Agreement

“Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well? I made you breakfast, and your mom went to the supermarket with Daniela.” Theophile greeted Lavelle, who had just come down from her room upstairs — a little sleepy and walking like a zombie. 

“Supermarket?” Lavelle repeated with a squint. A moment later, she went to pour warm water into a long glass. “Why are they going to the supermarket again? Are there any groceries that we didn’t buy?” 

“I don’t know, I heard they were going to buy something else,” Theophile replied. 

“What are you cooking?” asked Lavelle then.

“Toast and a sprinkle of black pepper, you’re sure to love it because I added a sunny side up for the filling along with sliced tomatoes and fresh lettuce. I admire your mom because she keeps the vegetables in the fridge without spoiling anything at all.” Theophile served the breakfast he had made for Lavelle alone.

“You are exaggerating, and I will brush my teeth first. Can I ask for help with making fried sausage and nuggets? I want to eat both dishes with mayonnaise sauce this morning. They look delicious,” Lavelle muttered as she scratched the back of her neck that was itching.

Theophile chuckled and smiled wryly. “I’d do anything for you, sweetie.”

Lavelle immediately went to the bathroom to brush her teeth while Theophile walked back to the fridge, picking up some sausages still wrapped in large plastic and unopened chicken nuggets. Theophile deftly heated a frying pan with a drop of butter on it — moments later, he put in the sausages and nuggets.

After going into the pan twice, Theophile picked up a bottle of mayonnaise on one of the kitchen shelves, the spicy mayonnaise that Christelle had probably prepared for her two daughters. Then the tomato sauce with soft pieces of celery and parsley.

The main door sounded like someone had opened it. Theophile couldn’t see it because the food couldn’t be left perfectly, and it would be very dangerous if she left the stove to see who was coming. But, in his sense of sight, as the leader of the vampire clan, Neo Green Peace could see that there was a young woman with a small child who had just entered the house.

“Morning….” The young lady greeted warmly as she put down a bag of groceries.

“Um… morning too.” Theophile returned the young lady’s greeting so awkwardly.

The young woman was slightly taken aback when she realized the stranger she had found in her mom’s house—while she didn’t see Lavelle or Christelle there.

“Excuse me, dear sir, who are you?” asked the young woman.

“Um… I… Theophile.”

“I don’t know you, and please explain why you are here?” The gray blonde-haired woman replied in a slightly probing tone.

The bathroom door opened, Lavelle came out with a lazy face and put a long glass back on the kitchen shelf, then slightly pinched a piece of the chicken nuggets and chewed on it, not yet noticing the tension between Theophile and the young woman.

“Lavelle, explain who this man with red hair is?” Liza said.

“Um… he’s Mark’s older cousin,” Lavelle replied casually.

“The cousin of that naughty and spoiled boy. How could he have such a beautiful older brother like this? Huh, no problem... Forget it... My name is Liza. I think you already identify me as the older sister of Lavelle, and this is my first child, Dizhael.” Liza outstretched her hand to Theophile.

Theophile returned the handshake from Liza, then gently stroked the top of Dizhael’s head with a faint smile on his handsome face. “Nice to meet you two.”

“Yeah, I’m glad to meet you too, man.” Liza rolled her eyes, slightly confused, then glanced at Lavelle, who was still busy eating the nuggets. “By the way, where did mom go?”

Lavelle sighed then handed a piece of nuggets to her niece. “I don’t know. Theophile just told me that Mom and Daniela went to the supermarket. I don’t know what else they were looking for from the supermarket.”

Theophile awkwardly pushed the plate sausage and nuggets across the table. “Um… I only made two toasts. Do you want me to bake some more bread for you two? Incidentally, I haven’t cleaned the grill yet. “

Liza shook her head, politely refusing. “Quite an interesting offer, boy. But I already feel so full with a portion of my husband’s steak. I had breakfast at my house. Maybe Dizhael wants fried sausage.”

Lavelle nodded slowly, then took a piece of fried sausage and gave it to Dizhael. “How have you been these past few months? Would it be better?”

Liza took a breath. “Not better than you think, you stupid girl.”

