Let Me Stay The Night

Perturbation brimmed in Lucas’ doe-like eyes.

It’s all my fault. I caused Mommy to be scolded.

Dabbing off the sweat on the child’s head with a handkerchief, Nathaniel reminded the former, “Don’t do it again. It’s fine if you had just broken the shelf, but what if the books had hit your head?”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” said Lucas with a pout.

“You’re all sweaty. Come on. I’ll give you a shower.” Christina got to her feet and pulled Lucas along to the bathroom.

After the door closed, Nathaniel’s gaze moved up until it found the shelf’s topmost level.

The books were arranged neatly, but the sequence was incorrect.

Christina did not sleep well because of what she learned. Hence, she drove to the hospital early the next day.

Sharon looked much better compared to the last time Christina saw her. Clearly, the former had rested well.

“Mom, I’m here. Do you want some grapes?” Christina approached the hospital bed and opened up the container filled with cleaned fruits.

Sharon was delighted to see her daughter, and a smile tugged at her lips. “Okay.”

Hearing Sharon’s response, Christina peeled the fruit’s skin and popped them into the former’s mouth. The bond between the two was strong after having to depend on each other for so many years. Hence, the news that the woman in front of her was not her biological mother put Christina at a loss.

She had no idea how to handle it.

“Christina, you dropped a grape. What are you thinking so deeply about?” asked Sharon with concern..

Only then did Christina realize the grape had slipped from her fingers.

“My hands slipped,” explained Christina awkwardly. She then picked up the grape with a piece of tissue and tossed it into the bin.

Christina’s strange behavior worried Sharon. “What’s wrong? Did you and Nathaniel get into a fight?”

Christina’s eyelids drooped to avoid her mother’s gaze. For a moment, she did not know how to answer the latter’s question. “No…”

patted the former’s hand to comfort her. “Is Nathaniel giving you less attention because he’s usually swamped at work? It’s normal since

not it, Mom,” Christina interrupted, still

would want their daughter, whom they raised for over twenty years, to ask

me. Don’t keep it to yourself. Sharon grew more concerned the longer Christina kept

her fingers and took in a deep breath. Maybe

my oten.

…

a nervous gaze on her mother as complex feelings like worry and suspicion sprouted in her heart,

the unexpected

her fists, her heart beating like a drum.

Sharon’s reaction, a guess formed in her mind, roughly confirming

took Sharon’s hand and stared at the latter intently. “Mom, no matter what happened in the past, you’re still the mom I love the most.”

longer hold back her tears. After all, she thought she could bring the secret. she had been hiding for many years

about

her mother’s words. It was as if the blood in her vessels had solidified from all the anxiety she was feeling. “Mom, what exactly

happened, but they were nowhere to be found. At

eyelids. It was taking her some time to

a token and leave just like that? Why did they do

crying mother. All she could manage was, “Rest well, Mom. I don’t blame

for so many years because she feared I might get angry when I

feeling as

then, her phone rang.

one glance at the caller ID and answered it. “Bailey, I feel horrible today. Can you spend some

find a great place today to have some

received a text from

and soon arrived at the club-the

into the building. Bailey leil

everyone was enjoying themselves. No one realized Christina had entered!

blasting music and loud laughter filled the