Chapter 15
The funeral of Paisley's grandfather was held in Oakwood.
On account of the long distance, her grandfather was sent back to Plence after cremation in Oakwood. He spent most of his life in Plence, and finally died of illness in a strange land. Only Madison's business partners came to offer their condolences. Paisley stood aside in black, bowing to the mourners and taking care of her weak mother.
Overnight, Madison seemed to be much older than before. Even make-up couldn't cover her tiredness and sadness.
So did Paisley who was not a lively person loving to laugh. She bowed mechanically with hollow eyes, in alienating aloofness.
She saw Greyson at the funeral. It was the first time they met after Paisley stop asking him for living expenses.
She recognized her father from a distance. When noticing the boy and women around him, her eyes were dull. Taking into account his ex-wife's feelings, Greyson came into the mourning hall alone.
He didn't look old in a black suit, looking like a successful personage with a flourishing career and a happy family. He took a bow and then walked towards Madison and Paisley.
Paisley held the arm of her mother who was slightly trembling.
They has been divorced for eight years. Now they met again, one was sorrowful and the other was courteous.
Paisley looked at Greyson and bowed to him indifferently.
Greyson said, "Paise, I haven't see you for a long time", a little embarrassed.
Paisley looked up at him without feelings.
Normally, a father should know his daughter well, and a daughter should be close to her father. They should not have mouthed some ritual and superficial words. They should sit face to face in a restaurant or a coffee shop and be on very intimate terms with each other.
Madison also noticed the silence of awkwardness and politely said, "Thank you for coming."
The love was gone. Their love and hatred had dissipated in time. The reason why Greyson came was he wanted to show respect for Paisley's grandfather and the bygone years. That's all.
Greyson said, "I didn't even know you were in Oakwood. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need me. "
"Thank you." Madison replied with dignity.
They were like strangers
Greyson said a few more words. Before leaving, he touched Paisley's hair with emotion. "Paise, you can come to my house when you are free."
Paisley stood still, bowing her head and said, "Goodbye, dad."
Greyson paused for a while, then took a look at her and left.
Until his figure vanished from sight, Madison said helplessly, "Paise, you should be closer to your father."
"I will." Paisley nodded. She didn't want to make her mother angry.
After a brief mourning ceremony, the coffin containing her grandfather's body was transferred to the crematorium, she held Madison tightly.
Even if she was overwhelmed with heart torn to pieces, she had to hold her mother to prevent her from falling down.
Madison was all skin and bone. They had nothing but each other.
In an hour and a half, neither Paisley nor Madison cried again.
Paisley supported her mother. Her grandfather had been gone forever. She couldn't even touch him.
After the cremation, Paisley took a cinerary casket back to Plence with Madison.
They bought the most expensive cemetery. This time, a lot of relatives and friends of Paisley's grandfather came to condole and express sadness.
Plence was a small city full of love. Many people help Madison hold the funeral. After that, Paisley asked some familiar relatives to take care of Madison. She wanted to stay in the cemetery for a while.
Madison was exhausted these days. She needed a good rest.
Paisley said, "Mom, I just want to spend more time with grandpa. I'm okay. Don't worry about me."
Everyone was leaving.
Her grandfather had been good to her since she was a child. However, he passed away helplessly on the cold floor because of her.
Paisley sat in front of the tombstone, staring at her grandfather's photo. He was smiling kindly at her.
"Grandpa..." Paisley touched him in the photo.
She seemed to have no tears left. Her heart seemed to be broken.
Leaning against the tombstone, she thought that her grandfather would feel cold underground. She had promised that she would buy him a big house and take him to travel around, but now everything was too late.
Paisley closed her eyes in pain. She was so tired that she fell asleep unconsciously.
When she woke up, it was already dusk, and she had to go back. She dreamed that everything was a dream. If only it were a dream. She hoped that her grandfather would be still alive and smile at her.
She stood up, found a shirt on her, then she saw Matthew standing in the corner.
He didn't look well either, whose face was covered with the stubble, and stared at her nervously.
