CHAPTER 8: Memory

Night.

"Are you going to work this weekend?" asked Alex as soon as they arrived in front of the house after taking Hannah to work. Before removing her seat belt, Hannah turned her head.

Hannah shrugged her shoulders. "Could be. I'll come every time they call me to work."

"Same answer, as usual." complained Alex answered.

Hannah snorted. "Well, same question, as usual. So, don't ask the same question if you know I'll answer it with the same answer."

After leaving, Hannah hurried downstairs and entered the house. When Hannah entered her house, things looked unusual. The room looked dark and lonely, as if her mother hadn't been here all day. Even the room looked clean, so Hannah thought that her mother didn't open the shop today.

Hannah climbed the stairs, headed for her room and cleaned up after a long day of work. If she's not feeling hungry, she might want to take a quick bath. However, the worms in her stomach have been demanding nutrition ever since Hannah refused to offer dinner with Alex.

Once out of the bathroom, Hannah gasped when suddenly her mother sat on the edge of her bed.

"Mother, you startled me." Hannah chuckled, drying her face with a wet towel.

"You didn't hear Mom coming in?" her mother frowned.

"Of course not. I was showering, mother. How could I hear that." Hannah replied.

Irene chuckled. "All right. Hurry down and come down. You must be hungry by now. I'm going to prepare dinner now." said her mother, then stood up.

Hannah stood in front of her mother, then cupped her mother's tired face which was clearly visible. Without answering or saying a word, Hannah only showed her healing smile in the hope that she would be able to get rid of her mother's tired face. Irene smiled then stretched one hand to Hannah's right cheek, stroking it gently.

Irene walked out of the room, while Hannah was still standing where she stood, staring at her mother's back. Sighing tiredly, Hannah turned to a picture frame of her late father. Taking the old photo, hannah wiped the photo of her father's smiling face staring at the camera. Hannah smiled wistfully.

"Wish you were here, Papa."

*

Dracella and Justin are having dinner together. As usual, the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful. Justin wouldn't have spoken if Dracella hadn't spoken to him, like now.

"Why didn't you come back to the office again this afternoon? Is everything all right?" Dee asked pleasantly.

"There's nothing else to do." Justin replied without turning his head. "How's College?" he asked later.

Dee was silent for a moment, making Justin turn to Dee and wait for his sister's answer. He saw Dee only shrug her shoulders.

"Just.... As usual." this time, it was Dee's turn to answer without turning to her brother.

Justin frowned. "Either it's just my feelings, or you never talk to me about your college friends?" Justin asked after thinking about a few things about Dee.

Dee sighed. "I can't find a friend that fits me well, so there's nothing to talk about either. But, at least I still have Rachelle here." dee shrugged as if all was well with Rachelle, the only friend she had.

This time, Dee seemed to stop eating and looked at her brother with high enthusiasm.

"How do you think Rachelle?" asked Dee carelessly. Justin raised his eyebrows when suddenly Dee asked something she didn't need to ask.

"She's a smart girl." Justin replied curtly, then returned to spooning a mouthful of food back into his mouth.

"Then? Are smart girls included in your type, brother?" this time, Dee leaned forward with rounded eyes.

Noticing his sister's suspicious behavior, Justin put down his cutlery and turned to his sister - staring at her flatly.

"Dee, stop it."

Ignoring her sister's request, Dee was even more provoked. "She really likes you, you know that, right? She doesn't say it but she always shows it to you."

Justin closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "I know. And you must know what my next answer will be, Dee." Now, Justin tries to warn Dee not to go too far before hearing Justin's rejection which can make all girls break their hearts and cry.

Dee grieved. "Is it because of our social status?"

Hearing his sister's ridiculous question, Justin furrowed his brows in displeasure. "Dee, you know that's not what I mean. You yourself have never seen me dating anyone. Never mind, stop this conversation."

Without waiting for Dee's answer, Justin stood up and left Dracella alone at the dinner table. Letting the servants who accompanied his sister have dinner.

Justin entered his study room. Not to work and dive into the pile of documents, but to calm himself when suddenly flashbacks of his past entered his brain again.

*

Justin was running around in his backyard with his new airplane toy that his mother had just bought him. He looks happy with carrying his toy plane here and there, leaving the servants overwhelmed to follow him. Meanwhile the mother just laughed behind his back, watching from a distance.

"Young master, please be careful! You may fall!" cried the waiter from behind, running after little Justin.

"Justin! Be careful!" the mother also reminded little Justin to be more careful.

Of course little Justin would ignore what the two said. He is always happy whenever his mother and father give him gifts every week. In fact, he felt that every week was his birthday. He always welcomes every gift given by his parents and takes care of it so that it is not easily damaged. Even if the gift item is damaged, without the help of others, he will repair it so that it returns to the original item. Little Justin never cried.

One afternoon, after Justin came home from his music lessons, Rachelle stood in front of the stairs turning the mansion, smiling broadly to welcome Justin's return. Her arms folded backwards, carrying a gladiolus flower without Justin's knowledge.

"Hi Justin! How was your day? Was the tutoring really tiring?" still with a big smile, Rachelle greets Justin.

Justin smiled, approached Rachelle after removing his jacket, and gave it to one of the servants who was walking with him.

"Hm, it's tiring. But, mom always likes me when I play the piano in front of her, so I'll always make her happy and show her that I'm a great piano player!" exclaimed little Justin adorable.

Rachelle chuckled. "That's great. I'll support you! That's why this is your gift, Justin!" Rachelle handed Justin a beautiful flower.

Seeing the flower given by Rachelle, Justin winced even though he also received the beautiful flower.

"Thank you, Rachelle. These flowers are beautiful. But, why are you giving me flowers?" asked innocent little Justin. Of course he was curious, because he was too accustomed to being given a boy's toy by his parents, and this was the first time someone had given him a gift of a flower.

Without answering, Rachelle ran, somehow giggling with amusement. Makes Justin raise his eyebrows in confusion. The waiter standing beside him only smiled apologetically, then bent his body slightly to whisper.

"That means Miss Rachelle likes you, Young Master Justin." whispered the waiter. Suddenly, Justin looked up at the waiter.

Justin stuttered, pointing at himself and then said, "Rachelle ..... likes me?"