Page 105 of What Comes Around

Apple nodded sadly. “I was so happy when I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to share it with the world. Finally someone I could love, someone who would love me unconditionally. The pregnancy was unexpected, but very wanted. And when I miscarried… I was devastated. I even thought about ending my life.”

Marla whispered, “Oh my God.”

Apple nodded, eyes glistening. “It was a very dark time. But I somehow made it through.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. You have no idea what dark is.

Marla asked gently, “And the baby’s father?”

Apple went quiet for a moment. “I loved him. I loved him for years. But he didn’t feel the same.”

Marla hesitated. “There were rumors of a love triangle. Between you, your sister, and the baby’s father.”

Apple tilted her head, thinking. “Yes. You could say that. In the end she won. He didn’t want to be with me.”

She was rewriting everything.

Marla continued. “How has your relationship with your sister been over the years?”

Apple sighed. “Ashley has always been different. She had a chip on her shoulder. She kept her distance from the family. When she turned eighteen, she moved out and barely spoke to us. Only to her father sometimes. Even though my mother tried for years to be a good mother to her. She even favored Ashley. Over me. Over her biological daughter.”

Marla nodded sympathetically. “So it’s fair to say the relationship is not good?”

Apple shook her head. “We don’t speak right now.”

I scoffed. “Because you are a manipulative psycho.”

Marla paused, then asked, “Is it true your mother is currently in prison?”

Apple lowered her gaze. “It’s true.”

Marla waited. When Apple didn’t continue, she pressed, “I’ve also heard that Ashley believed Marissa was her real mother her whole life. Is that true?”

Apple nodded solemnly. “Yes. My mother and father decided not to tell her until she was ready. They wanted to protect her.”

Marla leaned in. “I imagine that must have caused a lot of shock in your hometown. People not knowing Marissa wasn’t Ashley’s biological mother.”

“It was, but our family wanted to keep those things private.”

Marla nodded sympathetically. “I understand. And now with your mother’s arrest… it must be even harder.”

Apple’s voice softened. “What is happening to our family is tragic.”

Marla waited again. “Well? Did she kill Ashley’s mother?”

Apple’s eyes widened. “Absolutely not. My mother is innocent. I’m sure the justice system will prove that.”

Marla offered a few sympathetic comments about the prison situation, then shifted.

“Let’s talk about some of your controversies. Old tweets resurfacing. Accusations of stealing other people’s ideas. What would you like to say to listeners?”

Apple sighed. “I’ve made mistakes. I’ve admitted them ten times. I’ve apologized. But every year people drag up the same things and demand I apologize again. Why is our society like this? Why can’t people grow and evolve? I learned. I apologized. Why can’t I move on with my life?”

Marla nodded. “That’s the world we live in. People want apologies, but it’s never enough.”

Then she leaned in. “A few weeks ago, a new account posted a video claiming to be from your high school graduation party. There were serious accusations.”

Apple exhaled. “I’m aware. How could I not be, when a hate mob flooded my comments and sent me death threats. The video was fake. A lie. Years ago it was already proven false. Someone is trying to destroy me now that I’m happy again.”