Chapter 16
Unbending
When Bea returned to Forest Green, she earnestly took good care of everything there. She made sure that things were the same even in Grandma Lucy’s absence.
She was gardening the manor’s front yard one early morning when a sound of footsteps distracted her from behind. It was Jericho, and Bea was startled to see him.
“Oh, Jericho! What are you doing here?”
“I’m sorry I shocked you! I’m here to ask about Sophia. I heard about what happened. How is she?” Jericho asked determinedly.
“Sophia is fine now but… she lost her memory.” Bea slumped her gaze downwards, for she couldn’t bear to be seen in tears.
“I know.” Jericho managed to reply, his voice sounding like he’d gone through fires and oceans.
Bea found it difficult to stop a tear from dropping, and for a while, they shared a stinging silence.
Desperate enough to see Sophia, Jericho finally had the nerve to ask Bea something, something that—by no doubt—could not be tolerated by her.
“Bea…” Jericho dared, his eyes trying to show courage.
“Yes…?”
“I know this is too much but…” A light in Jericho’s eyes, at once, reflected the depths of his yearning, of his forbidden love for Sophia, and Bea plainly felt it.
Still on exposed bundle of nerves, Jericho dared to man up and asked, “Can I get Sophia’s city address?”
Bea’s face immediately crumpled. “Jericho, whatever it is you’re planning... it will only distract Sophia. She’s sick and she needs some space at the moment,” Bea admitted boldly.
Jericho, though very much frustrated, agreed to what Bea said. “In that case, I have to go now. Thanks, anyway,” he said in a low tone.
Bea’s guilt instantly consumed her. She was the one who witnessed the two since childhood, and it felt more agonizing to let it all just slip away. “Okay! I’ll give you her address.” She stopped Jericho from leaving. “But promise me that you will be careful when you talk to her, okay?” she grinned, and asked him for a pen and a piece of paper.
Jericho’s face impulsively brightened up and he quickly hugged Bea. “Thank you,” he almost cried. Then, he hurried to his car to get what she asked of him.
Right after, without any delay, Jericho left in high spirits and set for Orlando.
* * *
IN ORLANDO CITY, at the Vabueretti residence, Philippe and Elizabeth were already back at home together with Alex. The couple had been at the precinct to settle their son’s release.
Alex dashed straight to his room, ignoring the people around. He simply had no face to show to anyone.
“Mom, is he gonna be okay?” Nadine asked her parents as she reached them, at the doorway.
“Yes, dear. Your brother will be fine.” Elizabeth managed to speak, her eyes puffed-up and her nose totally clogged. Then, she opened her drooping arms to cuddle Nadine. She needed to be strong.
“Mom, where is Sophia?” Philippe asked Grandma Lucy when she reached them at the living room.
“She’s in her room. By the way, dinner is ready.” Discomfort resonated through Grandma Lucy’s voice as she looked at her son and daughter-in-law.
“Sweetie, call your sister and we will have our dinner,” Elizabeth ordered Nadine, distracting Philippe’s small talk with his mom.
“No, sweetie. Just stay here. I’ll go and talk to your sister.” Philippe hampered Nadine’s forward motion to the stairs.
“All right, Dad,” Nadine concurred and hurried to jump into her mother’s shoulders again.
On the second floor, Philippe was surprised by Sophia’s sudden exit from her room. He could perceive those swollen eyes, as Sophia began to walk down. “Dinner’s ready,” he offered.
Sophia, pretending she was all right, hesitated, but the concerned tone of her father was too much to resist. She agreed, unspeaking, as she walked down the stairs with her father.
Five cuisines were served before them as they gathered around the table. The feeling of awkwardness crept through Sophia as she settled her back against her chair. They were about to eat when Nadine prompted them all to pray, first.
Amazed, Grandma Lucy asked Nadine to lead the prayer.
When Nadine had said the last words of the prayer, Alex, all of a sudden, came into sight. With all sincerity, he begged for their forgiveness.
“I’m sorry I caused you some trouble,” he said, with his eyeballs rolled down.
As every eye on the table watched him, Alex further explained his misbehavior. “I’m sorry. I just can’t help but... blame myself for everything that’s happened.” His voice sounded even more mortified and remorseful.
Not a second passed by that his parents hadn’t comforted him. They convinced him, hard, that none of it was his fault.
“Yes, Alex. Please, do not blame yourself,” Grandma Lucy reinforced, just now.
But for Sophia, she appeared static, in deep thoughts, after everything she heard from them.
Relieved by everyone’s positive response, Alex sat on his chair and leaned back agreeably.
The dinner progressed and in the middle of it, Sophia asked them if she could go out the next day. “I want to visit Giovanni’s grave,” she expressed, with her long and thick eyelashes slanted down.
“Sure, honey. We will accompany you tomorrow.” Elizabeth put on a smile.
Then, Sophia bowed her head down as if seeking for more clarity. Not consuming half of the steamed salmon fish on her plate, she excused herself and went back upstairs.
Alex followed her.
“I’ll come with you tomorrow if you don’t mind,” he offered, hoping to have a fine conversation with his sister, but his gaze failed to meet Sophia’s.
Sophia nodded with a grateful smile. “Yes, you may come.”
“All right, then!” Alex’s face brightened. And he went back to the dining area to finish his meal.
“When will this end?” Nadine flung some sentiments. “Everyone’s so dramatic for such a long time now,” she expressed, almost into tears.
“Honey, please be patient. Please, try to understand our family’s situation, okay?” Elizabeth begged. She understood Nadine very well, but it was too much to ask her, for her young mind to understand. And so, Elizabeth attempted to cheer up Nadine by palming her daughter’s cute, ponytailed hair, asking what she wanted to do later, to make her feel cherished, too.
Nadine’s eyes revealed more tears. “It’s just that... we used to be so happy and now—” Nadine faltered.
On the spur of the moment, with great effort, everybody on the table put all their attention to Nadine and yearned to soothe her muddled young mind.
