From Memory

The atmosphere in the limousine seemed a little awkward because Theophile always asked Lavelle to land her head on his right shoulder, even though Lavelle didn’t feel sleepy or tired. Meanwhile, Daniela and Mark just looked at each other with slightly embarrassed and stiff faces when they saw how Theophile was treating Lavelle, who was so overprotective.

Theophile had deliberately invited Mark to accompany them because he didn’t want Lavelle’s mom to ask who Theophile really was. If Mark was there, Theophile could tell that he was Mark’s older cousin who had just returned from out of town.

“I think once we get there, we should go have a vanilla latte or a Matcha Smoothie and a tart with green tea,” Mark spoke up to fill the gap between the four of them. 

“That’s right, and I miss those two dishes. How about you, Lavelle?” Daniela glanced at Lavelle, who was still silent. 

“It is possible to go there but, is it possible? Surely we were only there two days?” Lavelle asked in return.

Theophile fell silent as Lavelle looked at him with a look that was hard to define. After a few minutes, Theophile stroked the top of Lavelle’s head gently. “Whatever you want I will immediately grant, sweetie. However, I’m sorry if I can only take you home for only three or four days because you know yourself that I have to be present at the meeting.”

“It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I can visit my mommy once,” Lavelle muttered later. 

“Thank you, sweetie.” Theophile smiled meaningfully at Lavelle. 

“Lavelle loves cotton candy-like that so much that she can’t even stop eating matcha-flavored foods,” said Daniela. 

“There’s nothing wrong because Matcha has good ingredients. Doesn’t it contain anti-aging? Look, maybe it’s because you eat Matcha that Lavelle is so pretty.” Mark answered, then took out a reading book from the small bag he was carrying. 

A book on the front cover had the pen name Lavelle written on it. Theophile looked at the book for a while, then turned his gaze back out the window of his expensive limousine, and I don’t know what he was thinking. What was clear now was that he was gripping Lavelle’s fingers tightly without moving them at all.

“I really like Lavelle’s writing. In this book, I feel as if it makes me also feel what the main character feels, what a talented author,” Mark muttered while focusing on reading the novel. 

“Don’t praise too often because I write only to release the emotions that I’ve been holding back for so long. However, you will see for yourself if the emotion doesn’t lessen one bit,” Lavelle replied later.

“I understand that maybe you will reduce one percent of the emotions you have when you write the continuation of the story, and I will always wait for the continuation of the story, Theo. It would be best if you also read all of Lavelle’s works. These are the best,” Mark muttered later. 

“I will read the stories later. I’ll read the work of the girl I like,” Theophile replied to Mark. “But now I can’t suppress my urge to bite a human, even though Doctor Charlotte has given me a hunger suppressant pill.”

“Your body is like late Dad, and you are strong. And no big deal, I’m sure you can handle it, Theophile,” Mark replied.

Lavelle was stunned and then let go of Theophile’s hand, which was so tight it was even just a warmer. Lavelle took a deep breath and then looked at Theophile’s manly hands, feeling a little bad for always bothering to imagine something she shouldn’t imagine with Theophile.

“Were you given the potion by Doctor Charlotte?” asked Mark in astonishment. 

“Yes, that’s true. But it seems like my body can’t be given the potion by Doctor Charlotte.” Theophile sighed for a moment, then turned his gaze to the several bottles of wine that were beside him.

“Indeed ... why don’t you accept the potion?” asked Mark later. “Isn’t that the same as what he gave us?” 

“Yes, I think it was my body that couldn’t accept the potion,” Theophile said later.

“It was a strange-sounding thing because, as I recall, the potion worked enough for all of us,” Mark said later. 

“I don’t know what if I drank wine to accompany our seemingly long journey,” Theophile replied, picking up a bottle of wine sealed with golden paper.

“I don’t intend to drink wine,” Lavelle said, “I’m thinking of something.”

“Thoughts about what?” Theophile glanced at the girl. 

“About something I just thought about.” Lavelle tried to hide her blushing face. 

“What do you think of that?” asked Theophile, slightly annoyedly. 

“I don’t mind this, and I do it because I like it so much.”

It didn’t take long for the limo to enter a housing complex that was more or less luxurious than any other housing. The limousine kept coming in until it stopped at a fairly spacious and medium house. However, it looks very quiet. Some of the lights in the house are very dimly lit, garden lights are lit with a sleepy light. 

“I just hope that near our house there are some very tasty hotdog sellers. And where did everyone in your house go?” Mark asked as he got out of the limousine and was followed by Daniela and Lavelle.

The main door of the house opened, a middle-aged woman came out in a simple dress in salmon colors and a black knit cardigan. Her round eyes glazed over when she saw Lavelle standing between them. The woman was Christelle, the mommy of Lavelle. She cried when she saw her youngest daughter coming home with Daniela and Mark, running to hug Lavelle lovingly.

