. Three blocks from the alley. I was bent on my decision and nothing and no one could would change my mind... Or so I thought. My phone rang, I took it out and saw that the caller was none other than Samuel himself. I just stared at it for some seconds. It was his first call since he 'eloped' nearly a month ago. Then I picked the call,"Hello, what is it?"

"It's Nafiza," he was out of breath and it scared me. I still cared for them,"We... We ... We were coming from the hospital after a routine check-up and a car hit her."

"What? Is she okay? And the baby?"

"She's dead Nadia, both of them!" I dropped the phone." Hello, Nadia, are you there? Nadia?"

***

Today is the day of her funeral. Our friends and Sam's family came to grieve with us. My family? Well, the only family I had left is being lowered into her final home. And how I wish we had parted on better terms, but oh well, that's life. It's fair sometimes and not so fair other times. And in life , we're supposed to be hurt by our enemies, and sometimes by our friends. But pain like this excruciating fire I feel in my chest is a kind that can only be inflicted by the THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE.