Bitter Truth

Bitter Truth

Julia peeped through the kitchen window. There was no sign of Jo’s car. He had left for work and had left the front door open. No matter how many times Julia reminded Jo to close the door on his way to work, her voice seemed to fall on deaf ears. Jo had invited trouble once again and Julia’s tantrums were ready to welcome him after work. With no option but to close it herself, Julia left the dirty dishes lying in the sink and shut the glass door with a bang. Luckily, the glass did not shatter but the pressure made an imprint of her wet palm on the glass.

Everyone who had met the couple believed Julia was extremely lucky to have a husband like Jo, who was a sensible young man with a charm that could turn any tensed situation into a moment of joy. What others did wonder was why Jo could not change Julia’s personality after five years of marriage. Julia, a light-skinned brunette of medium built was well known for her bad temperament by everyone. Becoming angry over trivial issues was part of her daily life. Much of Julia’s short temper was due to the fact that she was the only child in her family born after fifteen years of marriage. Her parents, Tim and Olivia were both in their forties when Julia was born. For them, she was a gift from heaven after fifteen years of marriage. Tim and Olivia were happy that they had proved the doctors wrong. In fact, Tim was a lot happier than Olivia since the thought of being sterile had haunted him all these years. Now, he could stand tall and announce that he had become a father of a cute little girl.

The day Julia was born; Tim decorated their private room in the hospital with balloons, flowers and toys. Balloons of vibrant colours: red, yellow, pink, blue and green swayed in the gentle wind, as if dancing to welcome baby, Julia. The lovely flowers, mainly roses of bright and pastel colours filled the entire room with warmth and serenity. Each corner of the baby cot had ‘Care Bears’, ‘Teletubbies’, ‘Tweety’, and ‘Winnie the Pooh’. To make the event even more special Tim presented Olivia with an expensive diamond ring that had amethyst in the centre. He hadn’t forgotten her birthstone in all these years of their marriage. It was the happiest moment in his life so he didn’t mind being out of budget by a few thousand dollars. Being showered with surprises one after another was a dream come true for Olivia who couldn’t control her tears of joy which were rolling down her cheeks and had soaked her gown. She had taken Tim in her arms, held him gently, closed her eyes and rejoiced every second of that moment.

The following month, Tim had given a treat to all his colleagues in a seafood restaurant which was one of the exclusive dining places in Blackforest. He was a financial controller in a car dealing firm and could afford throwing expensive parties.

The entire restaurant shimmered with exquisite decorations. Pink and white balloons hung in a parabolic pattern at the entrance of the restaurant. Silver tinsels wrapped around pillars of the restaurant gleamed in white light. A white table cloth lay on the dining table that partially covered its beautifully lathed legs. In the centre of the table stood a pink flower arrangement that drew anyone’s attention who passed by. Plates, cutlery and serviettes all complemented the decorations, indicating the arrival of a baby girl.

Tim was extremely grateful to his friend, Mark for organising the party. Mark who was a tall, handsome man with a good sense of humour had moved to Blackforest the year before Julia was born. Tim and Mark became very close friends within a few weeks of Mark’s arrival.

Mark delivered a wonderful speech that night, a short one though. As Mark stood up to propose a toast for Tim and his family, a wave of silence flowed in. On behalf of all the guests, he congratulated Tim and Olivia on the arrival of their bundle of joy. Taking a glance at the proud couple, Mark emotionally expressed the happiness of becoming parents; a privilege some are deprived of. He sincerely thanked the couple, especially Tim for sharing the special occasion with his colleagues. Cheers and clapping began as soon as Mark concluded his speech. Glasses were continuously being filled with champagne; empty dishes replaced with dishes topped with delicious seafood. Olivia looked pretty in her purple, chiffon dress while Tim looked handsome in his black and white tuxedo. Julia’s white dress, pink hat and shoes gave her a cute appearance. The celebration lasted slightly past eleven o’clock. Everyone returned home, taking with them happy memories.

