Sophia made to leave the house while her husband was going through a magazine,it was mid day.
"Sophia, are you really not going to make lunch before you leave?" Maxwell asked.
Sophia who was almost at the door stopped and looked at him with no expression.
"I thought I already told you,I am already late, I don't have time to do that now".
" what about the kids?they've not had lunch and even me" Maxwell argued.
"So?can't you make lunch for yourself and the kids?" Sophia said, not backing down.
"You haven't done anything tangible today but now you want to go out like that. You even have the guts to order your husband around!"
Maxwell threw the magazine aside in anger.this woman always loved opposing and arguing with him and now,she's started again this afternoon.how did he end up with such a stubborn and lousy woman? She wasn't like this before, but she's revealing her true colours now.women are really vile creatures.
"What did you just say?" Sophia asked, walking towards him with her eyes blazing in anger.she was about to get into the 'war' mode when a knock on the door interrupted them.
Sophia hissed and went to open the door.but her already angry face turned black.this person? What was she doing here?
"Can I come in"? Patricia said insincerely. Yes,the visitor was Patricia.
Sophia mustered a tight smile and stepped aside for them.
Them.
because Stella followed her mother in.she had just noticed the silent gunpowder just now.what's going on between these women? Isn't she her mother's friend whom they've come to pay a visit to? Her mother had told her to accompany her to go see her friend and she had eagerly agreed.it's not everyday that she gets to follow her mother somewhere.
She greeted the man sitting on the chair with a magazine lying few metres away from him on the floor. He also gave a cold and unwelcoming expression. Is this how they welcome their guests here? Her mother didn't bother with their expressions and made herself comfortable on a sofa.
Stella sat beside her mother and greeted the man awkwardly.he glanced at her with no interest. The man was tall and a bit chubby. He had beards which covered almost half of his face.his eyes were deep as he stared at Patricia before asking.
" what are you doing here"?
These people are no friends at all.thought Stella,but the man looked a bit familiar and Stella tried to recall whether she has met him or not.
"I came to discuss family with you" Patricia said blankly.
Stella was confused to hear this, while Sophia sat down in curiosity.
just then,a 10 year old girl ran in.
"Mummy,I want to eat something" the girl pouted, looking quite pitiful. But her gaze turned to Stella and for a while, her gaze didn't leave her.Stella thought she was really hungry and gave her the only snack left in her bag.the little girl bounced towards her and collected the snack admist the arrow shooting glares from her mother.
But the little girl was oblivious to whatever was going on between the Adults as she hummed a 'thank you' to Stella.
"What do you mean by family?" Maxwell snorted coldly.
"I came to give you back your daughter" Patricia Responded.
"What daughter"? Sophia flared.
Stella felt a headache coming, these people may Really fight and bite off each others heads soon.
But wait..
Which daughter is her mother talking about?
Patricia stood up.
" are you pretending not to know? For how long are you going to deny her? Why are you so wicked?to me,to your own flesh and blood! I have had enough of your Nonsense! I have brought her back to you". Patricia spoke in a Row, her anger evident.
Maxwell glanced at Stella without saying a word,his expression unreadable.
Stella looked on,a bit panicked. She Is the daughter of this man? Looking at him now, a hint of memory flashed before her eyes.she was only 5 then.she could Remember a man telling her mother
'she's not my daughter!, we don't have this kind of complexion in my family'
'How Ridiculous! How has her complexion got to do with anything?!' Her mother had Retorted.
This man.
Was supposed to be her father, but he abandoned them,Abandoned her.and even now,he still won't acknowledge her.
"Oh is this it? Coming here to raise dust and destroy my home? I won't let that happen, please take your daughter and get out of here!" Sophia stood up in anger and pointed at the door.
Seeing that Maxwell didn't say anything, Patricia turned to Stella.
"Stella, that's your father.you'll stay with him henceforth." She picked up her bag and made to leave.
"Take her with you" Maxwell's low voice came behind her.he was not denying nor was he accepting the situation.Sophia stood by the side,nodding vigorously in support of his words.
Patricia sneered and ignored them as if they were clowns.
"Mum. I don't want to stay here" Stella stood up.
"You don't want to stay? Then where are you going to stay?" Patricia looked at her almost mockingly.
"I will go back with you,I don't want to stay here"Stella repeated stubbornly.
" you had better stayed here because I don't have space for you in my house anymore " and with that, Patricia left directly.
Stella was stunned for a moment, tears threatening to slip down. What did her mother mean by that? But looking at the almost disgusted faces staring at her now,she strengthened her Resolve. She wasn't going to stay here.she gave her father a cold look and promised in her heart to Remind him of this day sometime in the future, he would definitely regret this!
She immediately left the house to go after her mother. But she only saw her mother boarding a taxi and the taxi driving away.
"Mum!!"
Stella cried out and tried to pursue the taxi but only slipped and fell down by the road side, she saw her mother glance towards her direction briefly and ignoring her completely as the car drove further away. Stella scraped her knee when she fell and blood trickled down but her heart hurts more than her knees.
She stood up immediately as people were already looking at her but she didn't even have the time to dwell on the 'Embarrassment'.
She walked towards a field nearby and sat down hugging her knees. There were boys playing football on the field and cheers and laughter filled the environment. Stella liked football but at this point, she was in no mood to appreciate the scenery. She pressed down on her injury as tears blurred her vision.she was Abandoned and had nowhere to go now,she didn't know this place and she didn't also have money to get a cab to go back home.
What will she do now?
She sat there till the boys finished playing football, it was already late in the evening when they started to disperse in groups of two and three.
"Hello"
Stella raised her head to see the most playful and dazzling smile she had ever seen.she was stunned for a moment. A young tall Boy towered over her,he was sweaty but Stella realized he didn't smell awful. Wearing his Jersey and boots,it seemed he was among the boys playing football just now.
Stella blushed slightly, he was so handsome.
"Michael! come on,let's go now" some group of boys called out to the boy.
"You guys go ahead, I will catch up with you!" He turned back to Stella.
"Hey,what are you doing here?waiting for someone?" Michael asked.
"No,I'm not waiting for someone" Stella's hoarse voice came which gave her away.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay"? Michael squatted down,still towering over her.
Wuhuwuwu..
And just like a dam,her tears flowed down.and her body shook uncontrollably as she cried.
Michael became flustered for a while, but later put his hand around her shoulders.
" it's okay, don't cry.what's the problem? " he spoke gently as he tried to clean her tears.
Stella felt like Cinderella in distress with a Prince charming coming to save her.
"I want to go home" she said in between sobs.
Michael was stunned this time.
This..
Is she a big baby? He thought it was something very serious for her to cry like this. Stella noticed his strange gaze and tried to explain her situation, leaving out her family issue.
Michael nodded even though he knew there was more to her story that made her cry,but he didn't push her to reveal the details.
"Alright, Stella it's getting late.let's get you a cab ,so,you can go home" he stood up and helped her up.