"Is it true that you're leaving soon?" Adele asked while they were sitting on a swinging bench. "I will miss you, you know." she mumbled.
Leo who was sitting beside her turned to her with his stoic eyes. "It can't be helped. Dad said I need to go back soon." he replied.
"You don't understand. I like you, Leo! I don't want you to go and marry someone else!" she protested.
Leo just chuckled and touched her head. "I'm still too young to get married. And I will only marry the girl I like." Leo stated with a smile.
Adele watched Leo and Elise walk ahead of her as memories drift before her. To her, that was a promise. A promise that Leo would only marry her- because wasn't she the only girl Leo liked? But why? Why did he marry that woman?
***
"Didn't you say you were sleepy?", Charmaine asked when she noticed Luke staring at her as she reads a text message she received from Leo. He was asking for permission saying he wanted to invite his mother and his step sister to stay with them while they're here. It's not surprising but still worrying nontheless. Did her uneasiness showed on her face, and that's why Luke was staring at her?
Luke blinked once... and then twice. "Mommy, I love you." he said. Charmaine chuckled at how serious he looked. But then she paused when she heard his next words. "Daddy loves you, too." he added.
Charmaine was at a lost for words. She was wondering if she should confirm that. But how could she if in her heart, she still believes otherwise? Leo might like her, but love her? That would only be wishful thinking. So she just smiled at the little boy. "And I love you, too. Both you and your dad."she replied.
Luke nodded. He turned to look at the needle attached to his arm and frowned. Seeing the infusion sticking to his skin seemed to annoy him. Well, if he knew it wasn't just 'sticking' to his skin, Charmaine thought he'll be more than exasperated!
"Don't look at it. After you finish this one, the doctor said you can finally go home." Charmaine told him. Luke glanced at the bag of fluids though and seeing as it's still almost full, he pouted his lips in frustration. He was about to complain when both of them heard a knock on the door. Luke instantly furrowed his brows as he thought of the women who just left. Did they come back again?
"Hi Xiaomin!" the door opened and Laura came in and greeted them with an awkward smile. "How are you, Luke?",she asked.
"He's getting better. Come in and take a sit." Charmaine told her.
Laura nodded and sat on an empty chair close to Luke's bed. She then stared at the little boy who was also looking at her. She still can't believe it. What Ivan and Jienna did that resulted to the birth of this little kid. Should she say she's looking at a miracle at the moment? "Hi Luke! Do you know me?"
"Luke, you remembered Aunt Laura? She's your daddy's sister." Charmaine reintroduced the woman. Luke nodded but didn't greet her. He was too mesmerised by the way the lady was staring at her. He remembered her as the lady who gave him the delicious ice cream.
"Your eyes are pretty. You really looked like your mom."Laura commented while being dazed. She didn't realise how weird she sounded.
Charmaine furrowed her brows. Was she talking about her? Did Laura found out about Luke? But if she did, why would she say Luke's eyes were the same as Jienna's? Her amber eyes were deep set and alluring just like Aya's. Luke's orbs however were big and brown just like....
Charmaine glanced at Luke's eyes. After a while, she shook her head. Those eyes.... she must be crazy if she thinks those looked like hers.
"I came to see Jun, but he was still in the ICU. The doctor said he's still under observation. Where's Leo?" Laura asked as she turned to Charmaine. The woman was startled, breaking her train of thoughts.
"Oh, you missed them by a few minutes. Your mother was here. Leo just left with them." she suddenly remembered. Elise was Laura's mother too. She just weren't that close to her mom.
"Them? Who was she with?" she asked. Although she was surprised to hear her mother flew from Bonn to see them, she wasn't excited at all. She was only eleven when she left Bonn, and she only saw her mother once afterwards. She wasn't a sweet lady either. She and Leo were both cold and indifferent. She has long given up hope to be with a mother.
"Adele came with her." she replied.
Laura suddenly turned silent. Adele? She brought Adele with her even though she knew very well how obsessed that woman was with Leo? Eversince she was little, she had always found that person very annoying! She always wants everyone's attention to herself. Leaving their house when she was eleven was the most liberating thing she ever experienced!
"So, how was it? Your first encounter with mom?", Laura asked with a smile.
Charmaine sighed. "Well... she obviously didn't like me." she responded honestly.
"How about Adele? What do you think about her?", she was curious about her impression of her, and so she just asked. Thinking Charmaine was unaware about the woman's feelings for her brother, she wanted to test how sharp she is about such matters.
Charmaine just shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter what I think of her. What's important is how your brother see her." she replied, exposing her understanding of the matter at hand. She knew a lot... The things that happened and the things that are just coming up. "When I married Leo, I knew very well that chances are... he will be divorcing me someday for that woman. But that doesn't mean I'll just sit down and watch while it happens."
Laura was stunned by the way Charmaine answered her question. What a weird way of thinking. If that was her facing such uncertainty in a relationship, she would surely give up at once.
"What's the matter?" Charmaine asked when she noticed the woman lower her head. It was like she just reminded her of something unpleasant.
"It's nothing." she replied, shaking her head. "Don't you get scared of getting deeper and deeper into the relationship and then one day what if you realise that you were taking that journey alone?", she responded in riddles. "I'm sorry... it's just that... I broke up with my boyfriend and I...." Laura paused. Wasn't it ridiculous to tell her personal matters to other people? They might not be interested to hear them too.
Charmaine just looked at Laura. They really did break up? Maybe it's not that serious, because from what she remembered, Laura will get married to her boyfriend after she turned twenty five. She believes things will stay the same as long as no one meddles. But a little boy was thinking otherwise.
"Auntie... what's breaking up?" Luke asked with innocent eyes.
"It's the same as getting a divorce, but it's simpler." Charmaine replied in behalf of her sister in law.
Luke's eyes suddenly widened."You're divorcing your boyfriend? Why? Did he cheat on you?" he asked with much curiosity.
Charmaine frowned and gestured at the boy. "Who did you hear these things from? You shouldn't delve into adult matters!" she scolded.
"I'm sorry. But dad said couples divorce when one cheat on the other." the boy explained. "If Auntie's boyfriend really cheated on her, she shouldn't go back to be with him anymore!" he added before turning to Laura. "Auntie, come leave with us for a while! Mommy said we're going back to our house in the Hill today. Stay with us for a few days!" the kid exclaimed excitedly.
Charmaine held her forehead. This child suddenly became energetic again after hearing some gossip. Maybe it'll be good for him to have many people around him. Should she arrange for that at once?
Laura suddenly turned to Charmaine with solemn eyes. "Can I?",she asked.