Chapter 3: The Call

A Chapter by Kyle

A phone call changes the lives of the siblings forever... Due to explicit language this is for teens and older.

"So how long do you have", Johnny asked the voice on the phone. The voice on the other end was the voice of his and Fiona's mother. "Weeks??", Johnny was confused.

Fiona and Johnny had been abused by their mother and father growing up. That abuse brought the siblings closer. However, Johnny never really blamed his mother for all the pain. One night he had walked in on his mother and father fighting. His mother tried to reason with their father that night to stop abusing their children but the drunk father laid her out. Johnny had rushed in and tried to stop his father but he too was knocked out by the man who claimed to be his dad. Fiona and Johnny both had distain for their parents, however Johnny tried to forgive their mother as she was the one who at the end left their abusive father for her children. By that time the damage was done to their relationships and Fiona and Johnny went on their own way. "I'll tell her mom, but I don't know how she will take this." Johnny hung up the phone, shocked at what had just transpired.

Fiona was in the shower thinking to herself. When she took showers she would use the time alone to ponder life. From fashion in Madrid to the stock market in New York, she thought about it all. However, tonight strange thoughts rushed through her head. "I wander how just called Johnny? He seemed shocked", she thought to herself. "Whoever it was, it seemed important." As she finished her shower, she decided to go out and ask Johnny about the phone call. They were tight, and she knew he would not keep anything from her.

Johnny heard the bathroom door open, and out came his sister. She was dressed in her silk pajamas and had her hair pulled back. She could tell from his facial

expression that whatever just happened on the phone must have been very important. "Johnny, are you okay?" She rushed over to hug him. Johnny was speechless. "Whats wrong Jon-Jon? You know I'm here for you." Finally, Johnny spoke. "Fi, you might want to have a seat. We need to talk." Fiona was stunned, she knew this was not going to be a pleasent conversation, the ones they had grown use to lately. Fiona sat, and Johnny sat next to her and took her hand. This was going to take all of Johnny's energy to say what he needed to say. With words still running threw his head, he tried to find the right ones to use. He looked her straight in the eyes, and let it out. "Fiona, that call I just had. That was mom on the other line." "Mom?" Fiona said with a confused look. "What the hell did she want? Let me guess Jon, she wanted us to loan her some money so she could feed her drug habit?" Johnny tried to interupt, "Fiona, she is dy.." "I can't believe that b***h. I swear to God, I hate her Johnny, I f*****g hate her!" Johnny let her continue, she needed to vent he figured. "She just thinks she can march right back into our lives. Where was she when dad beat you, or beat me? She never tried to stop him Jon." Fiona said. "Listen Fi", Johnny said basically yelling now. "Stop it right now Fiona, she tried to change in the end. She left dad didn't she?" Fiona was stunned that Johnny was yelling like that. He never yelled at her like that. "Yeah Johnny, she tried to change. However, for us the damage was done. She changed a little too late Johnny, and I'm never going to forgive her." Johnny stood up and wiped the sweat from his face. He was stressing now, and a little mad at Fiona. "I'm sorry you feel that way sis. By the way, not that you care but that was mom calling to tell us that she only has a few weeks left on this planet! She has stage four bladder cancer, and the chemotherapy failed. She wants to ask us for forgiveness but it seems like you already have your mind made up. Goodnight sis." Johnny went to his bedroom and left his sister on the couch stunned.

Fiona sat on the couch trying to sort everything out. "Who does he think he is? Does he not remember the hell she put us through? The only reason she wants us to

forgive her is because she is dying. Hell, if she had years left she would not have asked for forgiveness. I don't care what Johnny thinks. I cant forgive that woman

for doing to us what she did." Fiona thought to herself. "Forgiveness, yeah not happening", Fiona let out a little laugh. "Karma bit her in the a*s!" she said softly.

In her mind, the cancer was payback for the years of torture her mother put her through. Fiona stood up and went to her room, with a little smile on her face as she

drifted to sleep.

