"No. Riri's right, mom. It fits you."
Clarice dispelled Helena's worries.
Glancing down at the dress, Helena smiled because she appreciated it. It was a simple knee-length dress made from polyester that hugged her curves. It was the same color as her eyes, though a tad darker. With white and tiny flowers at the edges and center, it fitted and looked comfortable.
Her eyebrows creased as a thought came to mind.
"But where will I go with this dress?"
Sharlene courteously smiled.
"I am sure the upcoming family gathering that will take place next month would be the perfect occasion."
Lifting her head, Helena frowned, for she had forgotten about that.
"Was that the main reason you bought this dress for me?"
Shaking her head, Sharlene stood and walked towards her mother. Holding her hands in hers, she kissed her cheeks.
"No. But you did ask where you could go with it, and I just gave you an idea. You do look lovely."
With a teasing smile, she added.
"Dressing up brings out your youth, Mom."
Scoffing but chuckling at her nonsensical words, Helena smiled.
"Thank you, sweetie, for buying this dress for me."
"You are most welcome, Mom."
Grinning, Sharlene kissed her on the cheeks before moving on to the second bag.
Walking over to Clarice, she stretched it towards her, but not before taking another item from it.
"This is for you, Claire. Tristan and Lily's gift is in the bag."
Taking the bag, she glanced at the item in her hands and gingerly smiled.
"You did not have to, Shar."
"Of course I did. You, Tristan, and Lily are leaving tomorrow, and I know we'll meet again soon, but it'll take ages before you spend a few days with us again."
Smiling, Clarice pulled her into a warm hug.
"Thank you."
She murmured into her ear before pulling away.
"Now. There is something I want to tell you all."
As she spoke, Sharlene shared a knowing look with Rita.
Scrunched eyebrows, Helena and Clarice grew incredibly curious, while AJ remained silent as a button as he gently sat next to oblivious Rita.
"And what is that?"
Helena asked.
"Mr. Ross…"
The clearing of Rita's throat made her rapidly add with shaking lips.
"I mean, Nick called me today."
As she said that, a large blush adorned her face. Everyone except Rita, eyebrows scrunched in contemplation.
"You mean after a week and one day? Mr. Ross finally called you?"
"And you call him Nick now?"
AJ and Helena asked in sync, causing her blush to deepen.
"Yes, and yes."
She genuinely responded while glancing at her mother and then her brother.
"I guess it makes the relationship sound closer."
AJ murmured, and Sharlene heard him but did not comment on it.
He appeared to know more about relationships than her unromantic self.
"Well, that is good news. At least he kept his promise, but why after so long? I mean…"
"That was because he was busy, Claire."
She quickly interjected since Clarice looked puzzled over the matter.
"He also promised to call her tomorrow."
Rita inputted with a lovely smile and winked in glowing Sharlene's direction.
"Really? Then when is he coming back?"
Clarice curiously asked with an ear-to-ear smile.
The matter of her impregnation and upcoming marriage did not sit well with her, but she knew deep down in her heart it was the best choice. She sensed Nicholas and Sharlene would make a beautiful couple.
"He did not get to tell me because he was about to attend a meeting."
"Mmmh. Then I guess you can ask him when he calls tomorrow."
Clarice mumbled, and Sharlene nodded in agreement.
"So that's why you were smiling like a creep when you entered the living room."
AJ teased, his mouth twitching into a smirk when Sharlene's blush increased.
"I was not smiling like a creep, AJ."
Rolling her eyes, she folded her arms on top of her chest.
"Then like a lovesick fool?"
Clicking her tongue, she scoffed.
"Your heart must feel much better, sweetie."
Helena, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke while a smile graced her lips, though it did not reach her eyes.
"What do you mean, mom?"
Laughing when he saw she now resembled a tomato, AJ included.
"Did you not see yourself for the past days? You looked possessed with your phone every time a notification came on. You were eagerly waiting for Mr. Ross's calls, weren't you?"
"I told her the same thing, AJ."
Rita added, which caused AJ's face to resemble Sharlene's. At seeing this, she inwardly smirked and made a mental note to tease him later.
"And I am happy he finally called and will continue calling."
"Hopefully."
AJ murmured, and Sharlene glared. Knicking her foot against his, she smirked when he hissed and pulled himself away.
Helena ignored his remark as she resumed.
"Until he returns."
Pulling her into a warm hug, she kissed Sharlene on the forehead. Not immune to warm hugs, she quickly wrapped her arms around her waist and snuggled her face into her chest. Sharlene basked in the warmth her mother's body produced.
Slowly, Helena pulled away and further expressed her appreciation with a smile.
"Thank you once again for the dress, honey."
Tilting her head so that she could see her face, Sharlene returned her smile.
"You are welcome, mom."
Brushing a stubborn strand of Sharlene's hair behind her ears, she kissed her on her forehead before pulling away.
"I think I will go take my nap."
Smiling, Sharlene was thankful for her mother's understanding, but she detected she was not pleased with Nick's lack of punctuality.
"Okay."
Watching her leave until she disappeared up the stairs, she sighed.
"Do not worry. Mom will come around. Just give her time."
Feeling Clarice's reassuring touch on her shoulder and encouraging words, she nodded.
"Thanks for the advice, Claire."
"Anytime. Now, I will also go back to finish my nap. There is nothing else to do anyway."
Looking in Rita's direction, she smiled.
"Great to see you again, Riri."
Rita returned her smile, but it did not reach her eyes, and Sharlene detected it.
