Chasing Stars

About Last Night's Occasion

LAURA tried to lift the spaghetti pot into the hotel room. Rafael's employee party is about to start in an hour. All the food has arrived at the hotel, just arrange the presentation at the table.

"Let mama help," said mama as she reached for the other pan.

"Thank you, ma?" Laura began to cook. She saw mom helping the other waitress. Mama says she's bored that her job is just sewing at home. So whenever Laura was in charge of preparing the caterer, mama definitely helped her. Mama said she was happy to work with her daughter.

Party banners are starting to be installed. And a few seconds later the sound of a broken plate was heard. Laura's concentration instantly collapsed. He saw a stunned mama looking at the banner and did not realize the plate in his hand was already on the floor.

Laura had another servant clean it, then walked over to mama. "Mama, is mama okay?"

Mama is back. “Sorry, mama dropped her plate."

"It's okay, ma." Laura was anxious to see her mother's uncharacteristic gesture. "Mama's okay? If you're not feeling well, you better rest and go home."

"This party." mama held her two daughters' hands tightly. "For... Rafael's employee?"

Laura was confused. "Yes. Is correct. Party for Rafael group employees. What's up, ma?"

Mom's hand is getting tighter. "Have you ever met the director?"

Laura was getting confused by my mother's question. "of course. Last week I met

Charles Raphael. What's up, ma? My mom's face is pale. Mama's better go home first."

"Laura..," said the mother stammered, ".ehm."

Suddenly from behind them a man called out. "Helen?"

Mama was just as surprised. "Charles?"

Laura saw mom then Charles. "You know each other?"

"Mama wants to go home now" she told Laura in a panic.

"All right." Laura was still confused by her mother's attitude, but she decided to obey her. "Robi, please replace me."

Laura led mom out of the hotel.

"Helen, wait!" Shouted Charles. But a hand held his departure.

"Don't follow, pa," Luki said as she clasped her papa's hand. "Let them go. Remember, pa. There are many employees who are watching us. We don't want them to know about papa's past, do we?"

Papa let go of his son's hand. "alright. But after this party's over, papa's gonna see him."

Luki was upset. The past will clash with the present.

 

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Along the way home, Laura saw her mother speechless in a thousand languages. Arriving at home, Laura's curiosity peaked. "I've never seen my mom panic like that. What's the matter, ma? Why did you know Charles?"

Mom told her daughter to sit down. "I think it's time you found out the truth." "Know what?" Laura asked confusedly.

"About your father." Mom clasped her daughter's hand. "When you were a kid, mom promised to tell your dad you were growing up. Two years ago, when Mom wanted to tell you, you said you didn't want to know. Do you remember."

Laura remembered it clearly. "I don't want to know who my father is. My mom looks sad every time she remembers it. I prefer to live with my mom. I choose not to know who my father is because forever my mother is both my father and my mother. I don't need anything else."

Mama smiled softly. "At that time, my mother felt a little relieved that she didn't have to tell me about your father. But after today, you deserve to know the truth. Because sooner or later, you'll know too."

"About my father." Laura nodded in understanding.

"Mama will tell you everything from the beginning." Mom tried to smile in front of her daughter. "My father was Charles Rafael, right?" Laura looked at her mother without hesitation.

Mama knew Laura had already managed to deduce it herself.

"Yes. You were born when mom split up with your dad."

"Why did mom break up with him?" Laura wants to know.

"Because she doesn't love her mom." Mama remembers sad.

"You know what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you." Laura nodded. He knows very well what it feels like.

"Mama married Charles a year after the death of Anna, his wife," she explained. "Before, mom was Luki's nanny. After the death of his wife, Charles tried to give all his affection to Luki, his baby with Anna. This made Mama and Charles close. Charles saw how much mama loved Luki and argued at the young age of Luki at that time, about six years, Luki should have a mother again. Charles chose his mother. At first she refused, but over time she became interested in Charles, and eventually loved him. Mama knew Charles never stopped loving his wife. So we agreed to get married just so that Luki could get the affection of a mother she would never feel again from her real mother."

"After that what happened?" Laura looked at my mother curiously.

"Luki doesn't want to accept being her new mother." She looked at Laura with sadness. "Luki said mama can't replace her mama. Mama knows that. But. mama really loves Luki. Luki didn't want to accept the slightest explanation from mama.