“My dear, you go home. My dear... it’s like your dream to go home... thank God for answering my prayer all along. You’ve finally come home too, my dear,” Christelle muttered as she hugged Lavelle tightly. 

Lavelle embraced Christelle with longing. “I miss you so much, Mom. How are you two?”

“It’s just a sprain, Mom. I’m fine, and you don’t have to worry, Mom.” Lavelle stroked her mother’s shoulder lovingly.

“Is that true? It looks like it’s bad enough to need a bandage, honey. Did you slip?” asked Christelle then.

“Right, mom. She fell when the leash of the horseshoe we were riding loosened. She slipped,” said Theophile.

Christelle looked at Theophile questioningly. Even more, when she realized that Theophile had a very pale skin color like Mark’s skin, at first, Christelle thought that Theophile was an Albino. However, she dismissed that notion when Christelle noticed his hair and eyebrows were light-colored.

“You ...?”

“Ah yes, I’m Theophile Blanc. I’m Mark’s cousin.” Theophile immediately reached out for a handshake with Christelle when he noticed the questioning look of the middle-aged woman.

“Theophile Blanc, nice to meet you, son. I’m Christelle, the mommy of Lavelle,” replied Christelle in a very friendly manner. A moment later, she remembered something along with the smell of burning as well as a wisp of smoke coming out of the chimney in the kitchen of the house. “Oh my gosh, Lavelle. I think I made the pie burn. Come on in! There’s no need to feel shy about assuming this is your own home.”

Daniela and Mark shrugged their shoulders when they saw this, but he still went inside. At the same time, Daniela helped Lavelle to walk up the terrace stage and immediately led her into the family room, which was directly opposite the kitchen door.

“Oh yes, Auntie. If Uncle Martian is being treated in the ICU, how will he be? Has he gotten better?” Mark asked as he sat down in one of the chairs.

“It hasn’t improved enough because he has a wound that is quite severe. He may even be hospitalized for a month in the ICU. His legs and arms are broken,” Christelle explained as she took the already crunchy pie out of the oven.

Lavelle sighed tiredly. “There’s no need to talk about him anymore, Mom.”

Daniela and Mark looked surprised, not Lavelle, who had a normal expression. “Oh, the important thing is that you two are okay, Mom.”

Christelle glanced at Lavelle’s eyes questioningly. “Don’t you want to visit him, Lavelle? He’s still your daddy. Don’t you want to visit him?”

“Do you think I should see him, Mom? After he treated me so badly? Don’t joke, I’d rather work like staying up like a horse than visit that ignorant human,” Lavelle replied.

“Lavelle… he still—”

“I don’t need to visit him. Just go to that damn son Kennedy to meet him because I only came here to visit you and Big Sister Liza and my beloved niece Dizhael.” Lavelle cut off Christelle’s words.

“Lavelle...”

“Mom, I think after almost all this time experiencing such bad treatment even though he is my daddy. I don’t want to deal with him anymore, and I’m tired of all this. If you still want to live with him here, fine, Mom. I’ll go with Theophile, as well as treat my own pain,” Lavelle replied.

“You’re going to leave me, Lavelle?” asked Christelle hoarsely.

“This is a tough choice, Mom. But, this is the only way other than trying to accept the situation. I’m tired enough and almost crazy. I will get out of this house even though this is a house that we built together with our personal money. I will give in and get out, and I will find my happiness,” repeated Lavelle. “I love you, and I’m not going to force you to divorce that bastard.”

“Lavelle, please watch your words,” whispered Theophile, trying to calm the silver-haired girl.

Mark understood the conditions that would heat up there. He immediately walked over and grabbed a kettle of freshly squeezed orange juice. “Auntie, may I have a taste of this juice?”

Christelle took a deep breath, then nodded. “Go ahead, that’s what I just squeezed.”

Immediately, Christelle took out some dishes from a storage rack and served them in front of the guests, as well as the youngest daughter, who she loved, and almost didn’t care about after she was admitted to the hospital.

A plate of Lancashire, roast turkey, toffee, banger and mash and chicken soup—everything was neatly served on the round dining table. Christelle shows how much she loves her youngest daughter.

+++

“By the way, have you two known each other for a long time? Why did you only introduce Theo to Mother today, Lavelle?” Christelle smiled as she served a small dish after they had lunch.

Only a few muffins and pudding came from the fridge, and, of course, it was a gift from Liza, who arrived yesterday. Don’t forget, Christelle also made mulberry juice for her guests that afternoon. Mulberry juice with cheddar cheese was added on top.

“Um… I was just a little scared.”

“Why should you be scared? You’re almost twenty, and it’s only natural that you date a guy who looks like an established man like Theo. I can see that he is very mature and understands you,” Christelle muttered.

