“Pretty please, can you tell me who we are having over today?” Veronica tugged at Rhys’ apron, pulling him to her side.Sophie looked at both of them in amusement and got back to cleaning the glass cups, wondering how Rhys and Veronica had become so close in a couple of days. She knew Rhys had his charm, which made it easy for him to be everyone’s friend, but she didn’t know it would work so fast on her mother; they even made Sophie feel like an outcast sometimes.Since the incident, Sophie has been embarrassed to face her mother, but she keeps on reassuring her every day that it wasn’t her fault. This brought about a lot of conversations between them, and Veronica had already started to take classes on sign language so she could communicate better with her daughter.“No, it’s going to be the surprise of the century.”Sophie took her phone, typing the keypad furiously, then sliding it back into the pocket of the apron she was wearing. Seconds later, an incoming message notification po
The breakfast could indeed be likened to a rollercoaster of a ride. It was just fun and laughter throughout the whole session. Everyone participated in the fun; even Sophie and Eliana laughed heartily as the group shared their stories, adventures, and escapades. During the course of the breakfast, contacts were shared and connections were made. Eliana had sneakily found her way around Abraham in hopes that he would use his father’s influence to have her listed as a potential nominee for the Year Members’ Award. The Year Members’ Award is a prestigious award given to exemplary individuals of the village; it is awarded once a year to only three people, and it serves like a sort of gold card that gets you anywhere in the village and its environs. Breakfast was over, and goodbyes were said. Vivienne had made a reunion with Sophie, and the baker had invited the trio to the bakery for another field trip while Abraham and Eliana had discussed different topics, the latter knowing she had a
His eyes widened slowly, the shock registering on his face despite its brute condition. He coughed loudly, the effects of the cough racking through his entire body. He wheezed dryly after that, his lungs trying to suck in more air. Even though Sophie had been here a couple of times to see him, this was the first time he opened his eyes to see her. “Veronica. Oh, my Veronica.” He whimpered. Veronica looked at him, a mixed reaction of pity and disgust etched on her face. Sophie could see something like tension starting to build up in the room. Rhys, not wanting to interfere in the family tussle, decided to rest on the wall on the far side of the building but mistakenly hit a plate on the way, the metal plate clattering on the floor and its noise reverberating throughout the building. “It's sad how life only brought you back to me in my dying days.” His voice was a little more than a whisper. “You deserve to die, and you deserve to die a more painful death.” Veronica declared, shocki
Rhys left both of them upstairs and went to the kitchen to boil some water. He knew what was going to happen next; once they were done in their bath of emotions, their physicality set in, reminding them of the ice-cold water they had both soaked themselves in. He went through the process, making the coffee just like Sophie had always wanted it at the bakery, and not sure of how Veronica liked it, he just decided to make it the same way she made her daughter’s. He couldn’t help but wonder how one man had caused so much pain to a family, affecting two different generations with his actions. He waved his head and poured the coffee beans into the kettle, allowing them to brew on the low-heat stove. Meanwhile, the two women in the house bonded in their hug, disengaging from each other only when cold had started to set in and Veronica could feel her daughter shivering even though she didn’t want to let go. She changed her clothes and volunteered to help her daughter, intentionally giving
“It was like a suspenseful horror thriller movie to all of us when she went away, leaving the little baby in our care. Of course, my father left it in my mother’s care and had no choice but to reinstate us from the barn back to the house. “Everything seemed to be going well, smooth, and fine for a couple of weeks, but we all knew it was a delusion. Learning his lesson, my father had tried his best to be a good man until my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. “The doctor informed her, along with my father, that she had less than three years to live, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the death bell would ring. I was too young to understand what was going on, but instead of my father staying with my mother in her last days, he spent it at fun centres, claiming to drink away his sorrows. “Then, on a rainy Sunday morning, when I was nine years old and Eliana was five, we were preparing to head to the neighborhood church when the grim reaper came to take its next victim. It
At this time, Sophie’s curiosity was like that, leading the cat to uncharted territories. Even though they had both been seated for hours and the coffee that was served to them had become cold, they both sat on the bed, the evening slowly creeping in on them. Rhys, who had decided to give them enough space, knocked lightly on the ebony oak doors of Veronica’s room; it was unlocked, and he let himself in, seeing both of them woven together with the invisible strings of long-lost love and twenty-four years of longing. He wanted to go prepare dinner, and he wanted to ask Sophie if she would follow him to the central market to get things for dinner. “Hey Veronica, hi Sophie,” he waved from outside the door. “I’m going to the market to get supplies and groceries for dinner. Do you want to tag along?” “No, not now. Can you say a little bit more?” she pleaded. Rhys acknowledged and went outside, knowing fully well that if he didn’t go now, there would be no one at the market if he waite
Rhys stood on the edge of the cliff and watched as the evening’s warmth began to wane and the countryside underwent a tranquil transformation. The sky, a kaleidoscope of pinks, purples, and oranges, slowly deepens into a soft twilight blue. The sun, a burning ember, had now dipped below the horizon, casting a gentle glow across the rolling hills and verdant fields. He stood still as night’s veil descended, the stars beginning to twinkle like diamonds scattered across the velvet expanse. The moon, a silver crescent, rose like a glowing scythe, casting an ethereal light upon the landscape. The air, filled with the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers, grew cooler, carrying the whispers of nocturnal creatures awaking from their daytime slumber. In the distance, the chirping of crickets and the hooting of owls created a soothing melody, punctuated by the occasional bark of a dog and the rustle of leaves as unknown creatures stirred. The world suddenly seemed bathed in a soft, lunar glow,
They walked back home, his hand curled up on Sophie’s waist. It was a little too late for dinner, but Veronica insisted that she was hungry, spreading the feeling among them all. As soon as they got home, they resorted to calling Eliana first and asking her for updates. The call beeped once, and she picked it up as if it were automatic. “Hey there,” her raspy voice came over the phone. “Hey, how are you feeling?” “All good. How’s everything over there?” “We’re good. We just wanted to check up on you and see how you’re faring.” “I’m good. You still won’t ask about him, right? After all these years, you still won’t let go of your pain.” “Don’t preach to me about letting go. Don’t you try it? I just wanted to know if you'd be coming home for the night. End of discussion.” “I won’t,” she said, sounding a little bit sad. “I’m having a doctor come over to check him, and I have to be around in case the doctor needs anything.” “Okay then, see you in the morning.” The call disconnect