The Memory Keeper: The Sin In Our Name

S2 Chapter 9: Pay the Piper

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Alex's POV

I was just pulling into the parking lot when I saw Khai walking towards me. Her presence, usually calm and collected, was now filled with desperation. Her gaze locked onto me as she approached, and I could already feel the tension in the air.

"Dr. Simmons, please, I need to know where Rain is," she said, her voice laced with urgency. "I need to talk to her."

Her tone hit me like a brick, that commanding, almost demanding air that always seemed to come with her status. It grated on my nerves.

I threw my car into park and cut the engine, turning to face her with a scowl. "Khai, I don't owe you anything," I snapped, my voice sharp. "What's done is done. Now you're acting like everything is fine? You think you can just show up and have answers? You've already hurt her enough."

Khai's jaw tightened, her expression faltering for just a second before she regained composure. "I made a mistake," she said softly, almost pleading. "I know I did. I just... I need to make it right."

I crossed my arms, my irritation bubbling to the surface. "You can't just 'make it right' with a snap of your fingers. You don't get to waltz in and fix things after breaking her trust." My voice wavered for a moment, but I steadied myself. "You want to talk to her? You need to prove that you're actually sorry for the mess you've made."

Her shoulders slumped, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of guilt in her eyes. But it wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.

"I don't know where she is," I said finally, keeping my voice cool. "She's gone through enough. If you care about her, leave her to breathe for a while."

Khai opened her mouth as if to protest, but I cut her off. "You need to figure out what you want, Khai. And then, maybe, you can prove that you're worth her time."

With that, I turned and walked away, the weight of my decision sitting heavy on my chest. I didn't know if I was helping Rain or just protecting her, but I wasn't going to let Khai come in and make things right without showing the true consequences of her actions.

•••
Khai's POV

Alex's words kept ringing in my ears, each one sharper than the last. "You can't just 'make it right' with a snap of your fingers," she'd said. "Leave her to breathe for a while." It felt like a slap to my face, reminding me of everything I'd failed to see until now. How could I have been so blind?

I knew deep down that Rain had always been fragile, but Alex seemed to know exactly how to get under my skin, pushing me to confront my own insecurities. And now, the worst part was, I couldn't shake the image of Alex being there for Rain when I wasn't. I was supposed to be the one Rain relied on, the one who protected her, and yet I'd found myself in a tangled mess of lies and mistakes.

Maybe this was the consequence of me being too busy, too absorbed in my own world to notice Rain's needs, to notice the cracks forming in our relationship. Or worse-maybe it was because Alex had been there for her when I wasn't.

The jealousy stirred inside me, cold and uncomfortable, like a poison that slowly seeped through my veins. I hated how easily Alex had slipped into Rain's life. I hated how Alex seemed to know Rain better than I did, how she had been the one to comfort her when I was the one who had caused the pain.

Did Rain even need me anymore? Or was it just that I had always assumed she'd wait for me to fix things, to come back into her life when I was ready? How could I have been so selfish?

I could feel it-every word Alex had spoken had hit a nerve I didn't even know I had. And now, it was too late. I wasn't sure what I could do to fix this. I wasn't sure if I could fix this. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I'd taken Rain for granted, assuming she would always be there, always forgiving.