Johnny laid in bed knowing another sleepless night was in store. He did not expect that reaction from Fiona, yet in a way he understood where she was coming from. It

took him awhile to learn to forgive, and hopefully Fiona would learn to forgive as well. "This is going to be harder then I thought. There is no way Fiona is going to

grant his dying mothers wish of forgiveness. I suppose it's her choice, and I should not try and force it either way. She is my sister and she has always been by myside and I won't abandon her now. I was kind of hard on her, perhaps I should go and check on her." Johnny got up and went to his sisters room.

"Fiona, Fiona, Fiona?" Fiona was asleep but awoke to Johnny laying in bed with her. "Hey Fi, can we talk?" Fiona looked at him and smiled. "Of course" she said. "I'm

really sorry for being so hard on you tonight. I know where you stand, and thats your choice." Johnny said. "Your damn right Jon, that is my choice and my mind is made up." Fiona said angerly. "Calm down sis, I support you. Whatever you do, I'm here for you. Also mom is coming by tomorrow. If you want, I can meet her somewhere else." Johnny said. "Johnny, I won't forgive her but I know how tough this is going to be for you. I'll be by yourside, I promise." Fiona said in a soft voice. "Thanks sis, I need that." Johnny replied.

At 3 PM, as planned a knock was heard on the door. Johnny slowly walked to the door and opened it. "Hi Mom" Johnny said as they embraced. Throughout the evening, Johnny, Fiona, and their mother talked. They had take out ordered and discussed things ranging from the past to the mothers funeral plans. She had put both of them in her will and she was planning on leaving them all the money from her estate. After the divorce, she had got quite a bit of the fathers share holdings which turned out to be quite a bit of money when she cashed them in. "It's the least I can do" she said. Fiona was on her best behavior but only because of her brother. As they were getting ready to say their goodbyes, Fiona offered to walk her mother to her car. Johnny decided to let the two of them be alone. "It's what's best for Fiona" he thought.

Fiona and her mother left the apartment and walked towards her mothers car. "So you think 100,000 dollars is going to take away me and Johnnys pain?" Fiona asked her mom who was shocked by the question. "Fiona.. I, I.." Fiona laughed, "Your speechless, because you know I'm right. That money, it will never erase our scars. I mean, how could you mom? That b*****d raped me, and you just stood there!" Fionas mom began to cry. "I know you will never forgive me Fi, just as I will never be able to forgive myself." Fionas mom replied in a cracked tone. "Your lucky that Johnny does not know about that incident, or you would not have his forgiveness right now. You would die, without ever being mourned by him. For his wellbeing, I'll never tell him about that day. I care too much for my brother, I love him to death." Fiona began to cry and her mother tried to hug her. "I'm sorry Fi" she said as she tried to hug Fiona, but Fiona pushed her off. "Back off b***h! As far as I'm concered mom, you have already been dead to me since that day when you watched your baby girl raped by the man who pretended to be our daddy. So now, saying goodbye is much to easy for me." Fiona walked away wiping the tears from her face as her mother stood and watched. "I love you Fiona, I always will" she thought to herself as she watched her daughter walk away for the last time.

The sound of a phone ringing late a night woke both of the siblings up. Johnny answered the phone and on the other line was a paramedic from his mothers home city. "I regret to inform you that Sarah Coyne was in a car accident tonight. She was unable to survive her injuries, I'm terribly sorry for your loss." the voice on the other line said to Johnny. Tears began to run down Johnnys face. He hung up the phone and stood in silence. Fiona rushed over and held him tight as he cried on her

shoulders. She knew before he even had the chance to tell her what had happen. She knew that her mother had just parished, and a wirlwind of emotions began to spiral through her mind. She remmebered the last things she had said to her mother. Those were most likely the last words anyone had said to her mother. She began to cry as well. Brother and sister, mourning their mothers loss together. However, for one of them the pain was going to become much worse.

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