How dare he came here? Paisley was filled with resentment, but she really had no energy. She threw away the shirt and walked back without giving him a look.
When she got home, the yard was in a mess. Several neighbors were cleaning.
In Plence, large numbers of relatives and neighbors would be invited to funerals.
Paisley looked at the neighbors who were talking and laughing. Exactly, an old man's death had nothing to do with them, and only dear ones were sorrowful and painful.
A few days later, the old house was restored to its previous serenity, even quieter than before, seeming that it could no longer be lively.
Paisley became more taciturn, staying in the room almost every day.
Madison was in a low spirit either. By comparison, she had been through a lot of tough times. When staying in Plence, she had received lots of urgent business calls. She planned to go back to Oakwood with Paisley, but Paisley refused. She wanted to have a long stay in the old house when the traces of her grandfather were not effaced by dust.
When Madison left, she looked at Paisley and wanted to say something.
Her father died suddenly, and she was too flustered these days to forget to ask her daughter where she went that night. She remembered that Paisley wasn't wearing her own clothes and had love bites on her neck. But the girl had grown up, Madison didn't ask anything. She only told Paisley to call her when necessary.
Paisley nodded. She was the only one left.
Her life was composed of reading, being in a trance and sleeping. She couldn't sleep well and dreamed almost every night. Woken by a nightmare, she felt sad and lonely in the empty room, so she sat in a daze until dawn.
Day after day, in less than half a month, she became very thin, almost to the point of emaciation.
She didn't want to go out. Sometimes she went out to buy food, and she always felt being followed.
Paisley knew it's Matthew. He still stayed in the hostel where he had stayed last time. He put three meals at the door of her house every day. He followed her wherever she went, keeping a distance. From the moment she heard her grandfather's death, they had broken up.
She was in a muddle every day. She didn't think about Matthew nor tomorrow, and she even didn't dare to think about her grandfather. Shrouded in great sadness, she lost her vitality little by little.
Instant death tended to be accompanied by eternal pain. At first, people were ignorant. You might think you can accept someone's leaving. But many years later, maybe you woke up from your dream and cried helplessly in the dark. At that time, you would really understand the true meaning of farewell.
Fate was cruel.
Paisley plunged into the hole she dug to escape from reality like an ostrich. However, she felt physically sick. She had no appetite at all and felt nauseated. At first, she thought she was ill, but she suddenly remembered that night after a few days...
Paisley was startled by her conjecture and shook her head instinctively. That's impossible! That night, Matthew had given her endless humiliation and pain. No, it's unfair!
She hesitated for a long time, and finally bought pregnancy test papers in a pharmacy .
Fearing for being recognized, she wore big sunglasses. When she got home, she took the test according to the instructions. With hands trembling, she closed her eyes to pray. But life always had the power to give you a blow. There were two red strips.
Positive... She was pregnant...
Until the whole packet of test papers were used up, she leaned against the wall in despair.
It's not fair at all. Why should she bear the mistakes made by others?
The twenty-year-old girl felt panic and helpless. She was beyond the age of youth and ignorance. At the same time, she was not completely independent and could not be responsible for a child. She just went to college. How could she be pregnant?
Paisley was frightened and instinctively wanted to call Madison, but she had rung off before her mother answered the phone.
No, she couldn't do that. How could she explain to her mother that she was raped by her boyfriend and started pregnancy? Who would trust her? She still remembered her mother had slapped and scolded her long before.
Madison quickly called back. Paisley said nothing. She stood up with her weak legs. She decided to have an abortion!
She must scrape everything that Matthew had left in her body, thus she had nothing to do with him in the future.
She didn't even want to remind herself that it was a life.
She just told herself over and over again that it was a shame!
Paisley went out at a loss, looking restless and pale. She didn't know what to do, just thought she should bring more money. She too a taxi to the hospital often advertised on TV. After hesitating for ten minutes, she entered there.
It was a private hospital which was decorated like a club. The girl behind the reception desk kindly ask, "Miss, what can I do for you?"
Paisley did not dare to look at her, stammering in a trance, "Induced... induced abortion."