“What happened to make you curse at me like that? Is there something that seems so difficult to solve? You’re fine with August, right?” asked Lavelle, enjoying her toast.

“Our marriage is fine, and it’s not about my household matters. It’s about you, Lavelle,” Liza replied, clenching her jaw.

“Me? What’s wrong with me, Liza?” asked Lavelle then.

“Listen to me, and please answer my questions! Why did you run away from the hospital after you nearly killed Mom on hearing the news that you jumped off that bridge, huh?!” The tone of Liza’s question was getting higher. Maybe even the atmosphere in the breakfast room was heating up a little.

“Well, I thought I’d answer that too when Mommy was here,” Lavelle said.

“I want you to answer my question right now, and you haven’t lost your brain, have you?” Liza again pressed Lavelle with a forced sentence.

Lavelle took a deep breath, then put down half of her unfinished toast, and she pushed aside the mischievous strands of hair that were blocking her view. She looked at Liza with a confused look. “Should I answer it right now?”

“Of course, explain to me!” Liza said, folding her arms in front of her chest.

“Before I put together the right words to tell you? I’m fed up with everything. But, until now, I also haven’t found a reason why I kept my mouth shut to answer questions like that, “Lavelle said.

“Lavelle… explain to me… why are you… taking so many antidepressants?” this time, Liza’s voice was soft, maybe even barely audible.

Lavelle sighed, cupping her face, feeling speechless because she didn’t know what to answer to such a sudden question. Lavelle didn’t understand if maybe Liza could understand her current situation. Perhaps this isn’t the right time to tell it.

“Please explain to me, Lavelle. What happened to you? Why do you have to take that antidepressant,” Liza said once again, with a sorrowful face.

“Um… I guess this isn’t—”

“Please, be quiet!” said Liza, holding out her hand to Theophile. “I don’t care what relationship you have with Lavelle, and I don’t care if you two love each other or not. Don’t bother me, as an older sister who doesn’t know her own little sister’s condition.”

Theophile sighed, resigned. “Okay, I understand.”

Meanwhile, Lavelle still didn’t speak, and she was busy daydreaming as if she couldn’t answer it.

“Lavelle, why are you taking antidepressants? You’re all right, don’t you? Please answer me,” Liza forced.

“I don’t understand, Liza. I’m also tired, and I don’t understand what happened to me all this time. I’m just trying to stay alive no matter what happens,” Lavelle whispered.

Liza grabbed Lavelle’s shoulders, trying to find an answer from her sister’s beautiful eyes, which were now teary. “Why are you hiding this? We’re family, right?”

“I am ....”

“Why did you hide all that and feel the pain alone?” Liza whispered. “How have you been all this time?”

Lavelle bit her lower lip. “Am I selfish to keep the pain alone? I just don’t want to be a burden to you two, after what Martian did to us.”

“We are family, Lavelle. You shouldn’t have hidden all that, and you shouldn’t have kept that fact a secret. You shouldn’t have looked for a way out on your own while you still have mom and me,” Liza said firmly. “I was only disappointed when you decided to keep this thing hidden for you to figure out for yourself.”

“I know this is a pretty big mistake, but I really don’t dare say it,” Lavelle replied in a hoarse voice.

The atmosphere in the kitchen that morning suddenly became quiet and tense. Lavelle’s silence in hiding her mental health was a mistake, even more so when Liza found out that Lavelle had been secretly taking antidepressants from her and Christelle.

Liza really didn’t know anything about it. She only knew that her younger sister had become a loner because of their daddy, Martian. However, more and more, Liza realized that there was something wrong with her little sister, who often ran away from home and repeatedly tried to do silly things to hurt herself.

“So, what are you going to do now?” Liza asked.

“I don’t know,” said Lavelle.

“Let’s go to a psychologist. We’ll get treatment now. I can spend as much money as you want as long as you recover,” Liza asked.

“I’ve done it,” said Lavelle.

“Is that true? You’re not keeping anything a secret anymore, are you?” Liza asked probingly.

“Theophile has brought me to do hypnotherapy. I’m not healed yet, but at least I have the courageousness to meet you two here,” Lavelle replied quietly.

