04 || Flashbacks

“Out!” He yelled.

She looked at him to see if he was drunk or something. She looked around to see what time of the day or, instead, night. It was still dark and likely to be 1:00 AM.

“But.. It is midnight.” She said with a confused look.

He stared at her blankly. “Are you trying to tell me that I‘m blind?” He asked with furrowed eyebrows.

“No, it is just that….” A slap cut her off.

It took her by surprise. The slap was so loud that it echoed and woke Ophelia up. Ophelia rushed to her mom's room the moment she heard it. She was about to open the door when she heard her dad chatter.

“I said. Get the fuck out, NOW!!!” He yelled again.

“Oh... Okay.” She said and scrambled down from the bed. She wore her slippers and exited the room.

“Ophelia.” Her mother called in surprise.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping? What are you doing here?” She asked with tears glistening in her eyes.

Tears were already streaming down Ophelia's face at the sight of her mother's reddened cheeks.

“Mom.” She said and hugged her tightly. Her mom smiled a little and hugged her back.

“I‘m okay.” She said with a sad smile while she tried to blink back the tears.

“Let us leave,” Ophelia said all of a sudden.

“No, I can’t.” Her mom said.

“My teacher said that if someone shows an act of violence, one must leave. Then when the person is sobering, they will take you.” Ophelia said.

“Your teacher said that?” Her mom asked with eyes dilated in surprise.

Ophelia looked at her and nodded negatively. “I read it in a book.” She replied.

Her mother sighed. “We can’t leave, and besides, where would we go.” She said.

“Go back to sleep, and I will use the guest room.” She said and took Ophelia back to her room.

“Sleep tight.” Her mom said and switched off the light immediately. As she was about to leave, Ophelia caught hold of her hands. She stopped and looked at her.

“I love you,” Ophelia voiced out in between fright.

“I love you too.” Her mom said and kissed her forehead. She left her room immediately.

—

What happened the following day was more shocking. It was 7:00 AM. Since it was Saturday, Ophelia won't be going to school. Maria had finished her chores and was about to wake Ophelia up when a car parked right in front of their house.

She stood and watched a lady come out with a girl. She narrowed her eyes at them.

‘Who are they, and what are they doing here?’ She thought.

They walked straight in the direction of their door and knocked on it. No reply, so they left the window and opened the door for the strangers. Maybe to tell them that they were at the wrong address or something.

“How may I help you?” She asked.

The lady stared at her from head to toe, and their eyes clicked.

“Rose, what are you doing here?” Maria asked, surprised. Her best friend in college was here right at her door.

“Gosh, your face has already changed. I almost did not recognize you.” She said, still surprised.

The lady did not say anything. All she did was stare at her. When she saw that, her friend did not reply. She kept quiet and stared at her.

“What happened?” She asked.

“Oh, darling, you are here already.” She heard her husband say from behind. She slowly turned towards him.

“Daddy!” The little girl with Rose ran across the room to meet him.

“Daddy!” Maria exclaimed.

“And what are you doing here? I thought I already sent you out yesterday.” Her husband said as he stared at her blankly.

“Y-You wanted to send me out of your house yesterday?” She asked and gulped dryly.

Rose entered into the house and went to hug her husband.

“Mummy.” Ophelia's voice called out as soon as she reached the sitting room. They all turned to look at her. She looked at them too.

“H-How p-poss-sible i-is th-this?” Maria stuttered.

“Rose, you... How could you?” She asked, pointing fingers at her.

“And you, Martins, after everything I did and we had together, y-you….” She broke down into sobs. She stood up suddenly and wiped the tears off.

“Hey, woman, I already told you why I got married,” Martins said.

“My friends and I made a bet that if I get you to lay with me, I will win an exclusive contract with one of the biggest companies. I guess you know the SCH group of companies, and they hardly ever make exclusive contracts, but then I got a chance.” He said. But not only was he after the bet.

“So our kid and love was all a bet.” She asked.

“Yes.” He replied.

“Maria, see, I didn’t know you were married to him, or else I would not have done it. Okay, I’m sorry.” Rose said without remorse.

“Keep your apologies to yourself,” Maria said, suddenly angry.

“You have always been jealous of me when we were in college, so why am I not surprised.” She said and laughed humorlessly.

“I will leave, but Martins, you will regret this.” She said and went upstairs to get her things.

After she was done, she took Ophelia by her hands and dashed out of the house. Ophelia was ambivalent. She didn’t know whether she should be happy that her mother had finally left the house or sad that there was no place they would go. They left his home without taking a single bath.

~End Of Flashback~

She rubbed off the tears that were beginning to fall again. She was stuck with these memories.

“Martins.” She sobbed, touching his face.

She didn’t know when she had fallen asleep.

—

“Mom!” Ophelia's angry voice woke her mom up. She opened her eyes slowly.

“What is this?” Ophelia asked. Her mother's eyes widened at seeing what was in her daughter's hand. The photo frame. Oh, how stupid she is.

“So you have been with this all this while,” Ophelia asked angrily.

“Op..” she was cut off by Ophelia.

“Don't Ophelia me, please, your health kept deteriorating.” Ophelia accused.

“Going from one place to another in search of a job to cater for us and more so to provide for your health, do you think it is easy? The money we make from your diner is nothing to write home about, and here, you are reminiscing about a man that was all after what is below your waistband.” She asked with angry eyes.

“See, Ophelia, I‘m sorry.” She apologized. Ophelia tried to make her breath steady. She sighed and looked at her mom.

“Mom, you need to rest and forget the past. They say the only way to survive is to let go of the past.” Ophelia said.

Her mom sighed. “But I still miss him.” Her mom said, sobbing.

She hugged her and patted her on her shoulders. Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted them. They both looked at each other.

“Are you expecting someone?” They asked each other at the same time.