The genuineness of her smile faded away and she only faked her happiness now. Maybe Aurora needs to see a therapist. She doesn't get attracted to any man and she's secretly obsessed with her ex-husband.
That night, as Aurora retired to her room, her mother came to see her. She didn't look worried. Intentionally, she ensured she plastered a smile on her face to make Aurora feel relaxed.
“Mom” Aurora called, surprised that her mom came to her room this late. The only time she knew her mother came to her like this, was when she was first welcome as a daughter of that family. Elsie wasn't born yet.
She was holding pictures and quickly, she shoved them under the pillows and pretended that it's nothing important, covering it all up with a smile.
“Did my visit startle you?” Nancy asked, not waiting to be offered a seat. She sat down by the edge of the bed and kept smiling.
“No mom, it only appeared weird,” Aurora chimed, moving closer and wrapping her arms around her mother. She's the youngest of the three kids and the only daughter.
There are so many sneaky benefits she enjoyed from her parents that her brothers don't. Placing her head on her mom's shoulders, she stayed quiet.
“I'm sorry if it appeared so darling. But I think we should talk, you and I. We are women, and we're mothers as well. Is there anything we shouldn't be able to say to each other?” Nancy asked, taking her daughter's hand in a firm assurance.
“No mom. I think being unique in our special way, is one of the more reasons why we should be each other's confidants” Aurora whispered.
Nancy was pleased. She smiled and said “I love you Aurora and your dad didn't love you less than I do. Your brothers cherish you very much and your daughter adores you.
Do I need to say anything more about how Charlotte and Magda feel about you? We love you and want only the best for you, and of course, that includes your happiness…” Nancy said, letting her hands get caressed by her daughter.
“I already know what you're telling me Mom but I do not know why you are saying it to me. Is there a problem?” Aurora asked, raising herself away from her mom's shoulder.
How can she forget the love showered on her by her family? Except she's an ingrate, she definitely acknowledged them.
“You can tell me anything Aurora. Share your burdens with me, especially those troubles that have to do with love and hurt”Nancy stuttered.
Aurora sighed softly and stood up, going over to stand by the window. She folded her arms. It's nothing to do with love, it's just her heart that's so unsettled about Adrian.
“I’m fine mom. You're unnecessarily worried” Aurora denied. A part of her agrees with what her mom said but she can't just let it be as if she's being concerned about Adrian more than necessary.
“You're in love with Adrian and you blame yourself for his going away from his family and New Jersey entirely. If you had your way, you would gladly leave your job and go over to New Jersey and join in the search for Adrian”Nancy affirmed, raising herself off the bed.
“I'm not in love with Adrian. He's the father of my daughter and I just want Elsie to grow up knowing him…” Aurora defended. She shook off the part of her conscience accusing her of denying Adrian access to his daughter.
“Are you sure?” Nancy asked, gently picking up the pillow. When she walked into her room,she saw how she placed something quickly under the pillow.
But Aurora didn't realise that one of it was partly shoved out from under the pillow. When Aurora saw what her mom did, she looked away, her eyes clouded with tears.
She couldn't answer her last question. She flickered the tears away and sniffled. She meant nothing by keeping those pictures, she was simply speaking to it, that wherever he is, he should come back to them, Elsie to be more precise.
“You can't keep torturing yourself, baby. Whatever has happened, has never been your fault. You both fell out with each other, but it can be remedied if there is life.
I won't ask you questions that I know will not be convenient for you to answer. But I think you need a man in your life, and as it is, Adrian Lester is the one your heart secretly yearns for.
I think I like the boy, except that you had a bitter experience with him when you were married. But if destiny offers you a second choice, please don't let it slip off your fingers…” Nancy urged.
Aurora has bottled up her feelings. She doesn't want anyone to know about it. Why was she doing that, afraid that other people's validation will contradict what she felt?
Aurora sighed. She already let that opportunity slip off. The second chance came but her anger didn't let her see it. She was bitter and found it a perfect time to avenge the death of her Papa and she did.
And now, she isn't hoping for anything else from him. She just wants him to be fine. She wants to believe he is fine wherever he is. For a month now, she always ensures, she makes silent prayers by her bedside for Adrian.
He is Elsie's father and automatically has become a part of her life. Their paths have crossed and there isn't anything she nor anyone else can do about it. Elsie is the link between them.
“I don't love him anymore, but I just want him to be safe. I don't want to believe that he's dead or something terrible has happened to him.
I kept checking with his dad and Patrick, no one knows a thing about him. They've hired private detectives to find out where he was, for three months now, nothing is heard about Adrian.
His social media accounts haven't been visited for months, his bank accounts haven't been visited as well. Nothing about him, I'm worried Mom, I can't sit still anymore, I can't pretend not to care about him at this point…” she trailed off and started sobbing.
She leaned with her back to the wall and let her tears trickle down. She had pushed him this far, what had she done, she accused him and sowed that seed of discord in the hearts of others about him.
Now he's separated from his family and friends. He's all alone by himself. He's got nothing at the moment and she can't imagine how he's surviving. That's if he's still alive.
Nancy held her in a hug and caressed her hair gently. She is not happy that her daughter is like this. If it were a pain in the body, she would get the doctor to attend to it.
If it was a pain of starvation, that meant nothing to her, she would give her the remedy immediately or if it's got to do finances, that isn't an issue at all.
But it's the pain of the heart. This kind of pain gets fueled by love. And it's often difficult to talk a woman out of that pain. It hurts like scalded skin.
And yet, she claimed not to be in love with him. What can make a woman feel so much pain about a man and it's not tangled up with love?
Or doesn't she know what it means to be in love?
“Let's hope Adrian is fine. He definitely would be” Nancy pacified. Yes, he's got to be fine. There aren't two ways about it, he just has to be fine. He's her granddaughter's father after all.
“Yes Mom, Adrian has to be fine. Because if anything happens to him, I'll do something irrevocable to myself!” Aurora blurted.
Nancy was lost!