Relocation

"I can't believe you're leaving us." A sad voice cried as warm, tender arms pulled Lina into a hug. "We're going to miss you and Serena." The lady said, hugging Lina a little too tightly, as Lina returned her hug, a small smile pinching up her lips.

"We'll miss you too, Aunt Cassie." Lina gently patted the back of the almost crying lady to pacify her.

Aunt Cassie wasn't just a friend to her, but Sharon's biological aunt, who had also fulfilled the role of an aunt to her as well.

Cassie owned a flower shop somewhere in the busy part of town, but whenever Lina had a busy day at the hotel, where she worked as a pastry chef, and Sharon was also occupied with work, Cassie was always at her rescue.

She'd pick up Serena from school and take care of her till she returned while spoiling her with toys and sweets, one of the many reasons Lina believed Serena loved her.

Sharon and Cassie were Serena's extra pair of supermoms, who had been doting on her since the day she was born.

It was almost five years ago when she came to Pamilton pregnant with no idea what to do with her life. She had been broken and battered, and those had been the darkest days of her life.

Sharon and Cassie had tremendously helped her.

"Aunty Cassie, I'm going to miss you too." Serena's childish voice echoed beside her mother, and Cassie broke the hug with Lina and looked down at the cute little angel, who always made her heart flutter, especially her big brown eyes.

"Oh, my baby," Cassie cried as she crouched down and squeezed the soft little body into her arms. "I'm going to miss you a lot more." She said with a tear rolling down her cheek as she cupped Serena's round, smooth cheeks and pelted them with kisses.

Serena's eyes followed the trail of the tear, and her small hand quickly caught it. "Aunty Cassie, don't cry. You said big girls don't cry." She said, wiping away the other tear that fell from her lovely Aunty's eyes.

Cassie sniffed as she bobbed her head in agreement with Serena's words, the very words she had repeatedly told her whenever she was placed under her care, and she was sad about missing her mother.

Serena opened her bag pack and bought out a colorful handmade bracelet she had made with beads. "Aunty Cassie, here." She said, stretching it to her. "I made you a bracelet. My class teacher said it's a friendship bracelet, and we should share it with our best friends. Look, I have one too." She said, holding out her small hand to show the bracelets on her wrist.

She had three bracelets, and on each, she spelled out the names of her favorite people: her lovely Aunt Sharon, Aunt Cassie, and her mum.

Cassie's heart melted as she slowly received the bracelet. She traced the name she had spelled on it, 'ENA.'

Her lips curved with a smile as she looked at Serena with adoration. The girl was so smart and thoughtful, and she loved her.

"It's beautiful, Ena. I'll wear it every day." She promised with a smile, and Serena nodded, happy to see her smiling and not in tears. "Thank you." She said.

Cassie wore her bracelet for Serena to see, and the girl smiled happily. She threw her tiny arms around Cassie's neck and hugged her.

She was going to miss aunt Cassie too.

"Alright, that's enough with all the hugging and kissing. You both are going to miss your flight." Sharon looked at her watch, and Lina looked at the time too.

They were truly going to be late.

"Come on now, baby, kiss Aunt Cassie goodbye," Lina instructed, and Serena did as she was told.

She picked up the lunch pack of sandwiches and cupcakes aunt Cassie had packed for her and held Sharon's hand as they walked to the airport cab waiting for them.

She was excited to return to her granny's place, but she was also sad to leave her aunts and friends behind.

"Mummy, we're going to come back, right?" Serena asked as she settled into the car seat while Lina buckled her in.

"You want to come back? I thought you liked grandma's house?" Lina questioned, and the girl bobbed her head.

"I do, but—" She paused and looked out the window to aunt Cassie, waving at her and then to Sharon. She pulled a cute contemplative look as she hesitated with her answer. "Aunty Cassie and Aunty Sharon are going to miss us, and I'm going to miss them too." She honestly said, in a cute baby voice that tugged on everyone's heart who heard her.

"Aww, I'm going to miss you too, Sugar. But don't worry about me and Aunt Cassie. We can take good care of ourselves, but grandma's shop can't. You promised you'll take good care of it, right?" Sharon narrowed her brows at her, and Serena readily bobbed her head.