Liza glanced at Theophile, who could only stand silent like a five-year-old boy who didn’t know why he was being scolded. Meanwhile, Dizhael hugged Theophile’s bare calf.

“Is there a special relationship between the two of you?” Liza asked, probing, her hands getting giddier and giddier and shaking.

“I am ....”

“I noticed that the man named Theophile was always trying to defend you. It’s clear that you two have a relationship that is more than friends or just acquaintances,” Liza interrupted again.

Lavelle bit her lower lip. “Ugh.”

“And I hope Theophile will be the best choice for you, Lavelle. I see he is indeed a responsible and mature man. He even took you to a psychologist to do hypnotherapy.” Liza took a deep breath then reached out her hand to gently caress the top of Lavelle’s head. “I want you to understand, Lavelle. Don’t make us feel so bad that we don’t know what you’re dealing with, we are both so firm with you, but that’s all we do, so you can be a good girl. You can fly higher than the two of us, and we just ask you to continue so that you keep sharing everything about you with us.”

Lavelle ducked her head, she didn’t want to cry, but her heart was too sore to stay the roar that was now bombarding her heart. “I’m really sorry, Liza. I’m a stupid little sister.”

“You’re not stupid, Lavelle. Instead, you are the younger sister who touched me, and I don’t know how many wounds you have in your heart. I don’t know what happened to my sister, even though I should have been the one to protect her.” Liza’s tears slowly fell. Tears that had not fallen for a long time fell down her beautiful face again.

Liza grabbed Lavelle’s hand, gripping it tightly. “Don’t be like this again… come on, let’s walk together, we’ll work things out together, because you also think that this is the end of all that immorality.”

Lavelle got up and grabbed Liza’s shoulder. The tears came down profusely again. Lavelle is a girl who doesn’t care about her environment but, in her conscience, she still has an inner child who needs protection from those closest to her because she is a small child trapped in the body of a teenage girl.

“I’m sure we will all be free. Sooner or later, we will.”

+++

“So you are the owner of a famous garment company?” Liza repeated with an incredulous face when she heard Theophile’s words.

“That’s right, company Neo Green Peace.” Lavelle chimed in.

“So lucky Lavelle knows a guy likes you. By the way, you two look at each other. I can see that you love each other, right? Are you guys dating?” Liza asked with a fantastic face.

“Um… I don’t know, don’t make us look like fools, Liza.” Lavelle interrupted while putting the plates on the shelf and checking Liza’s luggage.

Meanwhile, Dizhael, who finished eating a fried sausage, played in the living room with the television on, informing them on the morning news.

“What do you mean? You guys are dating, right?” Liza asked then.

“I didn’t say I was dating Theo, and you know how worried I was,” Lavelle said.

Liza rolled her eyes lazily, then took a sip of her hot tea filled with freshly sliced lemon. “Don’t lie, just leave your eyes. I can already tell that there is something special between the two of you.”

Lavelle took a plastic bag filled with fresh candies of various flavors, opened it, and sat back down in her chair. “Liza, please don’t ask?”

“If you’re not dating, does that mean you’ll be getting married in a few months?” Liza said.

“What is this? I didn’t say that!” snorted Lavelle quickly.

Theophile couldn’t help but sigh at their bickering and fiddled with the spoon in his glass. Moments later, the door opened again. Christelle and Daniela came in with two paper bags filled with lots of groceries.

“Mom, why didn’t you tell me that Lavelle was dating a rich person?” Liza asked.

Christelle shook her head. “What are you doing, Liza? I have just arrived, and you are asking such a sensitive thing?”

“Oh, I’m so bewildered. You left me with Liza, Mom.” Lavelle complained, “She asks a lot of questions like a talkative unemployed reporter.”

“Oh my, what are you two doing? You guys have grown up but still like to fight like this. Please don’t be like this. “Christelle shook her head, then walked over to those who were relaxing at the dining table.

“But Liza is like a reporter who—”

“Mom, do you agree if this beautiful man becomes Lavelle’s husband? He is a rich businessman,” Liza muttered, interrupting Lavelle.

“I just fell in love with him, not want his money,” Lavelle tweeted, then quickly covered her own mouth in shame.