Mia knew.
She knew that her life was going too smoothly and something was going to happen soon. She had cut off her family and had been living happily, but somehow, Mary was still bent on ruining her life. She should raise her daughter? What a joke! Those people brought her nothing but pain, sickness and depression and she didn't want to return to that kind of life anymore.
Her hatred for Mary seemed to have transferred to the baby because she couldn't bring herself to look at her.
"Be calm, Mia." James said, glancing at her briefly before he looked at the road.
James was driving while Mia sat at the front seat beside him.
Mira was with the baby behind them. Thankfully, the baby was sleeping because if Mia so much as heard a cry from her, she was going to dump the baby by the roadside.
When James got to Linda's cafe, they realized it was closed with a sign that said, "For Sale."
Mia felt a little weird when she saw it, but she didn't think much about it. She told James to drive over to where Linda stayed and he did that.
Mia felt a sense of nostalgia as they arrived in the neighbourhood. She had stayed there for years and had worked so hard to pay up the mortgage so the house wouldn't be taken away from them. She had done a lot of odd jobs just to make sure they could live well and to gain her mother's acceptance. She had also skipped going to the university for a few years so her sister could go. But what did Mary do? She ran away halfway through university with a lot of debt that Mia had to pay off. She had thought her sister was in trouble somewhere or had probably died after they hadn't heard from her for a long time. She had no idea Linda and Mary were communicating with each other. Mary was going out with men and selling herself cheaply while she left Mia with all her debts and had even used her as collateral.
A dry chuckle escaped her lips.
She felt a hand rubbing her arm and turned to look at James, who was giving her an apologetic smile.
"I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better, Mia." He spoke softly.
It was only now that she realized the car had stopped and he was parked close to her former house.
"But know that whatever your decision is, I will fully support you. You are never wrong to me."
He reached for her face and cleaned off the tears with his bare hands before moving closer to drop a kiss on the top of her head.
"I will come with you, Mia." Mira said behind her and tried to open the door, but Mia shook her head and sniffed.
"I will handle this myself. You two should wait here."
"But–"
"I'm not going there to fight. I will leave the child with Linda and leave. So wait here. Please."
Mira wasn't happy with her decision, but she nodded reluctantly.
Mia left the passenger seat and opened the back door to carry the baby from Mira. She already got rid of the basket because it was too small for the baby.
She had been avoiding looking at the baby, but immediately she did, the baby opened her eyes and as soon as they locked eyes, Zee smiled up at her, revealing her toothless mouth before wrapping her tiny hand around Mia's finger.
Mia quickly looked away and blinked back her tears. The other two sighed.
Why do kids have to be so cute especially at the wrong time?
Mia carried the baby with her and tried not to look down at her. Zee kept trying to put Mia's hand inside her mouth, but Mia kept withdrawing her hand without looking at her.
As Mia took a corner that led to Linda's house, she suddenly remembered the reason why she hated this neighbourhood.