Chapter 2

“He doesn’t deserve you, baby,” Elora mumbled under her breath as she watched the colors slowly drain from daughter's face. “He never deserved you,” she broke out into a sob again as she felt her knees give out and crashed on the floor. Still she didn’t let go of Riella’s cold hand.

Elora sobbed quietly, blaming herself. To her, it was all her fault.

Maybe if she had been more beautiful, Cedric wouldn’t have to give all his love to another woman and her unborn child.

“Mummy,” Riella’s soft weak sobs broke, caught Elora’s attention and she immediately stood up.

“Baby. I’m here. Mummy is here now,” Elora frantically wiped her tears off her face, not wanting to worry Riella.

“It hurts, Mummy. It hurts a lot.” A tear slid down Riella’s cheek and Elora felt her soul leave her body. “Please make it hurt less.”

For a slight second, Elora just stood there just staring at her. She wanted to tell her the pain would end soon. She wanted to tell her she would do everything to heal her– but just a few weeks ago after the sixth relapse, the doctor had warned that if Riella had another breakdown, it would result in her death.

Elora had tried everything to avoid anything that could bring up a breakdown. One night when Celdric was out again late at night taking care of Alexander like he always did, Riella had cried nonstop wanting to see her father. Her temperature had risen to over 85•c.

Elora had tried to call Celdric, but all his calls went to voice mail.

And when he finally texted back, it was a picture that flashed on her screen. Celdric was on one knee as he fed Alexandera something that looked like soup. “I’m sorry I had to steal Celdric again. You know how he gets once I fall sick. Though it’s just a simple cold, he insists on feeding me some medicinal soup. I promise I’ll bring him to you by morning,” the message had read. “He’s asleep now, but if you really insist on seeing him, come to my house. Beg for him like the pathetic housewife you are.”

Riella had let out a painful cough, and Elora didn’t hesitate to leave for Alexander’s that night.

It was heavily raining, but Elora walked to Alexander’s house and knelt in front of the house.

She knelt on the sharp gravel stone for close to one hour before she finally saw Celdric come out of the house, his eyes heavy with sleep.

“Elora, what–what are you doing here? Kneeling?” His face squeezed with confusion.

She knew she should have told him the truth. This was the only option Alexandra had given her to get her husband back. Instead she just stood up slowly, her body trembling from the cold. She could feel the sharp pain of the granite still biting her knees, but she didn’t say a word about it.

“Your daughter seeks you, Celdric. I came to pick you,” she simply said before walking away. Celdric hurriedly followed before pulling her inside his car.

As Elora watched Riella’s eyes lit up when Celdric finally carried her into his arms, she knew she would have knelt for twenty four more hours if it meant she would see her little girl smile.

And now as Elora watched Riella’s chest heave weakly, she thought of how much things could have been different if Celdric paid attention more. If he didn’t treat his family like they were his second option.

“It will be over soon, baby. Just breathe,” she patted Riella’s hair softly, swallowing down the tears.

“I know mummy. I feel really sleepy. Can I see daddy? I want to tell him something”

Elora sighed heavily and pulled out her phone from her pocket. She stared at his name on his contact. In front of his name was 97 missed calls.

97 missed calls to Celdric Monroe and he still didn’t know his daughter was on her dying bed. He still didn’t come to visit.

She pressed the call button with a heavy heart.

Elora had never taken religion seriously , but at that moment she prayed to all the hundred gods she thought existed. She prayed he would pick up and Riella would get to see her father. Even if Celdric didn’t deserve it.

The gods must have heard her because on the third ring, the call was answered.

But it wasn’t Celdric.

“Hello Elora,” Alexander’s sickly sweet voice spoke on the other side.

“I need to speak with my husband. It’s urgent, Alexandra. Please give the phone to him,” Elora said with a calm voice. She was totally not in the mood to exchange words. In fact she didn’t care why her husband's phone was in the hands of another woman. She just wanted her daughter to see her father before her heart gave out.

“Yes. Yes, Celdric. Celdric is here, but I’m afraid he won’t be able to attend to you now. He just went to get my prescribed drugs from the doctor. But you can tell me the message you have for him, I promise I’ll relay everything to him,” Alexandra said kindly.

For a moment Elora said nothing. She knew Alexandra to be a cunny woman, but surely her cruelty wouldn’t extend to that of a child’s life, would it?

Elora looked back at Riella whose eyes were now half closed, her lips unimaginably pale and cracked. They were beginning to turn purple.

She had no choice, did she? Alexandra was the only one who could talk to her husband.

“Riella is dying,” she said quietly enough for Riella not to hear but for Alexandra to pick up her words. “The doctor said she has only a few hours left, probably a few minutes now. She is asking to see Celdric. She wants to see her father. “

“Oh no!” Alexandra gasped loudly on the other side. “I’m so sorry, Elora. It must be so difficult for you to watch your own daughter die right in front of your eyes. You do not have to worry now, I’ll bring Celdric to you as soon as he’s back.”

“Thank you.” The call ended, but Elora didn’t turn back to Riella immediately. She couldn’t bear to see the look on Riella’s face when she told her father still wasn’t there.

~

Riella died fourty five minutes later, and Celdric didn’t show up at all that day. He didn't even call.

Elora sat down alone on Riella's cold bed alone that night, Riella’s teddy bear crushed against her chest as she sobbed into it.

This was the time she needed Celdric the most. He should be here sharing in her grief, as he tried to console her.

“Our little bear is in a good place. She’s happy wherever she is,” she imagined Celdric would say to her.

But he wasn't there to say all those things.

Just as she laid her head on Riella’s pillow, she heard her phone ring. She didn’t even need to look at the caller ID to know who it was.

She had created a special ringtone for him.

She picked it on the fourth ring, but said nothing.

“I’m sorry I’m just calling now. I had to attend to something very important and when I got to the hospital I was told that you had already left with Riella.”

In Elora’s family tradition, the body of a young one must be burnt immediately after its death. And Elora, not being able to watch her daughter's body being cremated, went back to Celdric’s house. She had only come back home to come prepare for the funeral that would be happening in the next two days. The day Riella was supposed to clock 7.

“Yes,” Elora replied in a tired groggy voice. “You came too late. She wanted to tell you her goodbyes before leaving.”

“Goodbyes? Oh she must be so mad at me. I’m so sorry. But–but I’ll make it up. Alexandra told me everything. I’ll apologize to Riella when I see her myself and bring her all her favorite things.”

Alexandra did tell him, Elora thought. So Celdric knew his daughter was dead and he still wasn’t bothered enough to see her. To atone for his sins?

Elora suddenly felt disgusted at herself. What really had she seen in him? How had she not seen these red signs before?

She cut off the call before he could speak another word.

Now that Riella was gone, there was nothing holding her in the marriage anymore.

After Riella’s funeral, she would serve him a divorce paper.