Time had passed so quickly. It had been twenty six years since Mark had moved to Blackforest and Julia was now twenty five.

Just as she was placing the last saucer in the drawer, the bird cuckooed six times. Without looking at the clock, she knew Jo would be home any minute and there he was! She saw his car and she hurried to lock the front door. For her, this was the perfect way to teach Jo a lesson for being forgetful. He would never dare to be careless again, she thought. She then walked to the laundry with a peaceful mind to finish her last chore. Being baked in the sun for long, the clothes had become crisp and were waiting to be folded.

Jo tried to open the door but couldn’t since Julia had locked it from inside. He knocked on the door several times but Julia pretended no one was at the door. Her car was parked in the garage; she never went for a walk without him so he knew she was home.

He realised this was his punishment for the day; to be locked outside. After several failed attempts the only thing he could think of was to enter the house through the bedroom balcony which could be reached by a ladder. The bedroom was on the second level overlooking the sea so the doors were generally left open to allow for the nice breeze.

After a lot of hustle and bustle, Jo managed to get into the bedroom. As he was taking off his shoes, Julia entered the room with the pile of folded clothes in her hands.

“Why didn’t you close the door today? Why are you always so careless?” she asked, giving him a fiery look. Dumping the pile of clothes on the bed she stood in front of him with her arms crossed; her glaring eyes demanded a good explanation for the morning incident.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry,” Jo said. “I had to carry so many files to the car. Just when I had thought of closing it, my secretary called and reminded me that I was getting late for a meeting.”

He was expecting this from her; being welcomed with rage so had come home well prepared. Although Jo did not have much success in changing Julia’s personality over the years, he had mastered the art of dealing with it. Without further delay, he handed out a bouquet of red roses and a box of heart-shaped chocolates to Julia. To his amazement, Julia’s temper had disappeared like a drop of ink in the ocean.

“Thank you, darling, they’re lovely,” she complimented and went straight into Jo’s arms. Jo sighed with relief. The red roses and chocolates had done the job. He certainly wouldn’t mind spending on them again. Smiling at his thoughts, he stepped into the bathroom to have a warm shower.

Delighted with the lovely surprise Julia decided to drop the idea of making egg salad for dinner. Instead, she prepared grilled fish and lamb casserole, both of which were Jo’s favourite. The dinner table was lit with aromatherapy candles; their effect quite mesmerising. Sensual aroma, soft lighting and beautiful long-stemmed roses casted a romantic mood on the two and drifted them into the world of their own. They spoke softly, sipping chilled wine. Soft music releasing pleasant notes cleansed the whole atmosphere leaving no traces of negativity and tension between the two.

Fresh breeze touched Julia’s body as she opened the bedroom door. Standing in the balcony she gazed at the calm sea; the clear blue sky; and the towering mountains displaying their lush greenery. There was nothing more fascinating than waking up each day to be surrounded by nature’s sheer beauty.

Jo had gone to work leaving a note for Julia on her dressing table. To her relief, he had not skipped breakfast and she could now tidy the room without any guilt. She loved him for being considerate when it was most needed.

Memories of the previous night flowed through her mind; she re-experienced the lovely feeling of dancing with him. In her heart, she hoped for more wonderful nights. Engrossed in her thoughts, she tidied the room.

Realising that she will be late for her pilates session, she made a quick head towards the bathroom. There was no time for a bath so she opted for a shower. While in the shower, the phone rang. Leaving the bathroom with traces of foam on her body, she answered the phone. It was from her mum.

Her mother’s voice sounded as if she was in deep pain. Even though Julia tried to find out the reason for her mother’s misery, she refused to discuss it over the phone. Julia knew it was a serious matter and was curious to find out. Negative thoughts clouded her mind, making her restless.

“What was so important that could not be discussed over the phone?” Julia thought as she blow dried her hair. She picked up the phone to discuss the matter with Jo but was disrupted by the sound of the doorbell. With a perplexed mind, she rushed to open the door and found her mother standing dressed in a creased nightie.