"Grandma Rose said I'm going to be a good baker like her, and she's going to teach me how to make beautiful cakes." Serena heartily replied, and Sharon shared a quiet look with Lina, who glanced at Serena.

Lina reached for Serena's hand and gently stroked it. "Uhmm, baby, you know grandma won't be able to teach you anymore, right?" She cautiously asked, and Serena nodded.

"You said grandma has gone to heaven."

"Yes, and that's why we're going to help her look after her house and business. Grandma wants us to live there and take care of everything she left behind." Lina explained, hoping that would be enough to educate her almost-four-year-old that her great-grandmother had died.

She was sure Serena wouldn't understand what death truly was, and the beautiful imagination of having her great-grandmother singing with angels would suffice for now till she got a better understanding with years.

"Then can I plant my rose seeds in grandma's garden?" Serena looked up at Lina with gleaming eyes. " Aunty Cassie gave me flower seeds." She said, raising a seed to Lina.

Lina's lips tilted into a smile. "Of course, darling. Mummy will help you plant them." She said, and Ena's face lit up with a delightful smile.

Lina turned towards Sharon, and she found her staring.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I can take a few days off work to help you settle in." Sharon told her, but Lina shook her head.

"You don't have to do that. You've already done enough. These past years would have been difficult without you, but that's enough. I'm back on my feet, and I'm sure I'm ready to face Newfaux. After all, we were just there a few weeks ago, and it wasn't that bad."

"Yeah, but you were only there for three days, but this is a permanent relocation. There are people who know you there." Sharon told her.

"And I'm sure they've all moved on as I have," Lina said, flashing a reassuring smile to Sharon when she observed the skeptical look on her face.

"Stop acting like a grandma. There's really nothing to worry about. Yes, people would still remember, but I didn't kill anyone. I was cheated, which makes me a victim, just like them. I'm sure they've realized that these past years."

Sharon maintained a silent stare at her. She sighed. "I don't know, Lina, but if anybody as much as says or does anything bad to you, let me know, okay?" She firmly demanded, and Lina chuckled at the solemn look on her face.

"Lina." Sharon drawled to effect her seriousness.

"Yes, ma'am." She obediently echoed with a chortle. She couldn't help but laugh when the stubborn look on Sharon's face lingered even after her reassurance.

Seeing Sharon like this reminded her of the early days of their friendship.

Sharon has been her best, and only friend since the invention of the word began, or rather since the day she kicked the ass of her long-term bully, Keisha Simmons, who made the life of every new student in elementary school a living hell.

Keisha and her fleet of overindulged primadonna princesses had been terrors to the kids from a much humbling milieu.

But Sharon, 'the brave' as she most fondly called her while in school, had straightened the ass of those status-bias and 'chauvinistic-bigot' brats and lived above their mockery of her glistening caramel skin.

Sharon was a relentless woman. Her grit and doggedness were the fiercest attributes of her lovely personality. Maybe they were the reason their friendship has exceeded two beautiful decades, with their friendversary celebrated over scones and tarts every year.

And knowing Sharon, she was certain she'd head straight to Newfaux and demand blood if anyone dared do something offensive to her.

"I love you, Sharon. I really do." She said with the sincerest of emotions. She loved Sharon, even more than a sister.

"I love you too, but you can prove that love if you just get laid—"

"Sharon!"

"At least once," Sharon added, ignoring the stern look in Lina's eyes as she looked from her to Serena.

Luckily, the little girl was overly invested in caring for her doll.

Lina glared at her. "You really should mind your language."

"And you really should consider what I said." Sharon retorted.

Lina considered saying something to her, but she decided against it, as it would be a waste of time. She'd rather focus her mind on the journey she was about to make and leave Sharon to her nonsense.

She was heading for Newfaux — a place with many good and bad memories but more bad than good.

Personally, she'd never return there, but life was always doing as it pleased with her. Her grandmother had made her dying wish, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She couldn't see the future, so she was clueless about what might happen in this new phase of her life, but she hoped life would be a little fair to her, especially for Serena's sake.

But even if it doesn't, she isn't going to cave in like she's done in the past. She isn't going to be the person she once was.

She would never make any of the mistakes she has made in the past or even attempt them.

This time she'd protect herself well.

commentaire Commentaire 1

Voter

ENVOYER LE CADEAU

Load failed, please RETRY