I Forgive You, Dad.

As the tension from Catherine's outburst lingered, Lina moved into her grandmother's room, seeking solace. A couple of minutes later, Christopher joined her, his presence a welcome respite.

'Hey.' Lina muttered at him, as she folded some of the clothes she was sorting.

'Uhmmmm.' Christopher hummed in response and Lina lifted her gaze immediately. 

'Mom needed to know if you would be needing extra boxes, so she would bring them with her when she's done in the kitchen.' Christopher said.

'No, the boxes here are enough for now.' Lina replied. 

'Okay.' Christopher uttered subtly and turned to leave.

'What's wrong, Chris?' Lina asked and Christopher turned back.

'Are you seriously asking me that, Lina?' Christopher fired.

'Do not tell me you're also upset about me leaving?' Lina asked.

'Is there a reason why I shouldn't be?' Christopher asked. 

'Do you even stop to think about how we feel whenever you turn your back on us?' He spat.

'You know I am not turning my back on you all, right?' Lina muttered. 

'You knew everything from the onset.' She added.

'But mom and Catherine knows nothing about that, so why should they suffer for it, too?' Christopher went on.

'Come on, Lina. Isn't it time to stopped running away?' He spat.

'It's for the best, trust me.' Lina said. 

'The best?' Christopher asked. 

'Why do you keep saying that?' He added. 

'Because, it is the truth.' Lina said.

'I can not stay back and act like everything is okay with me, when we both know it's not.' She added.

'The best thing for me to do is stay away so I don't drag you all into my problems.' She muttered, reaching for the other clothes in her grandmother's closet. 

'You are our family, Lina. Let us help you with your problems.' Christopher said. 

'I can't burden you. You all have your lives to live.' Lina blurted. 

'What makes you think you will ever be a burden to us, Lina?' Christopher asked.

'What is wrong with you?' He added.

'So, what would you have me do? Make your lives all about me?' Lina threw a rhetoric. 

'Maybe you can start by telling mom and Catherine why you are leaving.' Christopher said.

'They already know, Chris. I need to get back to work.' Lina replied. 

'No. The real reason why you left all these years.' Christopher said. 

'No, Christopher. I can't do that.' Lina fired.

'Come on, Lina. You can not keep hurting them like this with your actions, when they don't know what is really eating you up.' Christopher persisted. 

'No!!!' Lina thundered. 

'I do not want to talk about this, Christopher.' She added and that was the first time Christopher was seeing her gush out so much rage.

'Lina.....' His voice faltered with concern.

'Sometimes I even regret telling you about it in the first place.' Lina blurted and Christopher snickered in disbelief. 

As the words escaped her lips, she felt a pang of remorse, but she possibly can't take it back.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way.' She said and tried to move closer to Christopher. 

'Sure. It's fine.' Christopher replied and held his hand up, as though halting her from coming closer to him.

'I'm sorry for being too worried about you.' He added and walked out.

'Chrisy!!' Lina called out to him, but Christopher didn't retrace his steps.

'Gosh, can today get any worse?' Lina whispered and sank into her grandmother's bed. 

It was almost dinner time when Lina and her mother stopped sorting the clothes.

After which, they headed downstairs and Lina realised Christopher left already.

Her gaze dropped, and she fidgeted with her hands as she thought about her harsh words to him. The memory of his hurt expression hung around, making her stomach twist in regret.

So, she texted him to apologise.

'It's okay, sis, I'm not upset. I understand you're going through a lot right now.' Christopher's text came in shortly after she sent hers.

'Thank you. Send my regards to Vivienne and Sammie.' Lina texted in response and then set her phone down.

Catherine helped set the table for dinner.

And they all sat to eat, except that Nathan wasn't at the table.

In as much as Lina tried to keep her mind of his absence, she couldn't help but ask.

'Is dad not having dinner?' She muttered and Natalie was quite shocked that she asked. 

For years, Lina has avoided mentioning her father, a fact that now struck Natalie as peculiar. 

'He stepped out to pick up a package.' Natalie replied and Lina's next question caught her off guard.

'Pick up a package at this time?' Lina blurted to her own surprise too.

'But, it's storming out presently.' She added.

'He will be back soon, he called me a couple of minutes ago to tell me he was heading back home already.' Natalie said.

'Okay.' Lina replied. 

'Why do you act like you care?' Catherine spoke out of the blue.

'You didn't even ask after him, the first few day of your arrival, for the funeral.' She added.

'I can't do this with you right now, Catherine.' Lina blurted. 

 'Of course, you can't.' Catherine said sarcastically. 

'Okay, that's enough.' Natalie interrupted them both.

'I understand you both may be mad at each other, but please stop acting like children.' She added and both her kids went quiet.

Nathan walked in, shortly after, wiping snowdrops off his jacket by the hallway.

'He's back now, and you both can stop with the back and forth.' Natalie said and got up to greet her husband. 

'Did you get the package?' She asked as she walked to the dining table with him.

'I did.' Nathan said, as he took a seat by the table. 

'Welcome back, dad.' Catherine said. 

'Thank you, darling.' Nathan replied.

And shot a glance at Lina who was stuffing her mouth with pasta the whole time.

'Hi, Lina.' Nathan said and Lina choked on her pasta.

She started coughing so uncontrollably, that Nathan got up himself to fill up a glass for her.

Lina took a few gulps in between her coughs and set the glass down.

'Thank you.' She muttered, breathlessly. 

'Are you okay?' Catherine asked. 

'Yes, thank you.' Lina faltered. 

'Have some more water.' Natalie said. 

'No, mom. I'm perfectly okay now.' Lina replied. 

'Are you sure?' Natalie asked. 

'Yes, mom. Thanks.' Lina replied and got up from her seat unsteadily.

'I'd be on my way now.' She said. 

'What!?' Natalie and Catherine exclaimed in unison.

'But, you just said it yourself that it's storming out.' Natalie reminded her.

'Don't worry about me. I'd be totally fine.' Lina said, and scurried off to the door.

'What is she always running from?' Catherine muttered after Lina shut the door behind her.