I Forgive You, Dad.

The wake ended when the last guest, Lina's maternal aunt, Nancy left.

After helping to clean the dirty dishes and taking out the wastes on the floor, Lina set to leave for the hotel.

Her mother told her to return the next day, so they can start sorting out her grandmother's things like Lina suggested. 

Although, Catherine was against it, but Natalie didn't have the strength to argue with either of her kids after the funeral. 

Lina walked out into the street to halt a taxi, when someone started to approach her. 

It was a man and Lina was a bit uncomfortable that it could be another person she knew from the neighbourhood, who had come with unending questions.

The man took off his hat and Lina realized that, indeed she knew him, but he wasn't from the neighbourhood.

'Arnold??!' Lina uttered in shock.

'Hi, Lina.' Arnold muttered in response.

'Hi.' Lina said quietly, not knowing what to say next. 

She had not seen him since she broke up with him, fifteen years ago. 

And her mother mentioned to her that he moved to New Jersey. 

'So what is he doing here?' Lina wondered. 

'I'm sorry about your grandmother.' Arnold said before Lina could find her voice.

'Thank you.' Lina muttered. 

'I missed you at the funeral, though.' She added. 

'Yeah, I arrived after the funeral was over, but I didn't want to approach you because you were mourning by her graveside.' Arnold said, and Lina wondered if he had seen everything that happened by her grandmother's graveside.

'You were there?' Lina queried. 

'Yeah. Although, I left after a short while. I'm sorry that I saw you in your vulnerable state' Arnold replied, after he noticed the flushed expression on Lina's face.

'It's okay. You don't have to apologise.' Lina said, feeling quite relieved. 

'So, you came to the wake instead?' She added almost immediately. 

'I didn't see you there, also.' She chuckled nervously. 

'I didn't come in, I had an emergency so I headed back home. I arrived just a few minutes ago and I thought that I should at least give my condolences.' Arnold replied. 

'Nana would have loved you to be there. You both were close back then.' Lina said.

'Yeah.' Arnold chuckled dryly. 

'She was like my very own grandmother.' He said, sadly.

'Right.' Lina muttered. 

'It's great to see you, Lina.' Arnold said after giving her a swift glance from head to toes.

'I'd get going now.' He added, or he was going to say something he would regret.

'Okay. Good to see you too.' Lina replied and she held her hand up as though she was waving at him, as he walked to the other side of the street. 

He got into his wagon and drove off.

And Lina could not help but think about how manly he had grown to become. 

He looked so mature and even more handsome than he had been fifteen years ago. 

The thought of their fling back in the days sent shivers down her spine, but Lina didn't like the feeling of that.

She was still standing by the road, admiring her long time lover, when Christopher popped in her face.

'Was that Arnold?' He added.

'Were you watching us?' Lina blurted, surprise that Christopher may have been peeking the whole time.

'Not exactly.' Christopher muttered. 

'I was taking the trash out, when I saw him returning to his car.' He said. 

'Oh!' Lina mouthed. 

'And, I stood there long enough to see you drooling over him as he walked away.' Christopher teased her.

'I wasn't drooling over anybody.' Lina protested. 

'Okay, but you were smitten.' Christopher blurted. 

'Christopher!!' Lina uttered, being all defensive. 

'Okay, I'd back off.' Christopher gave in.

'Where's Vivienne?' Lina asked.

'She already left. Sammie fell asleep so she went home with him.' Christopher replied. 

'She's such an amazing woman, Chris. You're fortunate.' Lina said.

'Thanks.' Christopher replied.

'You can be fortunate too, you know.' He added.

'Come on, Christopher. Arnold is already married.' Lina blurted without even realizing it.

'Who said I was talking about him?' Christopher asked and Lina looked away awkwardly.

'You can be happy with someone else, at least.' He said and Lina smile at him.

'Okay, Christopher.' She said, so he could change the topic.

'I know, you're just pretending to accept my advice, so I can change the topic.' Christopher said and Lina's jaw dropped.

'You!?' Lina shrieked in awe.

'I can't believe this.' She said.

'I'm just like an open book to you.' She added and Christopher hummed "hmmm hmmm".

'Lina you know, I....' Christopher started and his voice trailed off.

'You what?' Lina muttered, staring calmly at her brother.

'I think you've stayed away for long enough.' Christopher said.

'It hurts that you do not wish for us to be a part of you life anymore.' He added.

'Chrisy?!' Lina gasped out.

'You know that is not true.' She said.

'I will never wish that you all shouldn't be a part of my life.' She added.

'But, you're starting to make it seem so.' Christopher said. 

'I wish you could just come back to us.' He added

'For good.'

'Christopher,' Lina blurted.

'I know you're going to try to tell me that you can't or that I won't understand but, Lina I am begging you think everything through.' Christopher blurted, halting Lina's words.

'You have no idea how things are so wrong here without you.' He added and Lina twitched her eyebrows. 

'What do you mean?' Lina muttered.

'Nothing, really. I just want you to try and talk to dad again. I need you to sort out your differences.' Christopher changed the topic.

'Sort out our differences.' Lina chuckled awkwardly. 

'He will listen to you.' Christopher said. 

'I don't even want to speak to him.' Lina replied.

'Do you hate him that much?' Christopher breathed out his words.

'He could you even say something like that?' Lina spat. 

'So, why don't you want to speak to him?' Christopher fired back.

'He didn't listen to me back then, and I don't think things will be any different now.' Lina spat again.

'Lina!' Christopher blurted in disapproval. 

'Good night, Christopher.' Lina said and halted a taxi.

She gave Christopher a side hug and got in the taxi swiftly.