Chapter Twelve

“ Wow Babe, is this your room?” He said while his eyes browsed around the my Bedroom.

“ Yeah.” I mumbled.

“ Hey! I know you are feeling nostalgic right now but you going to have to be strong for your dad. I don’t think he will be happy seeing how sad you are returning after quite a long time.” He cupped his hands around my face.

“ thank you for your support babe. I kissed his palm. I am here today all because of you.”

“ I am happy to be of help to you. Now quit thanking me and let’s unpack your things, I will be sleeping in a hotel tonight to give you some space to catch up with your mom and mend your broken bonds okay?”

I smiled baffled at how understanding he is. “ Andre Baby, you are a Gem of a person and I am lucky to have you as my man.” I gave him a warm kiss on the lips and embraces him tightly.

After wards, he helps me put my things in the closet and then I saw him off to the hotel he had chosen to lodge for the weekend, I spent some time with him over there before returning home later at night.

When I came back home and was about heading towards my room, I thought I’d stop by mom’s room to check up on her but on opening the door I saw her looking at a photo album. I notic3d she had tears in her eyes as I slowly proceeded into her room.

“ Hey mom.” I stood beside her without her notice.

She startled and turns to see me standing beside her. “ Oh! hey sweetie. You are back, how is Andre doing I hope he settled in well?” she gently drops the album beside the bed.

“ Yes Mom, I helped him get a good hotel to stay in and I’m certain he likes it there.”

“ that’s very nice. I think you should get some rest too, you must be exhausted from traveling so far and you haven’t gotten enough time to rest yet.”

“ Mom! Please stop worrying so much about me, I came here for you. I paused and sigh. I’m here to mend our bond Mom, I have really done you wrong all these while. I got caught up in my world that I turned my back on you. I guess it wasn’t easy getting over dad’s death and because of that I locked you out.” I got emotional.

“ Hey! Hush! It’s enough sweetie. I understand because I am your mother. I purposely gave you that space so you can recover and move on with your life, I thought

Letting you go far away would bring back my jolly and lively daughter. So please I don’t want you to feel guilty about anything Hailey.” She wipes the tears from my eyes

I embraced her. “ I miss you Mom! I missed you so much.” I cried.

“ I missed you too my child.” She kissed my hair.

After pouring our emotions out to one another, I took a good look around the room and noticed that nothing changed at all. The room remained the same even after my father's demise, his pictures were still on the wall, our last vacation picture was still on the dressing table the same place it was after a while I left home. My dad’s coat rack with his favorite jacket hanged on it. Everything in the room reminded me of him and made me feel his presence as I stood up and slowly paced around the room.

“ You miss him don’t you?” I heard my mom’s voice behind me as she held my shoulder.

I turned to her.” Yes Mom, I miss him every single day. I thought running away would make me forget him but it didn’t and now I even miss him more. He has always wanted to see the boy I’d end up with, he dreamt of walking me down the aisle on my wedding day and now that his dreams are about to come true… He isn’t here with me Mom, he isn’t here to meet the man that I have chosen and walk me down the aisle like he said. I weep bitterly.

“ Hush Baby! He is here with you, your father is here with us. He didn’t leave us, he only left his agony Hailey.” She embraces me again as she tapped my back to console me.

I pulled away. “ Mom, do you know why I left? It’s Because I saw how strong you were and how you managed to move on after Dad's demise. You even went back to work the day after the burial. I grew so much hatred in my heart watching how you managed to keep a smiling face in public. I paused and I smiled. But with time I get to understand why you had to put up a smiling face even when your heart is burdened . I became more mature every passing day and I admired your strength mom. But I know I could never be as strong as you are.”

“ Come and sit with me. She walks over to the bed and sat down and I followed sitting next to her. I think you have become more mature my dear and that’s why I will disclose something important to you. She clears her throat. Hailey, your father’s death hit me more deeper than you could imagine, I was shattered losing my partner. He was my strength and my weakness, he was my pillar and my everything. Your father understood me even before I could say a word. He supported my dreams and each step I took he stood behind me firmly and when he died, I didn’t know what to feel. I cried my eyes out in darkness and closed doors, I prayed to have him back but sadly the deed was done so I picked up my broken parts and learned to live for him with his memories in my heart. That is how I am able to survive till date and still living.”

“ Wow Mom, I had no idea. I'm really sorry, I shouldn’t have left you all alone.”

“ No my dear, what you did wasn’t wrong. We both needed some alone time to ourselves and don’t forget you met a life partner in this journey of yours.”

I smiled and looked down. “ Perhaps.”

“ Perhaps? Don’t you love Andre or is there something you aren’t telling me?”

“ No Mom, I love him a lot but I feel like we are moving so fast and sometimes I feel scared you know.”

“ sweetie, its normal and listen to me if you think that you are not ready for marriage now please don’t let anyone pressurize you into doing what you don’t want to do. Marriage is not like courtship were you can call quits whenever you want. It’s much more serious and complicated, sometimes it’s beautiful and sometimes it’s ugly but always make sure that the beautiful side of it remains stronger or else the marriage becomes bitter. Try to know whom you plan to spend your life with okay ?”

“ of course mom, I understand.”

“ Good. I'm glad to see that you have someone who keeps to you happy my dear and I pray your happiness lasts forever.”