The Second Wife by Melinda Mulera (good books to read for 12 year olds TXT) 📖

(Three days later)

We were back at the hospital, this time all four of us with Linda there to stand with me through it all. We were in the waiting area and I sat with Linda, Hazel sat on a single arm chair at the corner of the room with Avery at the other. All looking terrified and pale. It was Rose's idea that they sat at the different places and away from me because she predicted Avery would either throw a tantrum or walk away in anger. She couldn't predict Hazel's reaction too but just made sure he was sitting alone as well.

Linda couldn't help but sigh every minute, and I knew she was uncomfortable too.

"I think Avery might pas out." She whispered into my ear with a chuckle and I glanced at Avery who had his head held down and resting his head in his knees. "Hazel just looks paranoid."

"I think he's worried about Avery." I whispered back and she raised her brows.

"Is it because of when he cried?" She asked in a hushed tone and I nodded.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." The doctor finally appeared, scaring the guts out of us. We all automatically stood up with fear stricken faces as she held up the document.

My teeth began to clutter in nervousness as I shot my gaze between Avery and Hazel who exchanged worried glances with each other.

"Before you reveal, doctor, I have something to tell these men." Rose smiled as she stepped in front and turned to all of us. "Avery, Hazel. You can both see the doctor as clear as day and you can't deny the fact that it symbolises the fall of either one of you. One of you will leave Iris, for good this time and you can't continue to fight over her." She proceeded to say, getting both Avery and Hazel to glance towards me and Linda. "You can't act childish to cling on her. Or I'll have you arrested for being too obsessed. She's just a woman, she's not the only one you can both have. That's being idiotic to say the least. Before the file is open, tell her what you have to say, just out yourself in the scenario that you have lost and tell her." She grinned while everyone seemed terrified. "Why don't you start, Avery?" She chuckled and for some odd reason, her gaze on him was severe as she grinned maniacally.

He seemed startled for a moment as he glanced towards her with slightly watery eyes and slightly pink ones at that. He was visibly shaking as he shifted his gaze to me, yet he couldn't hold onto it and dropped it to the ground instead, failing to look me in the eye.

"Um..." He cleared his dry throat as his voice came out windy. "I can't say much... Actually. She already knows how I feel. What I said I would do if I found out it wasn't mine. How I would react. I still haven't changed my mind about it." He said and I gasped as I stared at him in terror.

He was still aiming to do whatever it took!?

"Avery you can't-"

"I won't change my thoughts. Sorry." He looked away instead, turning away from me.

Avery...

"Okay." Rose chuckled before turning to Hazel. "What about you, Hazel."

"I just want to say I'm sorry," he said first as he glanced at me. "To Avery, specifically." All our eyes glanced towards Avery who seemed confused. We darted our eyes back to Hazel who batted his eyes quickly for a moment. "I honestly didn't know Iris meant the world to you. I mean, I love her, but I didn't think you would love her this much to the point I'm scared to take her from you." He clenched his jaw and glanced to the ground. " let me not lie to you but I enjoyed the feeling I got when Iris decided to date me and not you. I enjoyed seeing you fail to get Iris on your side. I really loved the feeling, I enjoyed it so much. I wanted to enjoy it even more when I hear the results that it's mine and that I can finally have the one thing you can't have. I wanted to see the look on your face when I carry Iris down the isle. I wanted you to know how it feels to get hurt by someone who was supposed to be a brother. I dreaded for that day. I had already loved Iris before I met her and before I knew you met her. I really did. But when I noticed the look of jealousy on your face when you saw her with me, it made me excited to finally kill you from the inside. It felt good to finally have your weakness." He chuckled and I shot him a shocked glance.

Was that why he was desperate for us to get together so quick?

Avery, on the mean time wasn't looking at him and I could tell he was angry. I was a bit disappointed at Hazel. That's the colour I was too blind to see. The real Hazel who set his mind on hurting Avery. I know Hazel loved me, but he mixed in his thrust for revenge making it hard to trust him now.

"But." He suddenly added and I glanced at him. "When I saw you cry that day in Iris's arms, made me ask myself if I was only being a monster. I felt sick in the stomach knowing you had been carrying most of the weight than Iris and I. I thought you only had the intention of taking her from me as I did, but you just wanted to have her. Not to see the look on my face when I lose but to have Iris. That night, I told myself that I don't deserve Iris. I was mostly fueled by the urge to hurt you when you were already breaking from the inside. That's why I'm sorry. You're still my brother, at least to me, so I don't want to see you that hopeless again. It scared me to death." He chuckled lightly as he reached up and brushed his tears off his cheeks and sighed out shakily as Avery stared at him completely shocked.

Everyone was.

Even me.

Hazel was really a great man....

"Well..." Avery cleared his throat, drawing our attention. Despite his dead look, he looked somewhat better. "I'm sorry .... I'm sorry about, you know, uh..." He paused as he looked around. He sure was terrible at apologising. "I'm sorry for not closing the door that day... I should have closed it if I knew you were coming." He suddenly said and we all glared at him. "What?" He asked as he looked around. "I didn't want him to find out because I didn't want him to give up competing with me. I noticed he changed, hardly forced me away from Iris like he used to. I hate it when people pity me."