Lily nodded and her gaze lingered on her sister who was busily unpacking the luggage. She stared at her for a long time then sighed and removed her glasses before standing up and walked inside the bathroom.
" Clara! do you want to open a pajamas store!?" Maya's pupils dilated as she looked inside the huge bag which was filled to the brim with pajamas.
' Huh?' Clara's eyes darted to the bag and she sighed then slumped down on the bed while her thoughts drifted back to that night she had fainted on the street sight.
" Was this also given to you by Carl?" Maya inquired with knitted brows while admiring the expensive-looking pajamas.
" Yeah." she chuckled sadly and hugged her friend's arm. " Maya I miss him so much."
" It's alright, everything will be fine." Maya sighed and patted her back. Then her eyes darted to the other luggage was filled with different gifts and finally understood why her friend had packed a lot.
" Did he also buy these? " she pointed at the luggage and Clara nodded gloomily.
After a while, Lily came out of the bathroom and Clara gave her one of the pajamas which she took with a surprised expression as she watched the many bunches of pajamas piled up in their closet.
" Big Sis, are you going to start selling pajamas?" She asked as she came out of the bathroom again after changing into the yellow pajama which was exactly her size.
" N..no Lily, I got it from a friend, I'll distribute them tomorrow?"
"Oh," the girl nodded and sat down calmly on her bed. " Is it the friend that also gave you the jewelry, and these other gifts? " she asked while putting on her glasses.
Maya sighed exasperatedly and wondered why Clara was not as smart as her sister. She quickly entered the bathroom, knowing that she would have to be the one to cover up with another lie.
Clara glanced toward the bathroom door and sighed then turned to her sister. " Lily, it was__"
" Did you two break up?" the girl asked softly while staring at her sister whose emotions were always opened to her like daylight.
Clara chuckled and nodded slightly at the twenty-two years old girl. She knew she couldn't outwit her clever sister. " Lily, please don't let Mum and Dad know, okay?" she pleaded and the girl nodded slowly.
After a while, Maya came out of the bathroom and Clara entered inside after picking up her pajamas.
" Lily, how were the exams," Maya asked while drying her hair with a towel and glanced at the huge pile of textbooks on the small table.
" It was okay, " she replied calmly and Maya chuckled, knowing she would surely pass the exam.
They discussed the city and the medical college she had applied to while Maya was the one making all the talk and the girl would only reply with a yes or no and after a while, Clara also came out and they all went to the dining room.
_____
" Maya dear, does your dad know that you have arrived?" Clara's mother asked as they ate at the dining table.
" Yes Auntie, " she replied with a sigh while munching on the porridge.
" You should see him tomorrow, okay? " the older man said after a while then stood up and went inside his room after bidding the kids goodnight.
" Okay." Maya nodded slowly and started helping Clara pack the plates after her mother also left to join her husband.
" Lemme help Big Sis." Lily stood up and they both shook their heads then sent her into the bedroom, complaining that she was sick.
After they were done, Clara turned to Maya and sighed. " Dad is right Maya, you should go see him tomorrow, " she said softly and Maya nodded then they went inside the bedroom.
_____
Lily quickly put her book down as she heard the two people approaching then removed her glasses and placed it on the table.
" Why aren't you sleeping yet?" Clara asked as they entered the room.
" Big Sis, can I sleep with you," she asked softly and both Clara and Maya glanced at each other.
" Sure Lily, come." Clara gestured with a smile and the girl lay down beside her while Maya went to the other bed and instantly fell asleep.
Then after some seconds, Clara also fell asleep as she was very exhausted from the journey.
Lily sighed while staring at her face with an indescribable emotion for a very long time then sighed again and finally fell asleep.
********
__ The Next Morning __
The low temperature made the small town's street foggy. and the colorful and welcoming display on the stores' windows added with the new year's decorations made the atmosphere lively.
" Ahhh... I suddenly feel like eating again." Maya inhaled deeply as the vanilla flavor of freshly baked bread wafted through her nose from the adjacent store.
" Of course, your stomach always has room for more food, Maya." Clara chuckled as she waved back to the kids passing by on bicycles.
Some of the people they knew stopped and greeted them happily as the street was filled with a lot of people, buying things for the new year's celebration.
" Maya, you sure you can handle it?" Clara suddenly asked as they walked out of the crowded street into another quiet neighborhood that led to Maya's house.
" I don't know Clara, but I don't want to leech off him when there's nothing between us anymore." Maya sighed and picked up a twig that had fallen from a nearby tree. Ken had offered to help her open a store in city M, which would be a dream come true because she could finally be with her best friend again but she didn't want to have any ties with him after what his family had done.
Clara sighed and sat on a nearby bench under a huge tree, feeling tired as they had been walking for some minutes now. " Maya, I think you should stop avoiding him and let fate take its course. If you are meant to be together, then even his family can not stop it. See, he's even willing to leave the company at City X because of you, " she said softly while facing her friend who had sat down beside her.