The Inferno's Claim

The News 2

"Well, your father and I have decided that you will move in with your aunt in Wooddale," Mary stated solemnly. "You know your chances of finding a better job are higher in larger cities. A small town like Roseville has too little to offer an ambitious young woman like yourself."

Genova went rigid, her eyes widening in disbelief as the words sank in. A knot formed in her throat as she struggled to process this unexpected news.

Mary let out a deep sigh, recognizing the shock etched on her daughter's face. "Admittedly, we expected this reaction. Anyone close to us would know how inseparable our family has been. You've never been away from us since the day you came into our lives."

Leaning forward, Mary took Genova's trembling hands in her own. "Child, you must believe that as parents, we will always do what's best for you. Your well-being will always come before our own. This decision was not made lightly; we have pondered it greatly and believe it is the best path for you," she said, her voice thick with emotion as she tried to console her daughter.

Genova's mind raced with a myriad of questions. Why were her parents suddenly sending her away? For as long as she could remember, they had never given her a reason to doubt their unwavering love and support. But now, without warning, they were uprooting her from the only life she had ever known.

"Does this sudden decision have something to do with how my birthday turned out?" Genova asked, her voice quivering with trepidation.

The most pressing question weighed heavily on her mind: What exactly happened last night?

Genova's heart pounded against her ribcage, threatening to overwhelm her. The fear of leaving her safe haven and facing the outside world without her parents close by was palpable. She had grown too comfortable with her current life, never imagining the day when she would have to leave it all behind. The world out there was full of competition – people using others as stepping stones in their selfish quest for success.

The cruelty of the world was something she never wished to be a part of. She never wanted to experience any of it! But it seemed that hope had come crashing down sooner than she could have ever pictured.

Refocusing on her mother, Genova asked, "Why the sudden change, mom? Does it have anything to do with last night?"

Mary's eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Did something happen during your outing with Zaina last night?" she queried worriedly.

Genova pursed her lips, realizing her mother was indeed clueless about what might have transpired during her night out.

But how did she get home? More importantly, why couldn't she remember anything after that one glass of Long Island?

Could it be that the alcohol content was too strong for her to handle? 'But how can that be? I specifically requested one with the minimum intake or none at all if possible,' she thought.

Perhaps even the tiniest quantity was too much for her.

"Do you have any idea how I might have gotten home from the party?" Genova decided to probe further, simultaneously avoiding her mother's question.

"Oh, yes! You phoned your dad in the middle of the night, asking him to pick you up," Mary answered, her expression puzzled. "Don't you remember?"

Genova hummed in understanding and gave her mother a crooked smile. "Of course, I do. I only wanted to confirm something."

'So dad brought me home. But why is none of this making sense to me?' she muttered internally.

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~2 months later~

Genova bid farewell to her parents, who were in tears at the departure gate. After the conversation with her mom on the morning after her sixteenth birthday about the issue of moving to live with her aunt in Wooddale, Genova couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

The sudden decision left her with a nagging suspicion that there was a larger plot behind this conclusion. Every fiber of her being said this had something to do with her.

She felt an inexplicable guilt, as she had never imagined a day when her parents would want to be separated from her.

It didn't matter how they framed it; to Genova, it felt like she was being punished for some unknown sin.

The excuse of ensuring she had a better life was far from convincing!

Though her income from working at a café shop wasn't substantial, it was still something. Indeed, Roseville was a small town with limited opportunities, but the revenue from their family farm had been enough to cover her school fees, food, and other expenses.

It had been sufficient for their family of three to live comfortably for as long as she could remember.

Moreover, things had improved when she secured her job. It lifted a significant burden from her parents, as she could now foot her own bills and even save for future endeavors.

The family of three lived a simple life, never wasting money on unnecessary things. As such, Genova's salary and their farm's revenue were more than enough to sustain them through any difficulties.

Genova had tried to make her parents understand that she didn't need anything more than what she already had, but to her dismay, nothing she said could sway their minds.

She was left disheartened!

She didn't want to be away from the only people she had lived her entire life with.

Her heart ached at the thought of not being wanted anymore. However, seeing the devastation this decision had caused her parents, she understood it was even harder on them.

She realized then that it wasn't as she had imagined.

They weren't shipping her away because of some unknown sin!

But why were they insisting on her leaving if they also hurt as much as she did?

What use would whatever money she might earn in the city be if she couldn't be with the two people she loved the most?

It wasn't as if they would ever require a penny from her anyway.

No matter how hard Genova tried to understand this situation, she just couldn't. Perhaps she might have seen things in a different light had this decision been brought up any day other than after the event that took place on her sixteenth birthday—one she was yet to fully make sense of.

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