Compared with Paisley, the reception personnel looking younger than her remained calm and said with a smiling face, "Please come with me."
The girl introduced the way of abortion and asked Paisley when did she get pregnant.
As if the abortion was not a murder, but a normal transaction.
As the mastermind and murderer, Paisley stopped. She suddenly felt that the girl who kept talking was horrible, and she was even more horrible because she wanted to kill the life.
"Miss? Miss?" The girl asked inexplicably and looked at Paisley doubtfully. "Are you okay?"
She wanted to hold Paisley's arm, but the latter waved her hand nervously. "Don't touch me!"
Paisley took a step back and was almost breathless. Just then, a tall figure strode towards her and got her away. He was even fierce, but he lightened his strength unconsciously when touching her.
Matthew got Paisley out of the hospital. Until they were far away from that terrible place, Paisley came to her senses suddenly and looked at Matthew with resentment.
Matthew had completely lost his usual temperament. He lost a lot of weight with dark circles and bloodshot eyes, asking in a trembling voice, "Paise, are you really pregnant?"
He was almost sure, but still nervous.
"It has nothing to do with you!" Paisley gnashed her teeth in anger.
"What are you talking about?" Matthew was going crazy. He growled, "It's ours..."
Seconds later, he was given a resounding slap. Paisley had slapped him lightly for fun before, but her hands were numb this time.
"Ours?" Paisley said coldly, "I shouldn't have given you a chance!"
For several days after that night, she could saw the blood stains on her pants when changing clothes.
She still remembered that pain and felt breathless every night. Matthew didn't let her go! She once believed in him so much that she gave him her heart. When she accepted him, she asked him to be kind and gentle. Why did he do this to her?
Paisley stared at Matthew bitterly. "I hate you!"
She turned to leave. Matthew grabbed her and hugged her from behind, saying word by word near her ear, "Everything is my fault."
"Paise," he repeated, turning her around and putting his hands on her shoulders, "I will love you forever."
He looked at Paisley and her flat abdomen with deep eyes and bewitching voice. "His life and my life depend on you."
"I'll do whatever you want me to do."
Paisley saw the redness in his eyes, almost compromising, but she still shook off his hands and said coldly, "Don't touch me. I feel disgusting!"
In a flash, Matthew was about to cry.
Without a sense of pleasure, Paisley went home alone.
Matthew followed her. Since he appeared, he didn't want to hide any more. He sat at the door of her house. They were separated by a door, but like feuds.
Matthew sat there all night. When being awoken from cold in the middle of the night, he heard Paisley's intermittent crying.
Paisley was awakened by a dream. She remembered very clearly that she was in the beautifully decorated hospital. In a long corridor, a doctor with a scalpel in his hand smiled at her strangely, and a lovely kid ran past her.
After she woke up, she faced only the old house. Her grandfather passed away, and she got pregnant. There was no one to talk to, and the culprit was still outside the house. She missed her grandfather. How could he leave her in this cold world?
She cried all night, and finally she couldn't help but call Madison.
The phone was quickly connected, Paisley could not speak for sobbing.
Madison asked nervously, "Paise. What's the matter? Tell me."
Paisley wanted to say she missed her grandfather, but she blurted out, "Mom, I'm pregnant."
Her voice was full of fear, grievance and helplessness.
The other side quieted down. After a long time, Madison seemed to find her reason and asked, "Who?"
"Matthew." Paisley whimpered, "He... he forced me..."
She couldn't go on and burst into tears.
After a long silence, Madison listened to Paisley's crying and said softly, "Paise. Don't cry. Just go to sleep. I will help you. Trust me."
Perhaps the repressed emotions were vented or Madison's words gave her hope. Hanging up the phone, Paisley actually had a sleep. She trusted her mother.
Madison came back the next day, along with Matthew's father Anderson.
As soon as Anderson saw his son sitting at the door, he rushed over and scolded, "How dare you!"
Matthew got a thrashing. Madison entered the house to see her daughter.