What’s the matter, mum?” Julia asked seeing her mother’s red eyes and swollen nose. In all these years her mother hadn’t come to her house as early as eight in the morning. What Julia found more surprising was her mother’s unusual dressing.

Olivia burst into tears and hugged her daughter tightly. “Your dad is no more………he has left us,” Olivia cried.

“What are you saying, mum? I spoke to daddy yesterday,” Julia exclaimed.
There was pin drop silence for sometime before Olivia confessed with tears dripping down her face, “Mark is dead and …………..he was your real father. I don’t know how to tell you this……..Mark had become a good friend of Tim soon after he moved to Blackforest. Tim often used to be away on business trips and I was lonely most of the time. He had asked Mark to look after me in his absence. It was during these frequent visits we began having…….. feelings for each other. It wasn’t long before we had become intimate. Within a few weeks, I was pregnant. I knew he was the father. We did a medical test and I was correct. Both Mark and I never had the courage to tell Tim the truth so we decided to keep this secret to ourselves. This morning I got a call from Mark’s sister, Mary. Tim was fast asleep at that time. She told me that Mark passed away; he had a heart attack and that’s when I called you.”


Her mother’s words echoed in her ears. She stood shocked not knowing what to say. It was like she had been storm-tossed by a huge wave under water and thrown back on the shore to remember the painful experience for the rest of her life. Finally, she asked with bitterness in her voice “How could you betray the man you married and……….. your daughter? I can’t believe you’ve been hiding all this from us and for…… so long. How could you do this, mum? How could you?”

“You can say anything you like to make you feel better,” Olivia interrupted. Anyone would’ve reacted the way you have but honey ……………….., I need your help now. Please come with me so I can tell Tim about Mark and lift this burden of guilt from my shoulders.”


Julia only wished all that had been said by her mother was untrue. Although she was sad that her real father had died, she was more sympathetic towards Tim whom she had called ‘daddy’ all these years. In Julia’s heart, Tim was her real father since he had given her all the love and care that a father needs to give to his child. Even though she had grown up, she was always her daddy’s little girl. Julia hated her mother for the betrayal but she felt it was time for the moment of truth. She didn’t want her ‘daddy’ to be left in the dark anymore so she accompanied her mother on the most difficult journey. None of them uttered a word or exchanged glances on the way. Both were occupied with the thought of telling Tim the truth and the consequences it would have.

It was slightly before 9 a.m. As usual, Tim was in his garden. Despite being in his sixties, he was strong and healthy for outdoor activities; gardening being one of his favourite pastimes. Seeing his own produce daily gave him immense pleasure, a joy that brought radiance in his eyes.

As soon as Tim saw Olivia and Julia getting out of the car, he picked fresh apples from the tree and made his way to meet them.

“Hi ladies, look what lovely apples I’ve got for you!” Tim greeted them with a big smile.

“Hi daddy,” replied Julia giving him a big hug. She could see the wrinkles on his face even after he stopped smiling, her father was growing old. She rubbed her eyes to hide her emotions which had taken the form of tears.

“Darling, you look upset. Is everything all right?” Tim asked Olivia. He could sense something was wrong since Olivia’s eyes were red and her nose was quite swollen.

Both Olivia and Julia stood quiet gazing at each other and at Tim, not knowing what to say next. Olivia quietly uttered, “Can we get inside?”


“Sure, let’s get in,’’ replied Tim. He held Olivia and escorted her inside. His gentle touch; his affectionate look reflected his enduring love for her. She was once again caught by the feelings of guilt that were now accusing her of her shameful act.

“How could she betray a person whose honesty she had always admired?” she questioned herself.

But…….. she couldn’t control herself from loving the two men…… equally. Both had the qualities that she admired in a man. She loved Tim because he was a responsible, caring and honest person. She fell for Mark because he was quite handsome, funny and an open-minded person.

Tim who now had become quite anxious by Olivia’s silence asked reaching for her hand, “What is it, dear?”

