Valeria freshen up and cook breakfast with her mother, they enjoyed the meal like a feast. Valeria who had nothing to do for the day goes to Daisy's house. She knocked and Daisy mother who has become a drunkard ever since her husband left her for another woman opened the door, she was looking older than her age and tattered as well. She now understands why Daisy never let them read or spend Saturday evenings at her place, seems Alexis knows about it though.
"Good morning ma'am" Valeria greeted trying to hide her disgust of the woman who wrecks of alcohol and vomit
"It's morning already" The woman said smiling abnormally
"I'm asking of Daisy ma'am" Valeria said ignoring the woman who is drunk
"Oh that girl, she should still be sleeping" The woman said pointing inside
"Can I come in ma'am?" Valeria asked politely
"If you will give me few coins to drink" The woman said still smiling abnormally
"I don't want you drinking ma'am" Valeria said now feeling bad for her statement yesterday even though it was a misunderstanding.
"Why? But that's what keeps me sane" The woman said acting like she's about to break down
"Can we sit and talk for a moment?" Valeria asked
"You will give me few coins?" The woman proposed
"After our discussion, we will decide that" Valeria said and the woman nod letting her in. Valeria sits at the dinning table and Daisy's mother pour water for her.
"Thank you ma'am" Valeria said and the woman smile normally for the first time
"I know you will wonder what I want us to talk about, I want to tell you a little story" Valeria said and the woman sits opposite her.
"There's this woman who lives down the Skokie environs, she was beautiful, jovial and respected, she's married too and has a beautiful girl child, what a perfect life. Not so long, her husband left her for another woman, who could have thought that would happen but anyways nothing is hundred percent." Valeria narrated and she could see the woman feeling sad
"After her husband left, she neglected her only child and chose alcohol as the only thing that keeps her sane. The daughter keeps yearning for her mother's love and got none, now the purpose of the story is if you are the mother's friend what is your advice?" Valeria ended the story and the woman was crying uncontrollably already.
"Did she ask you to do this?" The woman asked with tears
"No ma'am, I said something terrible yesterday and she misunderstood me. I'm here to apologise, we can apologise together" Valeria said and the woman burst into tears after Valeria narrated what happened the night before to her.
"I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to say those words" Valeria said consoling the woman
"Don't apologise my child. Can I go and talk to her now?" The woman replied wiping her tears
"Not when you're looking like this" Valeria said. She followed the woman to her room, the woman bath while she looks for presentable cloth for the woman. The woman came out from the bathroom looking all clean, Valeria look at her and smile.
"You look so beautiful ma'am" Valeria said still smiling at the woman
"Call me Zarah" Daisy's mother said
"Can I call you Aunt instead?" Valeria asked still looking for the cloth
"What about Miss Zarah? Atleast I'm single and not divorced" Zarah said sadly
"Aunt is better. Since you ain't divorced can't you file a case against him?" Valeria asked bringing out a gown she thinks will fit Zarah's new body size
"That gown was the first gift he gave me, I loved the gown so much that if I could, I would wear it everyday of my life" Zarah said looking at the gown with Valeria sadly
"It's so beautiful and you will look amazing in it right now" Valeria replied putting the gown on her body
"About the divorce, I will be filling one" Zarah said collecting the gown from Valeria
"Why Aunt? You can sue him for extramarital affairs" Valeria said not understanding why she would divorce him when she can make him pay for all her pains
"I love him too much to see him suffer, I will give him the happiness he deserves. Once I do that, I will feel better than ever" Zarah said smiling with sadness written all over her face
"You are a good person Aunt" Valeria replied understanding she was still in love with him
"Let's get you dress up Aunt" Valeria said not wanting the sadness to overpower the room. Valeria leave the room for her to wear her undergarments and the gown, she came back after she was called in by Zarah, she style her tattered hair, gave it a good cut which makes her look more younger than she looked earlier.
"You look so pretty Aunt" Valeria said looking at the blushing Zarah
"Thank you so much" Zarah said with obvious happiness, she seems to have forgotten how beautiful she looks.
"Now let's give you a little touch up" Valeria said as she starts making Zarah up. Few minutes later, she was done, Valeria who didn't know her makeup skill was this good smile while Zarah continue to blush. The haggard looking woman transformed to the beautiful Zarah who needs to add some flesh to look completely gorgeous.
Daisy who has been standing by the door since she heard the noise of the clipper look at the two smiling. Valeria was the first to notice Daisy, she signalled to Zarah.
"Aunt, I will be in the kitchen cooking" Valeria said and leave the mother and daughter. Daisy walk inside the room and Zarah stand up to sit on the bed instead. Daisy who is still surprised to see her mother and Valeria together sits beside her mother.
"Your father gave me this cloth and it was the first gift he got me when we dating. He bought it after he got his second salary from a cafe shop he was working. I loved him with all my life and I still do" Zarah said smiling sadly
"Everyday of my life I wish he can come back to me and I still do until this morning. I love him this much that I forgot about the gift the almighty blessed me with, I made my life so useless and became an alcohol addict" Zarah added controlling her tears
"I don't regret loving him or being an alcohol addict because of him, I only regret neglecting the one who could have made my life more meaningful and beautiful. I became selfish and only thought about myself" Zarah said wiping the tears dropping from her made up eyes
"I'm sorry for being selfish, my love is selfish and I hope you can forgive me for every embarrassment I've caused you" Zarah said now crying badly. Daisy stands up and leave the room angrily making her mother cry more.