~ Thirty-Five - Season IV ~

I broke down in tears as I heard her loving voice.

I kissed her hand before I looked back at her. “Mother,” I sniffled as I held tightly onto her wrist.

“Why are there tears in your face again?” Mother asked as she wiped my cheeks dry.

I stared at her for a while to keep my emotions at bay. But Mother’s gaze was soft yet persistent. She never took our denials as the truth. Most especially, when it was about our emotions.

James would ignore mostly anything that we said. But not Mother.

She would always encourage Elizabeth and me to be truthful with her. And whenever Mother looked at me in this manner, it made it even harder to conceal my emotions.

Slowly, Mother reached for my other hand and caressed my other cheek.

With that simple gesture, I crumbled.

I covered my eyes and sobbed. I laid my hand on the mattress whilst still holding onto Mother’s wrist. As I released every single bit of emotion, her thumb caressed my hand.

Not a word escaped her lips. Mother simply gave me time for my