“Mark passed away this morning,” Olivia sobbed. “His sister called while you were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you up so I left a note for you saying I was going to Julia’s place.”

The shocking news left Tim numb who didn’t utter a word for sometime. Sitting still on the sofa, he gazed at Mark’s photo on the wall that had been taken a few years back at work. His memories traced back to the enjoyable times they had spent together as colleagues and more importantly as friends. Finally, he broke the silence.

“Do you mean to say that my buddy is no more?” he asked in disbelief. “That can’t be true. I saw him yesterday. He was fit and fine. We even cracked a few jokes,” he reiterated his feeling.

Julia could see her daddy not accepting the fact that his best friend had passed away. Seeing him distressed, she moved closer to him.

“Yes, daddy……he is no more,” Julia assured him by gently placing her hands on his shoulder.

“He had a heart attack,” Olivia reinforced.


As much as Tim wished his friend to be alive, he couldn’t deny that converse was true. Julia’s and Olivia’s words reflected the fact of life that was beyond anyone’s control.

“Let’s go to his sister’s house,” suggested Tim. His voice was heavy, gesturing his grief over the loss of his best friend.

“Wait a minute, daddy,” Julia uttered raising her eyebrows at her mother.

Olivia understood her gesture. It was her turn to tell Tim the truth; a truth that could change their relationship forever. Her heart began pounding; each beat so powerful that it could be felt in her ears. She turned pale as she looked at Tim imagining how he would react. Fear of losing him was the last thing she could think of. Her greatest fear was crippling her whole body making her weak and speechless.

As she turned around, her eyes fell on Mark’s photo on the wall. All of a sudden, she felt energised as if huge amount of energy had spread throughout her body, giving her the strength to face what lay ahead. Taking a deep breath she walked to Tim who had been standing in the hallway waiting for her to speak.

“I’ve hidden something from you,” Olivia confessed, looking straight in his eyes. “You are not……..Julia’s father. Mark was her father.”

The whole atmosphere filled with shock. Tim felt a stabbing pain in his chest as Olivia’s words penetrated his heart; each word leaving behind a permanent mark that he would never forget. His life had been torn apart by his best friend and his beloved wife. In his heart, Tim knew that his feelings for her would never be the same again; she had failed to respect his most valuable virtue, trust. With pain and agony, he entered the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Reviews

[ZeniaK]

The scandal!!!! At first when I was reading this I was thinking, "Why is it called Bitter Truth??" because it seemed so sweet and nice but then when you said Mark was the father my mouth was literally gaping in shock. Great story, written really, really well and the characters were so believable, they were just like real people!

[Praveeta]

Thank you for your lovely review. I highly appreciate your time and invaluable feedback.

[SANDEEP SHETTY]

A good story I can say...

[Praveeta]

Thank you Sandeep.

[Vidya Bacchus]

This is a wonderfully written piece my friend.Your characters are so relatable.Life is a winding road and you never know where it will take you.You have portrayed this very well.A gret write:)

[Praveeta]

Hi Vidya,

Thank you for your positive feedback. I really appreciate your input.

Praveeta

[Vidya Bacchus]

You are welcome Praveeta:)

[Vivie]

I read through this, first getting hooked in on Julia's character. I like the way the characters were carefully woven into the story, and how diverse they were in a sense. I have to admit, I was a bit shocked by the end, and that's saying something. Unpredictable, which is quite good work. The only critique I have is the way you inforced a stop in dialogue with the "..." Usually it is only necessary to place three period marks, and unnecessary to place any more of that in a stop of dialogue. I found it somewhat distracting. Overall, for your story, well done!

[Praveeta]

Hi,

Thanks for your time in reading my story and for liking my characters. I must admit I loved creating them. I am really glad for a constructive feedback.

Praveeta

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

I love how multi dimensional you make all of your characters, particularly Julia. The background story was interesting, though you might want italics or something else that differentiates it from the present. Good work.

[Praveeta]

Thank you Cher for your review.