Daisy glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Unlike Diana who completely resembled their mother, she looked nothing like her and she had been rather peaceful about it when she was young.
But now that she looked at it, they had so shared traits too. They were both equally awkward when talking sweet and being emotional. Daisy had never felt an ounce of discomfort when she fought with the woman in the past. Rage? Yes. Frustration? Yes. Grief? Yes. Awkwardness? Never.
But now that she was talking to her in a softer tone, it suddenly felt big.
’’You are my biological mother. What else am I supposed to address you as?" Daisy neutralized her tone as she spoke.
Alice cleared her throat, ’’I did not say anything about that,’’ she tried to sound like her older self, the one who was conceited and bossy but perhaps due to her current ongoing treatnt, or the fact that she had regained her mories, she sounded rather soft.
There were many emotions in her voice. Regret, sadness, guilt but most of all, she sounded alive. She did not sound self-destructive or toxic as she had been all these years.
’’Daisy... how have you been?" the woman spoke up when Daisy did not say anything. Her voice was still hesitant as if she did not know what would be the right thing to say, ’’Were you looking for your father? He just went to take a shower. I will get him to call you once he cos out. Ah Lian has gotten into gardening these days. You won’t believe it if you see the amount of stuff he has planted in the garden, including potatoes.
When we were young, he was such a neat freak. He would pretend he was okay with it all but if there was a speck of dust on him, he would frown like the rich young master that he was. But now he is loitering in the dirt like a pig... ah.. Look at blabbering..."
No response.
"Daisy... Daisy?"
Daisy snapped out of her daze and in the reflection she saw, her eyes were red, a drop of tear rolled down the corner of her eye. She reached out to wipe it even as more tears welled up in her eyes.
When she had said she let go of the past, that had just been to console Ryle. For Daisy and Diana, the very notions of childhood, care, love was deford by the broken family they were raised in. And the truth shattered any remnant grievances they could hold on to. Who can let go of decades of grief and pain? Who can get over it in the blink of an eye?
How can she look at her mother and not think of the woman who slamd a chair on her little sister? How can she ever forget her father’s tears when he broke down and told her that it took only one night for those rapists to take away her mother’s soul and leave only a remnant of what she used to be?
But all of it... suddenly seed like a distant cry of the past.
’’Daisy... Sweetheart, are you there...?’’ There were sounds of knocks on the other side. Alice apparently knocked on the bathroom door as she talked to Helian Chen, ’’Ah Lian, what did you tell about the network not being an issue in this place? It is not working at all.’’
’’I can get it fixed, love but we are not going to stay in so lively neighborhood where those fuckers of neighbors can co knocking at our door and disturb us as they wish...’’
’’You...’’
’’Mom, I was just checking up on the both of you,’’ Daisy spoke up after calming her voice, ’’I will reach out to you later.’’
’’Ah? Alright, dear... You take care.’’
Daisy disconnected the call imdiately, feeling a weight disappearing off her chest.
She looked at the phone for so ti before she lifted her head, glancing at the slightly ajar door of the bathroom.
...
Ryle laid beside Angel on the bed, his eyes open and dazed as he looked at the ceiling. The top few buttons of his shirt had been undone at so point and his fingers had been raking through his hair constantly.
As chaotic as his left hand was, his right hand was entirely still as it sported a tiny head on it. At so point, Angel was snuggled up on his bicep like a cocoon as she did every night.
After what seed like eternity, Ryle could not help but fling his gaze towards the clock.
It was past midnight.
His gaze swiveled in the direction of the bathroom. Unlike the darkness before, the place was dimly lit like the area around the king sized bed. The bathroom door did not seem to be unlocked and the dress she had slipped off her body still sat on the floor in front of the door.
The very sight of that discarded dress and slightly ajar door had left him tornted for the past few minutes.
He had gotten rather distracted from it for a few monts when Angel nuzzled herself in his arms. He could not help but notice how the girl seed to have grown up, albeit little bit but still he dwelled for a few monts about how much more littler she used to seem in his embrace. And that left him feeling a sense of loss he could not understand.
’’I will be back after checking on mommy...’’ Ryle whispered in a soft voice as he gently shifted Angel’s head from his arm to the pillow.
He pushed himself out of the bed carefully before striding towards the bathroom.
Ryle’s gaze paused on the dress that was lying on the floor for a few monts before he squatted and picked it up with one hand, his other hand reaching out to knock on the door.
A few seconds passed but there was no response.
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