Clarice soon walked away.
Quickly, Sharlene walked over and sank back into the seat next to Rita. Her worry quadrupling.
"You too, AJ."
She said with an expectant look at AJ.
Frowning, AJ was confused.
"What?"
"Aren't you going to take a nap as well?"
His frown broadened.
"If I had to take a nap, you are practically sitting where I would take it. And you and I both know I do not sleep during the day."
"Or in the night. Fine. You win."
Scoffing for his words sounded reasonable, she stood and pulled Rita together with her.
Smirking, he loudly called.
"I always win!"
~*~
The moment they both entered the room, she placed Rita on the edge of her made bed, then walked over to close the door.
When she turned around, her face was dead serious as she muttered.
"Spill."
As if a dam was waiting to explode, Rita burst into tears, her shoulders and hands shaking as she tried to wipe them away. At her pitiful sight, Sharlene frowned, and as if she was consoling a child, she walked over and quickly wrapped her arms around her.
Latching onto her like glue, Rita buried her head in her shoulders.
Knowing that Sharlene was the best person to console her, she allowed her grievances to pass through her tears.
Sliding her hands down her back, Sharlene calmly soothed her emotional pain by whispering comforting words in her ears. After five minutes of bawling, Rita's heart was calmer, but she was still affected.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Cautiously asking, Sharlene pulled her body away from her.
Brushing the stray tear marks from her cheeks with the soft part of her sleeves, she pouted her lips, for Rita looked sad. She hated to see her in such a state, for a depressed Rita was abnormal.
Sniffing, she slowly nodded.
Grabbing her hands to distract herself, Rita lifted her red eyes to stare into her shaking ones.
"It's Yvonne. He left me...," placing a hand on her stomach, she said, through wobbling lips. "Us."
As she spoke, her lips quivered, her eyes filling with more tears, but Sharlene was thankful she did not start crying again.
With furrowed eyebrows, she curtly asked.
"When you say he left? Do you mean he left for work?"
Rapidly shaking her head, Rita's shoulders dropped, and with a hiccup, she murmured.
"He is abandoning me, Shar."
Sharlene's eyes opened wide, for her words sounded odd and incredulous.
"That can't be possible. Yoyo loves you a lot, Riri."
"No, he does not, Shar. If he did, he would not have left me so coldly."
Rita spoke with conviction, her eyes filling with more tears that had Sharlene's frown broadening.
There was no way that Yvonne Chan could ever leave or stop loving her best friend. Looking at forlorn Rita, she felt downtrodden, but optimism quickly won.
"I am sure there is an explanation. Did you try calling him?"
Pulling her phone from the small pocket in her purse, she handed it to her.
"Twenty-five times. I also texted him, but he did not answer."
Grabbing the phone, Sharlene scrolled through the call log. Witnessing the twenty-five calls forwarded towards Yvonne, she pursed her lips. Placing the phone behind her, she murmured.
"I find that hard to believe."
Watching as Rita buried her head in her hands, Sharlene was frustrated.
"There must be some mistake or reason. Yvonne loves you greatly. The guy adores you. I don't think he'd leave without a valid reason."
She reassured Rita, but her words went over her head.
Yvonne and Rita always had a distant relationship. Because of this, they rarely saw each other face-to-face, though they managed through FaceTime and long chats on the phone.
Yvonne was an endowed sous chef who sailed on different cruise lines every six months. His family background was as dynamic as his name. He hailed from a strict family that valued upper-class affiliation. Their names were infamous, and they wore it like a chain around their wrists and neck.
The Chan family also stemmed from old traditional festivities, where one stated the firstborn son could not marry any woman but the one his living grandfather chose.
There were also the hush-hush whispers of nationality, culture, and background.
Sharlene was the first to meet Yvonne during her studies in College. He was kind and understanding despite being born into a rich family. They became fast friends because they got along better than anyone else would think.
After introducing him to Rita, she was not surprised when they began to date a year later. Sparks were flying, and fireworks blasted when the two met. Their staring contests and occasional blushing from both parties were the sign of love at first sight.
Oblivious, she had brought the soulmates together, according to Rita's cheerful gushing. They were happy together and very optimistic, but then his parents began to oppose him, and their lives were never the same again.
All these strained their relationship. When Rita had told her she was pregnant, Sharlene was shocked, then worried, but excited.
It was a hurried but beautiful decision.
Contemplating on that matter, she suddenly stood.
"It's probably his parents."
Sniffling as she lifted her head to stare at her, Rita looked pitiful.
"What?"
"Think about it, Riri."
As she spoke, she began to pace.
"Yoyo's parents have never, ever, accepted you as his significant other. Even after a year and two months of dating. Have they ever been interested in you? No."
Brushing her tears, Rita was confused.
"What are you saying, Shar?"
Stopping in front of her, Sharlene suddenly held her hands. And with determined eyes, she muttered.
"You need to contact them. Tell those stuck-up people a piece of your mind, Riri. I bet you, Yoyo is giving them hell as we speak. They can never dream of breaking up the thread called you and Yoyo. It has been woven tightly around some thousand-year-old tree in the middle of the forest. It's showing no signs of snapping. It is a coincidence that Yvonne means yew or tree. He is solid and won't fall because of his parents and grandfather's storm."
Rita suddenly began to laugh, for Sharlene's words were random and funny. At seeing her laughing, Sharlene felt better, for it brought back the shine in her eyes and distorted the overbearing sadness. But it was not enough to lessen the pain.