(Arata)
Breakfast with my family was a rry affair. They were overjoyed to have back; I could sense it from their smiles, and thankfully, there was no ntion of Andy.
As usual, Zaylen was bragging about his latest car. I could swear my brother loved cars more than girls.
"Well, my boss recently bought The Alpha Blue and believe it’s slick and smooth," I deliberately teased my brother while taking a huge bite of the pancake. Zaylen was drinking orange juice, he almost spit it out as his eyes bulged with excitent.
"What? You don’t say. You already sat in it?" All his attention was on as he gripped the table to avoid jumping out of his seat.
Grandma, Mom and Baba laughed aloud at his reaction. They knew his obsession with this car.
"Yes, my car was delayed and he gave a ride ho so I wouldn’t have to travel by taxi," I explained. Baba had a suspicious look while Mom and Grandma gushed over this detail. Zaylen, on the other hand, was more interested in knowing the details of the car.
"What a gentleman. You got yourself a caring boss," Grandma comnted with a kind smile. If only she knew about his mood swings too.
"Does he ask personal questions as well?" Baba tried to ask casually but I understood what he was trying to do.
"Baba! He was being kind."
"Tell about the car. What was the interior like? How fast did it go?" Zaylen bombarded with questions.
"I guess you will find out when Baba buys it for you after your result or maybe not if you don’t get the required GPA," I teased, sticking my tongue out at him.
"You are being an. I will score the required GPA," he huffed before returning to finishing his breakfast. Mom thumped his back and lovingly murmured.
"Yes, you will. We believe in you." He was Mama’s boy, but she hadn’t spoiled him. She would always reprimand us for our wrongdoings.
Zaylen also got scoldings from Baba on rare occasions, but I was an exception. He never said anything to , even when I was wrong; his heart was too soft when it ca down to .
After breakfast, Mom brought out large sun hats.
"Here, this one’s for you." She handed the one with a purple ribbon attached to it. Hers had a red one.
"Thank you! I love it." I hung it with my handbag. The island had hotter weather compared to Angel City, so it would co in handy.
Baba and Zaylen were overseeing the luggage being placed in cars so Mom took the opportunity to ask about the cotton.
"I hope your boss didn’t figure it was who sent the cotton to him," she asked in a hushed voice. The white and red sun dress she wore highlighted her natural beauty.
"He was suspicious but I think we are in the clear. He is too smart for his own good. Nothing bypasses him," I confided in her and she warmly smiled.
"And generous too. That was quite a donation he made."
"Well, he should have. You helped save the company’s reputation. That was the best way to repay," I answered when Baba and Zaylen walked inside. Zaylen seed like a younger version of Baba because of his hair and physique but his features were more like Mom’s.
"All set, we should head out. Everyone will et us there," Zaylen announced, excitedly rubbing his hands together.
My brother was social, unlike Baba. One reason was that Zaylen had a very different childhood as compared to our Baba. Although my father had co a long way he still avoided the proximity of any woman who didn’t belong to his family and overall hated gatherings. Zaylen loved having fun and interacting with others.
"Let’s go."
Zaylen and I helped Grandma and had her seated in his car.
I chose to sit with Baba, while Zaylen drove Mom and Grandma.
Baba’s chauffeur drove out of the villa and we hit the road. Zaylen was right ahead of us.
"Can I ask you sothing?" Baba softly asked and I could sense the apprehensions he was carrying in his voice.
I turned my attention to him. Placing my hand on his, I squeezed and answered.
"Freely, I am not that fragile."
His tensed shoulders relaxed beneath his tropical shirt but the fine lines on his face remained stretched.
"Did Andy try to speak with you?" He questioned, a grimace crawling on his face as if the very na had left a bad taste in his mouth.
I shook my head.
"No, he never tried to contact . If he ever did I would block him. I never wish to speak with a cheater," I firmly said.
His very ntion riled up. Soone could be so shaless, I learnt the hard way. At tis, I still wondered how different my life would have been if Andy hadn’t betrayed .
No moving to Marica City.
No eting Azul or Karsten.
No realisation that I needed to discover myself.
Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
"Good, if he ever does, let know," Baba uttered bitterly and I knew he had every plan to ruin him.
"Just forget him, Baba. He is not worth our ti. I am trying to pretend that he was a bad dream." That was partially true; mostly, I was trying to forget him by fucking a masked stranger, but Baba didn’t need to know that.
"I will never forget what he did to you, Moonshine. He should be happy to be alive." The hatred in Baba’s words for him was starkly visible, and I leaned in and hugged him.
"It’s okay, Baba." He hugged back and placed a tender kiss on my head. The one which always made forget every hardship and worry.
The car ca to a halt as we arrived at the airport. It was ti to let go of the awful mories and people attached to them and have a wonderful week with my family and loved ones.
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