"I thought you wouldn't come. I was not expecting you to come at all." Her voice was shaky, and I knelt to her height.
"I am sorry mum, I have been...."
"You are always just on your father's side, Karla. All you have ever wanted was to support him, and neglect me. It felt as if I didn't have any right to you."
"Mum, please. How can you say that?"
She watched me, as her lips slowly quivered. "How am I supposed to live with losing both of you? My daughter feels like A distant stranger and your father...." Her voice trailed off, but she did not even need to finish it.
My father had cheated. And to make sure she wasn't on the losing end, she took his mistress away, by marrying me off to her son.
It was the weirdest thing, yet the saddest. In the end, coming back in time has only showed me just how responsible for my tribulations I really was.
"My...I am sorry. I am so sorry. Even if...even if I am...if this apology will only be something I can remember, something that will remain only with me...I want to remember that you forgave me, mum. I am sorry."
Her eyes filled too, and she wrapped her hand around my head and brought it to her stomach, then leaned on me. I could feel my own tears bubbling behind my own eyes.
Just how tough of a decision would that have been for my mother to make? How many argument sessions did she have to go through with my father before he finally let it happen?
I tucked her in to bed slowly, then covered the cup of water close to her. I know she liked to take water in the night, and I did not want her to have to go downstairs for it.
"Karla? Is that you?"
"Keep it down, mum is asleep." I answered my dad, without even looking at him.
"Can we talk? Please?"
I swallowed. "I just want to know why you agreed to the marriage with Luke. Were you tired of his mother, or...was there something else?"
There was a small pause. "How did you find out?"
"Is that the most important thing?" I said, my voice a harsh whisper. "Is that all that matters to you? I have been ignoring my mother because I preferred you, only for you to do this to her? How lonely could she have felt?"
My father watched me, his eyes clouding. "You believe you have wasted all that time with me? I made a mistake, and my biggest wrong doing is continuing to dwell in that mistake but..."
"You owe her an apology." I said simply. "You owe Luke an apology. Not me, dad. I am very much an accomplice."
He nodded and took in a deep breath. "You...already met him? Is that why he is still outside?"
"He is still outside?" I asked. I had totally forgotten that he said he would make sure I go back home and he would be the one to take me.
"Yes. I saw him on my way here."
I didn't want to leave mum alone, knowing he wouldn't be willing to stay here.
"I know. Just go see him off. I will stay here with her in case she wakes up."
I nodded, and walked out, slowly at first, then quickly down the stairs. I was breathless by the time I got to the gate and opened it, where his car was still parked. He was standing outside it, his hands in his pockets, his head lowered to the ground.
"Like?"
He looked up immediately, then smiled at me. "Oh, Karla. I wasn't expecting you back so soon"
"I am sorry, I forgot about..."
"I understand. Is everyone fine?" He asked, gesturing to the door.
"Yes. Everyone is okay, Luke."
Silence fell between us after he nodded, and he lowered his head to his fingers.
"Luke? You ran into my father here, didn't you?"
His hand slowly went to his hair and raked through it. "It was just a normal encounter. It wasn't too bad."
"You are not so good a liar."
He laughed. "When I am lying. But I am saying the truth right now."
I nodded, and then gestured back to the house. "I think I will stay here for tonight, Luke. You should go home. It is quite chilly out here."
"I guess I will. Make sure to have proper dinner, will you? And take care of your eyes."
It was funny how he was more matured than I, when he is currently seven years younger. In a way.
"I will." I answered, then turned to the gate. He was about to get into his car when I suddenly remembered.
"Wait, can you tell me what the time is?"
He stopped, then checked his phone. "It's 11:58 p.m. why?"
"Happy birthday, Luke. Sorry I didn't wish you all day."
He seemed so positively surprised I wished I had done it way earlier.
"Thank you, Karla."
"And I am sorry for the inconveniences on your birthday."
He laughed and shook his head. "It made it even better. Go in."
I nodded and went in, and shortly after, I heard the sound of his car, and then the fading rhythm as he left.