“Shouldn’t I be wary of myself? I don’t want to have the wrong mate. I also don’t want to have a partner who can’t understand me. I have lived in the cage of a damn crazy monster that ended up making me feel have Daddy’s issues for years, and I almost went crazy because of that. There isn’t a man out there who can stand to be with me for long,” Lavelle replied with a slightly wry smile.

Christelle fell silent and wiped away the sauce stains that remained on the plate, then went to sit on one of the chairs with tears in her eyes. “Sorry, I’m a stupid woman.”

“Why are you cursing yourself? Why not curse the man, huh? We became a mess because of that guy,” Lavelle replied in a suppressed, angry tone.

Theophile grabbed Lavelle’s arm, preventing the girl from speaking any louder. “Lavelle, we are going home to continue to maintain good relations between the families. I know you are upset, and maybe you really hate your daddy. But please don’t spoil the warm atmosphere here that your own mom has so lovingly prepared.”

“That’s bad, I’m sorry.” Lavelle lowered her head.

“Theophile, it doesn’t matter… it’s all my fault for being too selfish sometimes,” said Christelle.

Daniela took a deep breath. “Hopefully, I have an opinion, Auntie Christelle is innocent and Lavelle is innocent. The two of them are just punched in a complicated situation because Auntie Christelle doesn’t know how to get out of this toxic relationship, while Lavelle can’t control her own emotions because she has nowhere to talk except the blank pages of a book.”

“Right, I think so too,” Mark chimed in, “However, wouldn’t it be better for us to eat Auntie Christelle’s food now?”

Lavelle immediately raised her juice glass to the center. “Is it wrong to have a toast with a glass of mulberry juice topped with cheddar cheese?”

The smile returned to show the sincere love of a mother for her youngest daughter, who always languished in pain, a toast to cover the mixed feelings between them all, especially to close the wounds and barriers between Christelle and Lavelle. Not expecting a new page in a new book, they toasted and quickly drank some mulberry juice.

The warmth of the family again is felt among those smiles, the countless wounds in your life. The sincere love of for a mommy is the best antidote to those wounds.

They were all in the backyard for almost an hour. Even the sky was almost dark, the watermelon that Christelle had served was nearly finished by Mark and Theophile.

“So, what are the two of you planning after this?” asked Christelle as she brushed Lavelle’s hair.

Lavelle understood where Christelle’s conversation was going at this point, but she preferred to remain silent and not answer a question that should be a very common thing for a mom to ask her daughter, who already has a boyfriend—but then again, Lavelle didn’t know what to say. What kind of answer is because she was afraid of reality?

“If you love each other, you can get into a more serious position than dating,” added Christelle once again.

Theophile picked up one of the watermelons and immediately bit into the end. “Is it okay if I marry your daughter?”

Christelle laughed, “Of course, as long as you love and take care of each other.”

“What is this? I’m not even twenty, Mom. I still have a lot of unfulfilled goals,” Lavelle said, pursing her lips.

“Whatever it is, honey. If you feel ready to settle down, don’t delay because Mom is getting older every day.” Christelle replied with a slight deep breath, and then her eyes drifted to Theophile. “Do you really love each other?”

“Mom… don’t talk about this all the time. It’s better if you call Liza now so she can come tomorrow,” Lavelle groaned quickly, shaking her leg in a very annoyed and sultry manner.

“Why are you rushing to ask me to contact your older sister? Aren’t you two still here?” asked Christelle with a questioning face.

Lavelle sighed and bit her lower lip, not replying at all, while Mark looked at Lavelle and Theophile alternately with a mouth full of watermelon. Christelle was still wondering if Lavelle would visit Martian in the hospital — although basically, the hatred in Lavelle’s heart couldn’t just go away after years of suffering.

Christelle took a deep breath, realizing this was all her fault. A mistake that makes her want to turn back time quickly, put things back the way they were or get out of the toxic relationship she was in without sacrificing the feelings of her two daughters. Christelle would rather stay with an evil monster than get out of the toxic relationship she is in.

She used to think that survival was the correct answer because if she were to get out of that toxic relationship, she would have a hard time finding a job and paying for her daughter’s education. However, over time she realized that this choice was the wrong thing as it had dire consequences for her youngest daughter’s psychology .

However, some people said that someone like Christelle was a strong woman, a great woman, but all that meant nothing for now. She saw for herself that her youngest daughter was afraid to see this colorful world. Her youngest daughter was afraid to fly further, according to her heart.

This was nothing more than true heartbreak, and she didn’t understand that things would end up like this. This was an even worse heartbreak because, at this moment, Lavelle had been like any other girl walking the streets happily, full of joy, also seeking her own identity.

“Sorry, I was the ringleader for your mental health problem, sweetie. But, after this, I promise to bring you a more beautiful world than it is now,” Christelle mumbled.

“I don’t need it, and I want you to understand that getting out of a toxic relationship will make you more optimistic. Martian has cheated you more than once. Do you think I am not hurt? Mom, I can’t see what the holiness of love is. And I’m still asking questions.”