"Mila is fine and the only thing you two are doing is suffocating her right now . Give her some space to breath . Chop-chop." Charlotte clapped her hands and pulled Jasmine and Maxwell away from Mila . She tried to push them out the door but Jasmine was the one to dodge her mother's touch .
Jasmine gave her mother a hard look ," Why do you always chase us away when Mila needs us the most ? She needs us ! We are her family and family supports one another . Not to leave the other when one needs the love and assurance of their own family ."
Jasmine's words were true , but Charlotte is the only person who could easily dust away words like dust on the table . "She is stressed . Do you think she will be relieved and fine when you are clinging onto her neck like a koalo ? Leave the room , she'll be fine , she's with me ."
Jasmine's eyes sting with tears . Her mother is the most meanest person in their lives and the woman doesn't realise that yet . Her black eyes turn to Mila and the latter looks at her , noticing her unshed tears . Mila stands up and mutters ," I'm fine ."
"No you are not ." Maxwell was the one who protest . His intense eyes turn to look at his wife ," The celebration is not taking place . She is still going through trauma and you cannot for-"
Charlotte rolled her eyes ," What do you know about trauma ?"
The atmosphere changed around them and before the two couples could fire words at one another , a knock resounds before Augustus enters the room . "Sir , Mr Nightingale has arrived. "
Maxwell Woods stilled , his blood running cold as he hears the surname .
Charlotte cocked a brow at her husband , as if eagerly waiting for him to leave the room . Maxwell's eyes turn to Mila who looked back at his face before he glanced at Jasmine . Before Charlotte could open her mouth to ask if he isn't leaving , Maxwell turned to her and urgently say ," Can we have a word outside ?"
The three women noticed the urgency in the men's voice . The sudden feeling of getting jittery and you just want to hide away from whatever is pulling those jittery feelings out of you .
Charlotte would have remained rooted to the ground but she heard the urgency in Maxwell's words and even though they do not get along quite well these days , they are still husband and wife and she heard to hear this 'word' he wants to have . "Get ready . Jasmine ." Charlotte spared Jasmine a look before she left . A look that say 'go back to your room and get ready . you do not want to get on my bad side today' .
As the door closed behind their mother's retreat , Mila turned to look at Jasmine who was still looking at the door and her face filled with confusion .
Mila turned to the bed and took a seat while Jasmine turned back to Mila . She approached Mila and sat next to her .
"Do you still see the shadows ?" Jasmine asks , her voice warming and full of support for her sister . Mila averted her gaze from her nails and to Jasmine . She nodded her head lightly , feeling weak . "But it wasn't a shadow this time ." Mila replied in a weak voice .
Jasmine looks at Mila with questioning eyes before she turned her whole body and laid her leg on the bed while her body was fully facing Mila , who too slowly turned to face her .
"It was a person ." Mila said . She wasn't sure - no she was sure . She was caught in the inbetween but she refused to believe that it was just a shadow .
It would have been better if that shadow or person hadn't magically disappeared from her bathroom . If he had run out the door , she would've have believed it was a person , but she heard no sound . Not even the sound of the door closing or opening and that meant the figure just disappeared on the spot , just like how the shadows do .
"Did you see his face !?" Jasmine failed to keep her emotions at bay and she ended up yelling the words out . Before Mila could warn her to lower her voice , the door swang open . Their mother's eyes focused on Jasmine and the latter knew she shouldn't rebel right now . Jasmine stood up and looked at Mila before she mouthed ," We'll talk soon."
"Get ready ." Charlotte said to Mila after Jasmine has left the room , meanwhile approaching her .
Mila stood up and headed to her dressing room . It is not because she is obeying her mother's orders , but she wanted to meet him and if maybe by chance Morgana appears again , she wants to be the one to meeting her first . There is a list of the guest here and nobody would just enter if she or he isn't in the list but Mila kind of believes the woman would pass through easily .
She picked up the red dress and searched through the whole room . Her mother stood by the door and watched her search the room . Mila turned around and dropped the bathrobe down before she wore the red dress .
Her mother approached her and helped her with zipping up the dress and in that process , her mother said ," Don't tell your sister of what you see or hear ."
Mila turned around , glancing up at her mother . The emotions in her mother's eye caught Mila off caught . "Why ?" Mila managed to question through the bile forming in her throat .
"I do not want the incident with Sharon to repeat . Keep it a secret . It's our little secret ." Charlotte said , lifting her finger and swiping it over Mila's eyebrow in a heartfelt action with a smile grazed on her lips that Mila had never seen before .
Mila glanced down at her hands , fiddling with the necklace she held in hand ," I just have a question ." She said , looking up at her mother who's smile had disappeared already .
"Me too , Mila . I have so many questions , my precious girl , but I do not pounder on them longer because one day , we will be granted with the answers ." Her mother said , her tone filled with many emotions that Mila could not address one by one by their names , yet they made her heart clench . She is not the only one hurting . Her mother too .
"Come on , let me help you ." Her mother said before she was turned to have her back face her . Mila handed the necklace to her mother and she helped her wear it . "Let us enjoy this night , okay ? Mingle amongst the people and smile ." Her mother said her everyday scripted words .