I was getting ready for the funeral when my father stepped into the room.
He had worn a three-piece suit.
Its color is black.
I shifted my gaze from the reflection of mine to my father’s face.
I noticed a small smile playing on his lips.
He gently patted me on my head.
My face was tense.
I looked down on the table and clutched the chain from the tabletop and tried to wear it on my neck, but as I put the chain around my neck, suddenly, the chain slipped from my hand and fell to the ground.
I closed my eyes gently and a second later opened them.
Michael bent forward, grabbed the chain, stood straight, and put the chain on my neck.
He grabbed my shoulder and forced me to face him.
My chest rose and fell with rapid breath.
“You know that what you did is reckless,” Michael spoke softly.
I rolled my eyes.
I took a step back.
“Dad, you are saying like I jumped from the ongoing train.” My voice was loud.
“I do not know if coming to another town is reckless, but how?” A small smile appeared on Michael’s face.
He stepped forward, placed his hand on my arm, and gently began rubbing it.
“Coming here alone is reckless, my dear.”
He added with weakly chuckle.
I drew a long breath.
“Dad, I am not a little girl anymore.
I think you and Mom should remember that.” Anger cleared my voice.
Dad lowered his gaze for a second and then looked at me with a plastered smile on his face.
He placed his hands on his hips.
He said while nodding.
“We cannot remember that because you are still a little girl to us.” His voice was soft.
“I know sometimes your mother’s and my behavior seemed like we were suffocating you, but we are compelling.”
My eyes got really big, like a balloon.
I was thinking he must have talked to Aunt Agatha, and she probably told him I said their love was smothering me.
I pressed my lips together; it was showing my controlled anger.
I sucked my teeth.
“I am sorry.” My voice was low murmur.
“I did not mean that.” My words came out shuddered.
“I mean, I want to know where I came from and want to know why they abandoned me.” Before Dad said something, I noticed my mother stepped into the room.
Her face broke into a smile.
“They did not abandon you.” Her voice wavered.
“As you know, they died in a tragic accident, and it is their story that met a tragic end.” Mom took a small pause and a minute later started speaking again.
“You are my daughter.” Jessica made a cup around my cheek.
“And your father is right; coming here alone was not the correct decision.
You could have hurt yourself.”
I clutched my mother’s hands and pushed it away slowly.
I inclined my head in disagreement.
“Do not do that,” I said.
My voice was laced with anger.
“You already know how many times I asked you if I could go, but you ignored me.” Mom clutched my hands firmly, led me towards the bed, and made me sit on the bed.
Mom and Dad then took a seat next to me.
Mother leaned her head against my shoulder.
“We do not want you to get hurt.
And Aunt Agatha told you the tale about your mother, why she came, and then the tragic accident happened, and unfortunately, she succumbed to her injury along with your father.” Her voice was steady.
I breathe through my nose.
I clicked my tongue.
“Can I say something?” I said quietly.
They suddenly looked at me.
The corners of my mouth moved upwards into a smile.
“I want to stay here and continue my study here.” As they heard those words coming out of my mouth, they stood up.
I noticed their facial expressions changed.
The smile on their face disappeared, and it was replaced by anger.
Mom clenched her jaw, gritting her teeth, and it was audible in a tense room.
I saw my father nod his head while silently lowering his gaze.
“Michael, tell her that she is going with us home.” Her voice was a mixture of anger and resentment.
A minute later, she walked out.
Dad stayed in the room, tapping his foot impatiently, the rhythmic thumping echoing his frustration.
I know I upset her again, but I cannot leave either.
I want to know who I am.
And I know they love me so much.
And it is true that they let go of my every mistake.
When I got lost in my thoughts, a firm voice pulled me back into reality.
“We will talk about this later,” Dad said while patting my head gently.
“Can you come down now because I think we are getting late?” A quick nod escaped from me in response with a faded smile on my face.
I shook my head in frustration.
I tightened my lips together.
I was thinking about how I can avoid car rides with them.
Because I am certain that they will fight again.
All of a sudden, I heard Kristina’s voice when I reached the ground floor.
The exit door was ajar, and my gaze fell on the car in which Kristina was sitting on the back seat.
I dashed towards the car while yelling.
“I will be meeting you at the funeral.” I then opened the door and hopped on the back seat next to Kristina.
Kristina’s eyes widened with a sudden jolt of surprise.
“What are you doing?” She said with a nervous laugh.
The woman sitting in the driver’s seat, looking at me with the rearview mirror.
Her eyes also shot up; it painted the question mark on her forehead.
The impatient laugh appeared on my face when I noticed that she was not taking her eyes off me.
I silently lowered my gaze.
“Mom, drive, please,” Kristina said.
Her voice was steady.
I did not lift my gaze because I was feeling embarrassed.
Kristina poked me on the shoulder with her index finger.
I then slowly lifted my gaze from my hands to Kristina’s face.
I sucked my teeth.
“Take me to the church where the funeral will be held.” My voice was barely above a whisper.
Kristina’s mother gave her head a nod in acknowledgement.
She remained silent.
The whole drive we did not talk to each other.
Kristina was writing something on the writing pad, and I was gazing outside through the glass window of the car.
A few minutes later, we arrived at the church.
Kristina’s mother parked the car and motioned us to get out of the car.
Like obedient children without asking questions, we got out of the car.
I raked my fingers through my hair.
Kristina shut the notepad and looked at me with narrow eyes.
“So, I heard your parents are in town.” Her voice was strong.
I bowed my head while walking towards the entrance of the door.
Kristina followed me inside the church.
I took a seat on the fourth chair in the third row.
Kristina sat on the fifth chair.
“Tell me what happened.” She said with a slight smile on her face.
I bit my lips.
I clicked my tongue.
“It was nothing; there was just a little disagreement between us,” I said while looking away.
Meanwhile, I saw Max come inside with Halen and a man in a black suit.
A second later, I noticed Isabel stepped into the church.
She was wearing a black top.
She comes straight to me and asks the girl sitting with me to go away with an eye gesture.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
My voice was a mixture of anger and curiosity.
Isabel sighed deeply.
She adjusted the black veil she was wearing.
“I came to say I’m sorry,” she said, hugging me tightly.
I noticed Max standing behind her.
“Do not think I have forgotten about this; I will never let you take him from me.” We pulled apart, and Isabel turned and walked off.
A furrow etched between my brows clearly displaying my confusion.
At first, I thought she just came here to pay respect, but I was wrong, she came here to fill out her agenda.
In the meantime, I saw Damon step in and walk towards the man in the black suit who came with Max.
Damon talks to him for some minutes, and then I saw Max join them.
It seemed from their faces that the conversation between them was intense.
I wanted to hear what they were talking about, so I stood up and began walking towards them.
But before I reached them, two men came and led Max and Damon outside the church.
Then a man stepped in the church and shouted.
“Mayor got in the car accident.” His voice quivered.
I then saw the man in the suit go into the corner while telling someone, “I want you to leave town, and do not show your face again.”