LOVE LONG AGO

The hot sun burned its punishing rays on my face as I stepped out of the crowded airport of Los Angeles, my bags trailing behind me as my designated driver opened the trunk of the car. I never thought I would be back this late, but I made it. Finally.

I am home. I just don’t think that home will want me. It took a while for me to escape my dear dead father’s prison, the one he so carefully nurtured for me. I just never thought I would play the long game.

“Mommy, Lyla said she wants to pee,” Lucia shouted in her baby voice from the front, where Lucia and Lyla, my twins, were walking ahead hand in hand. They were being very behaved, not running forward as she always does when we go out.

“I did not say that. You just want to pee,” Lyla scolded her in a soft voice, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. She doesn’t like attention. Now she feels like everyone is watching her.

“Lucia?!” I looked at her with a warning look. “What did I tell you about lying?”

Lucia looked down, her hands folded in front of her.

“Not to. I’m sorry, Mommy.”

I sighed and grabbed both their hands. “Not to me.” She pouted but still apologized.

“I’m sorry, Lyla.”

Lyla nodded and held Lucia’s hand.

“But I wasn’t lying. Lyla wants to pee.”

Lucia pointed, which wasn’t a lie. I can’t just let her get away without learning about boundaries and making people uncomfortable. She is blunt and straightforward, which I love about her, but when I say she doesn’t have any filter, she truly doesn’t.

“I know, but did she tell you that you should tell me?” I asked sternly.

“No, Mommy.”

“Then why would you shout it out and make her uncomfortable?”

“I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to help her say it because she doesn’t like to disturb you,” she said very fast.

I bent over, looking at the two of them. “Lucia, you have to let her speak for herself. Lyla,” I called my quiet daughter, my very wise daughter. She still hadn’t said anything after that.

“You have to speak for yourself. If you feel you need anything, always tell me. Don’t always wait until the last minute. You are my daughter.” I placed my hand on her cheek, then on Lucia’s cheek.

“Both of you are my children, and there is nothing I won’t do for you girls.”

They both nodded.

“Will you give us a daddy?” And that was Lucia. This girl.

I sighed. Sadness crossed me, but I didn’t let it bother me. I just smiled.

“You’ll meet Daddy soon.”

Lucia smiled. Lyla looked skeptical, but her eyes lit up.

I kept them away from their father, and now they don’t know their father.

I moved to get up on my feet when a hooded figure came straight at us, walking really fast toward us, a subtle bulge on the side of his trousers.

That was fast. I hadn’t even gotten into the car yet.

“Okay, girls, let’s go pee.”

I told the driver that the girls wanted to pee and that we would be back. I took them to the bathroom, rushing them inside as fast as I could. Luckily, no one was in the bathroom, or this would have been a tricky situation. They could handle themselves. My knife was out just in time for my secret admirer to burst through the door.

He fumbled with his gun, removing it from his trousers before aiming at me. Rookie mistake. Just in time for my knife to lodge in the middle of his head. His eyes went wide as he fell backward. He was on the floor in seconds.

That was disappointing. I had just wasted my favorite knife on his simple skull.

I walked over to him. A full painting on his neck of horns pointing at his chin. It was a bull, and I rolled my eyes. This was who they sent to kill me. They should at least pick a better assassin. Won’t deny the sick tattoo, though.

I don’t even know if I should call him an assassin. He was just a cocky bastard who announced to everyone that he was a powerful assassin because he managed to kill a powerful politician once. And let me tell you, it was an accident. His target was another politician, less powerful than him, and he caught the wrong one off guard. He managed to kill him, and it was messy. He claims his employers wanted the kill to be messy. It was overlooked because the one he killed was a target of many, and everyone knew how stupid he was. He also had the backing of some powerful people.

I dragged his heavy body into the stall and dumped him there. I retrieved my knife, washed my hands and the blade, then knocked on the stalls.

“Are you guys done?” I asked.

“Yes, Mommy.”

They stepped out of the stall, both with wide smiles on their faces.

“Why are you guys smiling?” My smile reflected theirs.

“We are going to see Daddy,” they both screamed and jumped.

My heart skipped a beat. Their father. The man that I hurt. I didn’t remove my smile, though it must have looked painful by now. I held their little hands in mine. Not wanting to ruin their happiness, I didn’t say anything. I just smiled at them.

“Let’s go. The driver is waiting.”

We got to the car, where the driver stood by the side, surprisingly calm. He helped me with the girls. After they were safely tucked inside, we drove off. I brought out my phone and typed a message in the group chat. It immediately blew up my phone, but I ignored it and put my phone away, ready to start my new life.

…

A figure stood in the distance, his hands clenched tight, his jaw hard as he watched the black SUV drive away. His face twisted between anger and pain.

He dialed a number, his phone pressed to his ear.

“There is a body you need to take care of.” He ended the call.

His assistant came to his side. “The car is ready, sir. Your sister—”

“I want you to find the car. The plate number has been sent to you.” He cut him off.

Shock seized the assistant’s face. He always wanted to know his sister’s whereabouts, no matter how busy he was.

“Yes, sir.”

The tall man slid into his car, his eyes glued to the window. He scoffed as he thought about the little girls in the woman’s hands. Twins. He scoffed again.

“You are finally back, my queen.”

A wide smile

graced his face.

“Your throne is now filled with thorns, and there is no way for you to remove it now.”