When Fate Decided to Play its Part

CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE:

Burned Down to Ashes

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The next day, Kai went to visit her again. Tyler only dropped him together with a maid, Kai said he has an important meeting to attend to. Althea could careless, she only let his words past her ears. The whole day, she remained idle. Jack visited at noon, after his classes. Becca went out with him after that, saying she has something to do in the shop. Maybe to attend the flowers, Althea thought.

It was only her and Kai left in the room when her phone rang. It was Melanie.

[“How are you?” She said, Althea can hear the tiredness in her voice. Becca already told her what happened to her parents, so she already knows her situation and has no plan to make her come back immediately.]

Althea was leaning on her bed; Kai was sleeping next to her. She looked down at him and gently runs her hand on his hair. “I’m okay now, you don’t have to worry.”

[She hears a sigh, “That’s good.” Silence. There was the familiar silence Melanie always has when talking to somebody. “Uhm, I- is it okay to not-“]

“Yes,” Althea said, sighing. She throwed her head back at the ceiling. “Yes, yes of course. It’s your parents. You should take care of them while you still can.”

“…” Melanie was taken aback, wondering why she can hear bitterness on her voice. Then she remembered what Victoria said in her birthday. Right; her parents are dead.

[Melanie nodded even though she knows that the other can’t see her. “Thank you. I hope you recover soon. I’ll be back after they discharged.”]

Althea also nodded. “No problem. I hope your parents will recover soon too, and you can take your time, just be sure to be back.”

Hearing her crack a joke, albeit lacking her usual energy, Melanie broke into a smile that made her father- that was sitting on a bed across her- tilt his head in confusion and asked-

[“Hey- is that your girl-“

you, Althea.” Then she hangs up. After putting her phone down, she gave her father a

general check-up, both her and Kai were left alone again. Kai was already awake, eating the foods Tyler bought for them. Althea

returned to her conversation with Charlotte. Kai

out to give him a pat on his head. “How are you fairing there, Kai? Is there someone giving

question a thought. “It’s

“So, you

tell me to go home with you, I’ll go with

little boy to her arms. “Come here,

-

called her, bawling, and cursing at her because she didn’t tell her about what happened and only heard it after Melanie called her. Althea kept on sighing as she repeats her apologies. If Marjorie wasn’t there, it will take hours before they calm this woman down. Althea was in a verge of hanging up the phone, but with Kai

the other. “She’s just upset. She wants to help you with anything as long as she can,

her to worry about it. I don’t want to bother her too, since she has a

small or big, I

already, geez.” Althea laughed. “Any ways, Kai is here, do

[“Really?! Sure!”]

-

the door, Kai turned to look at him with shinning eyes. Tyler was confused at first, but it was

Tyler nodded. “Then I’ll take care of Kai until

nodded her head. “After 5 days I’ll be discharged from here. Since it seems like Kai is comfortable with you, I’ll take it as

Althea expected him to be happy and thank her with his small, composed smile. Who could have thought that he will thank

He smiled widely, his eyes turning into slits, but in the gap of those slits

heart throbbed in fear and another familiar emotion that she hasn’t felt for a very long time. It was small, like a fire spark, as it was

loosened the gripping hand

looked at that corner again and he was

“Althea?”