Paisley looked terrible, with swollen eyes and sunken cheeks. Hearing what's happening outside, she asked in panic, "Mom, why his father is here?"
She didn't want others to know about her shameful experience.
As soon as Madison saw Paisley, she sobbed, "Paise, I'm so sorry. It's my fault."
She meant to let her daughter make more friends,but she had no idea that this was going to happen.
She embraced Paisley and wiped away her tears, but quickly controlled her emotions and said softly, "Paise, you stay here. Let me deal with it."
She went out and found Matthew had been badly battered around the face. Actually, Anderson was famous for loving his son. He just made a token gesture. Madison looked on coldly for a while and frowned. "Mr. Waylon. That's enough."
They entered the house. Matthew looked for Paisley, but he didn't saw her. He was disappointed and stared at the closed door. "Ms. George, is she okay?"
"Shut up!" Anderson kicked Matthew.
Madison gazed at Anderson and Matthew who was standing, with a pair of eyes full of disdain, anger and hatred. Although Anderson had experienced a lot in business, he did not dare to look at her directly, only saying in shame, "Ms. George, I'm so sorry..."
Matthew interrupted his father and suddenly knelt down, "Dad, Ms. George, I want to marry Paise!"
What?
Paisley in the room was shocked and annoyed.
Was he crazy? The perpetrator wanted to marry the victim? She hated him so much that she didn't want to see him. How could she get married with him?
Matthew and Anderson seemed to have found the best solution, and the conversation went along the direction of marriage.
Matthew burst into tears, admitting that he really hurt Paisley, but he was fond of her, otherwise he would not give up Oakwood University. He was a very talkative person, saying that he was wrong and he wanted to atone for her... He was an infatuated person who sincerely repented, and finally even Madison didn't refute anything.
Next came the negotiation. Anderson and Madison discussed how to solve it, just like two businessmen talking about a contract. It was not realistic to get married now, but Matthew and Paisley could get engaged first. Whether to have an abortion or not depended on Paisley, but they suggested delivering the baby. Matthew and Paisley could take a year off from school, and then continue to complete studies after the child was born. Oakwood was far away from Plence. They could keep the secret.
Paisley almost rushed out from the room and questioned them,"Are you all crazy?"
But she didn't want to see Matthew. She bit her lower lip. Her heart was full of surging anger, which blocked her to suffocate.
Nobody cared about her thoughts. The ridiculous negotiation was drawing to a close, and as if both sides were satisfied, except for Paisley. As the center of the conversation, she seemed to have been completely forgotten. No one asked her if she agreed.
Everything was ridiculous. Paisley had clearly warned herself don't believe in love. As a result, she was raped by Matthew and lost her grandfather. Now she had to forgive him and get engaged to him? Who cared about her studies, her youth and her love?
Outside the door, Matthew wanted to meet Paisley. Madison said, "Go back first. I will talk to her."
Matthew and his father left. Madison thought for a long time before entering the room.
She saw her daughter huddling up. She asked softly, "Did you hear that?"
Paisley's lower lip bled, and the smell of blood made her feel sick.
She asked sarcastically, "Mom, is that your solution?"
Madison was her mother, her only family, but she wanted her to be engaged to a rapist and have his child. Paisley hoped that her mother can save her. She was disappointed.
She suddenly stood up and pointed to herself. "Matthew raped me! It was because of him that I couldn't send medicine to grandpa timely!"
"Paise," Madison explained anxiously, "I did all this for you. Think about it, you're obviously into each other. He just made a mistake at that moment. He was drunk..."
He was drunk? Drunkenness was not a reason to hide the fact that he was a rapist. Her grandfather obviously wouldn't die so early!
Madison kept explaining, "Paise, it's the best solution. He is your boyfriend..."
"No." Paisley shook her head, welling up in tears. She burst into anger. "Even if he is my boyfriend, I won't forgive him! If you want me to forgive him, unless grandpa comes back to life!"
"I won't get engaged to him, let alone marry him." She said firmly with tears. "I don't like him. I don't love him at all!"
I must die a day or two later than you,
In this way, my Paise would never be alone.