Sonya formally and respectively greeted her grandparents, before they arrived at the house, Ava had warned her to be respectful and responsible, knowing her daughter too well of being mischievous and rebellious.
" She certainly takes after you, in terms of appearance." Her grandma spoke.
" She looks like a good kid, you raised her well." Her grandfather added.
" Well we don't know that for sure, we need to spend more time with her and get to know her, who knows what else she inherited from her mother apart from looks, in terms of behavior and manners."
" Grandma."
Emma said with pleading eyes not to go any further, they sat around the dining table to enjoy a warm family meal.
" Who's the child's father, what does he do?." Ms Anderson asked.
" Father and mother don't get along and are not in touch, but I'm very close to my father." Sonya said with a smile.
" I see, I'm guessing he's a bad man then."
" Why do you think so grandma?." Sonya asked.
" Because if he was a good man your parents would be together, and if not they would at least be in touch for your sake right? Not only did she give birth out of wedlock, she chose someone pathetic and probably a criminal to have a child with."
" Grandma you're being to harsh, please, Sonya is still a kid." Emma spoke.
" Emma's right darling, let's just enjoy the meal, it's good that Ava introduced us to our eldest great granddaughter." Mr Anderson told his wife.
" I'm just saying, did I say something wrong?." Ava was getting fed up, she slammed the fork and knife on the dining table staring at Ms Anderson.
" Do you have a problem with me, Ms Anderson? Cause you've been attacking me from day one, you've been blaming me of something I didn't do, if you have anything to say why don't you say it right to my face this instance."
Everyone fell silent, the tension between Ava and Ms Anderson grew thicker and heavier, Emma didn't know what to do, this isn't how she planned out their lunch meeting to go like. Ms Anderson laid down her fork and knife on her plate _ staring into Ava's eyes.
" If my son and daughter-in-law didn't decide to visit you that day, they would still be alive, you killed your own parents, your bad luck led them to their graves."
" Grandmother."!
" No, Emma." Ava stopped Emma." Let her finish."
" You're just like your ungrateful Aunt here," Ms Anderson looked over at Hana." Just like you she tried to kill her own sister out of jealousy and envy, she hated seeing her sister happy, You two are more alike than you think."
Hana dropped tears, that unfaithful night when she tried to kill her elder sister is something that will haunt her for as long as she lives, she regrets it every single day _ but she simply can't change the past, even so, her sister chose to forgive her and still loved her unconditionally. Emma was shocked to hear what Ms Anderson just said, she didn't know what to say or react to the bombshell. Ava nodded knowingly getting up from her seat.
" It's no surprise how much you hate me, but Hana, was more of a mother to me than my real mother was, she raised me, protected me, took care of me when I got terribly sick to death, Hana, never left my side no matter how much I cursed, screamed, yelled or blamed her for everything that was happening to me, she stayed like a true parent would."
" Of course, you share the same mindset I am not surprised."
" Enough!,"
Emma yelled slamming her hand on the table, she wasn't angry but sad, her emotions got the better of her that tears just flow down like a river.
" You don't know what you're saying, Grandma, I'm the one that's hurting a lot because I was there when Mom and Dad died, when the car flipped over I was afraid, I shut my eyes so tight all I could hear was Mom and Dad shouting my name and trying to shield me, suddenly everything went quiet, I opened my eyes and saw Mom and Dad covered in blood, I saw the fear in Mom's eyes looking at me, Dad was already dead, do you know what Mom's last words were before she took her last breath?." Emma sniffed wiping her tears.
" Ava, she whispered Ava's name,"
Ava slightly widened her eyes surprised.
" Mom said she loved us both equally, I didn't understand who she was talking about at that moment, she told me to leave the car and run as far as my little legs could go, her smile was the last thing I saw before she bled out and died, I crawled out through the window and ran, the car went in flames before it exploded along with them, I watched them burn till the cops and ambulance got to us, little old me could only cry because I couldn't save them. So I won't seat here and watch you blame Ava for our parents death, our parents loved us, they loved her, and they wouldn't want you blaming Ava or judge her for anything."
Hana stood from her seat and hugged Emma, comforting her. One the other hand, Ava walked out of the dining room going outside, she stood in front of the front porch, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes, the last time she cried was when she begged her parents not to take her to the mental hospital, since then she shut down from everything, her emotions, and tears, she cling onto her pain instead. And now today, the tears she shut down a long time ago are threatening to come out, why? Ava gave a dry chuckle taking out a silver box where she stores her cigarettes_ from her trouser pocket, she takes out one cigarette putting it to her mouth and lit it up, in healing the smoke and releasing it into the air.
" May I have one too?." Emma spoke from behind approaching Ava.
" Not a chance, you're breastfeeding." Ava simply said puffing out smoke.
" You look so cool when you do that, I admire you." Ava stared at Emma for a while, before randomly hugging her, Emma froze for a sec_ it all came so sudden and unexpectedly, never the less Emma hugged Ava back.
" I'm glad to have you as a sister." Ava said still hugging Emma.
" Me too."
" Where's Sonya, I think it's time we get going now." Ava spoke pulling back.
" Before you leave, I would like to apologize," Ms Anderson walked over to them turning to Ava," I'm sorry, for everything _ for judging you, blaming you...and accusing you, I know it wasn't your fault, you're no different from Emma, you're both my grandchildren and I love the two of you equally, just as I loved your parents, and if you allow me _ I would like to spend some more quality time with my great granddaughter, Sonya."
Ava nodded with a smile, Ms Anderson widened her arms for her, it was the first time they two hugged, Emma was so happy she couldn't resist joining in.
Sonya agreed to stay back at her grandparents house, she was thrilled to have her own room and everything else, knowing she was surrounded by the people who loved her.
Ava and Emma returned back to their apartment.
" We're home."
" You're finally back." Trixie stood looking worried.
" What happened?." Ava spoke.
" Where's Lucas?." Emma asked.
" He left after seeing the news on TV, probably went to see Alec."
" What news? Did something happen?." Emma had a frown on her face, Trixie asked them to seat down before handing Emma her phone, Emma played the video and watched in silence.
' we're live on NY tv this afternoon, I'm your host Agatha Raisin, and I'm here with non other than the beautiful Laura Katlin Qinn, it's a pleasure to have you on our buzz show, Laura."
" Pleasure is all mine, Agatha, thank you for pushing me in your busy schedule."
" Of course, we love to know what's going on in our beloved famous and influential people's lives such as yourselves, I mean the public would like to know."
Laura gave a slight smile." So you and Alec Qinn have been married for almost a year now after he divorced his ex wife, Emma Rose Anderson, why is that? The public still have questions to why the happy couple suddenly decided to part ways?."
" Well, Agatha, Alec and I are childhood friends _ we grew up together, and I had feelings for him for a really really long time, when I heard he's got a fianceè I admit it hurt me, but I respected our friendship and accepted it, but you know what they say ' if it's not meant to be, then it's not meant to be '
Their marriage didn't work out, it simply meant Alec and I were meant to be, after all we've known each other our whole lives."