CHAPTER 27
Theresssa was dumbfounded, she laid on her bed, her eyes red and puffy from the tears she had been shedding for the last five hours
Going to work was the last thing on her mind; she couldn’t face anyone. She couldn’t bring herself to work there anymore even though Marcelo had let her work in the sales unit despite the contract termination. She just couldn’t work in the vicinity anymore.
What would she tell Anne? Marcelo never loved her? it was all in her head? How would she be able to walk passed Marcelo with that heartache everyday.
A knock came from the other end of her door but Theressa was too lost in thoughts to hear the soft knocks . Her gaze was fixed to the ceiling as she wondered how life would have treated her, how her relationship with Marcelo would have been if she hadn’t chosen to think with her heart.
“Resa baby” Mary called out from the other end, her
tone soft as she pleaded for her daughter to open up the door for her.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk now” Mary began her tone displaying care and concern as she was worried about her daughter.
Theressa had returned home in a mess, after Marcelo proclaimed his will to not meet with her anymore, she had made her way back home, by herself.
She didn’t care about how messy she looked, how her long silky dress was wrinkled, ropes behind tied recklessly, her shoes in her hand as she found her way out of Marcelo’s mansion refusing Kayden’s offer to bring her back home.
“Just come eat, I prepared your favorite” Mary pronounced. She went silent and Mary said nothing. The wind had stopped blowing, the curtain still as Theressa came to a conclusion.
As the door to the locked room finally opens revealing a disheveled Theressa, Mary’s expression undergoes a profound transformation. Her feature once etched with worry for her daughter softens with a mixture of relief. She said nothing as she followed Theressa to bed.
Theressa looked drained, she was exhausted from her emotions, from her pain and seeing her mothers look, that knowing look, she couldn’t help but burst into tears, wrapping her arms around her mothers neck, Theressa sought comfort in her mother’s arms.
Theressa felt free, free to let out the emotions choking her. She loved how her mother asked no question, said no words but continued to pat her back softly and continued to stroke her hair softly.
Just what she needed… a shoulder to cry on care free, not scared of being judged.
Time had passed and the two had finally separated, Theressa’s cries had stopped and only sniffs from Theressa could be heard.
“Come on let’s have breakfast” Mary smiled at her daughter, her hand not letting go of Theressa as she shot her a daughter a bittersweet smile.
Theressa felt guilty, her mother just got out of the hospital and she was already getting her worked up. She complied, following her mum to the dining room where the food was set.
“It must be cold, let me warm it up” Mary chuckled nervously.
“No mother, I’ll do it myself” Theressa stated, her lips forming a small smile as she assured her mum she’s alright, her mum had probably gone through stress to make the soup and the look of disappointment on her mother’s face made her feel guilty. She shouldn’t have lockers her jumbojet at first, she should have opened up and eaten the meal her mum had used her heart to prepare.
Theressa went ahead with heating the soup up, trying not to think about Marcelo.
They both began to eat, no words spoken between the two as only the sounds of spoons and plates could be heard around the house.
Theressa felt the need to let it all out to her mother but she couldn’t bother to tell her mother.
“You know” Mary began after gulping down the glass of water.
“While I was in the coma, I met with your father” Mary continued, her tone carrying a subtle weight, a noticeable strain in her voice, which had causing Theressa’s attention, she could almost feel her mother’s pain, losing a husband, a life partner wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
And it definitely hasn’t been easy for her mother after her husband’s accident. Theressa herself could never forget it. The call from the hospital, his pale body she was forced to face. She could never forget.
“He wanted me to spend more time with him. ” Mary’s words flowed with a hollow cadence as she struggled to converse a sense of normalcy amidst the overwhelming sadness.
Therssa’s gaze had dropped in sadness, as she bit on to her lower lip, stopping herself from crying.
The memory of her father, Mr Austin Taylor, hitting her like a heavy wind.
Her father has always been the best man in her life, the man that showed her what true love felt like, the man that could not stand his daughter crying, could not let his daughter go through tough times.
He had even opened a flower shop in her name “Ress”s flower store”
She missed those days her father would pick her up from school with different types of orchids, roses and the ones she learnt to love thanks to her dad.
The family travels, family picnic, family games. She missed those days, she missed her father, no doubt she could sell her soul to bring back her father.
However, she couldn’t bear to lose both her parents.
“But I couldn’t, I love him so much but I just can’t bring myself to leave you in this harsh world all alone” Mary’s facade had crumbled, her constructed mask of composure slipping away revealing the raw vulnerability beneath. Her breath hitches in her chest, caught in the grip of emotions too overwhelming to contain any longer. A solitary escaped the corner of her eyes, tracing a silent path down her cheek.
“I’m sorry mum” Theressa couldn’t think of any other words to say, she felt bad for her mother, her father…herself, the lump in her throat thickened, the ache in her heart getting more painful as she moved over to hug her mother. Her knees to ground, arm around her mother’s waist as she rested her head on her mother’s thigh.
“Don’t say that, it’s not fault, it’s never been your fault” Mary choked out as she sniffed stroking her daughter’s hair softly as they both continued to shed tears uncontrollably, their sobs filling the room.
Theressa had began to ease down. Her heavy heart a little lighter, the lump in her throat gone as she separated from her mother’s hold. Mary looked down on her daughter, a proud smile on her lips as she admired her daughters, tucking in the little strands of hair covering her wet eyes to behind her ear.
“I’m going to open up a flower store, I’m going to sell flowers like your dad. ” Mary proclaimed and excitement filled Theressa’s heart as she looked up to her mother.
“And I will work with you?” Therssa questioned,
“What about your job today?” Mary asked, worry and concern contorting her features as Theressa swallowed, taking a deep breath.
“I don’t want to work there anymore. I’m quitting tomorrow” Theressa announced her heart aching at her decision. But she can’t turn back, she won’t turn back.