"One day Luki ran away from home. Charles and Mama were really panicking. After a night of searching for her, a woman found her lying unconscious on the side of the road. Mama tried to take care of Luki, but Luki looked at her coldly. She said she would be happy if she wasn't there. At that moment, Luki's gaze had already changed. The innocent look of a child in his eyes was gone. Luki really hates mama because mama has married her father. He also said he would continue to run away from home.

"Charles tried to persuade Luki, even scolding her, but Luki instead scolded her papa because her father had betrayed her mother. The next day, Mama asked Luki what she had to do to stop doing this silly thing.

Luki gave mama two choices. Mom goes or she goes. But Luki's future is definitely ruined. Mama didn't want Charles to have to choose between mama and her son. So my mom decided to leave him. She signed the divorce papers and asked Charles not to look for her. After all, you know Charles never loved you. Being with someone who doesn't love you isn't something you can hold for the rest of your life. But, mama didn't expect that moment that mama was pregnant with you."

"Mama never called Charles after I was born?" Laura looked at the sad mother.

Mama shook her head. "Sorry, sweetheart. Mama's afraid that if Charles finds out you're his daughter, he'll take you from mama. Mama can't lose you. Mama knows mama's selfish, but mama can survive because of you."

Laura hugged the mother who started crying. "It's okay ma. I don't care if Charles Rafael is my father. I'll still choose to be next to my mom at any time."

Mom hugged her daughter while crying. Laura touched my mother's back slowly. Laura then thought, ("if I'm Charles Rafael's daughter, I mean my stepbrother Luki"). Laura nodded slowly. As a child, Laura once dreamed of having a brother, but Luki was far from her expectations.

Two hours later, someone knocked on Laura's door. Laura opened the door and saw Charles Rafael standing in front of her. Laura looked at the man before her with a different look.

"Laura," said Charles slowly. "Can I see your mother?"

"Mama told me everything" Laura said frankly. "It's better to just go home. Mama's not ready to talk to Om right now. "Laura has just accompanied mama to rest an hour before.”

"You're really Helen's daughter." Charles looked at Laura closely. "I should have thought. You really look like him."

Laura came out and closed the door of her house slowly. She didn't want my mom to wake up. "I'm your daughter too." Laura decided to be straightforward.

"I know." Charles Rafael looked at Laura with his bright eyes. "I've got one of my legal teams looking for information about you and your mama. You were born eight months after your mother left me."

Laura knew rich people could get information about anyone quickly. "It's better to just go. I can talk to my mom when she's ready."

"I've been looking everywhere for your mama." Charles Raphael refused to leave. "Their boss, his agency, his friends. But no one knows where your mama went. Your mother disappeared without a trace."

Laura was a little confused. "Why should you bother looking for your mom? Doesn't she love him? Mama says om loves om's wife."

Charles Rafael looked at Laura sadly. "I love my wife Anna. But Anna is gone. I didn't love your mom at first, but after Helen left me, I just realized that I love her and miss her."

Laura was a little surprised by Charles' confession. His words really sound sincere. He's telling the truth. "But my mom said she signed the divorce papers."

"I never signed the letter" Charles said truthfully. "Your mother is still my wife. I really want to see him. I'm telling you the truth, Laura. Please believe me."

Charles Rafael raised his hand to touch his daughter, but it didn't. "Can you call me papa?"

"I will call om with the name papa, if mama can already accept om back. Good night, um."

Charles Rafael smiled. "I'm not giving up, Laura."

 

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The next morning, Charles Rafael knocks on Laura's door. Laura let in. Mom sat in the living room chair. "You two need to talk." Laura took her jacket and went out of the house.

"Helen..," said Charles slowly.

Mom took a slow breath. "Charles..."

"I think Laura told you what I said last night?" Charles looked at Helen gently.

"Yes" answered Helen. He thought about his memories with Charles many years ago, and concluded that he still loved Charles.

"I love you Helen" said Charles slowly. "Trust me. I've been trying to find you all along."

"Sorry." Helen trembled to see the man she still loved to this day.

"It's okay. I've found you now." Charles smiled. "Will you and Laura stay with me?"

Helen shakes. "I can't do it if Luki doesn't agree."

Charles was upset. "You don't need to think about Luki's opinion. He's an adult now. If he doesn't like my decision, that's his business."

"I want Luki to accept me," Helen said slowly.

"The boy is really stubborn," Charles complained. "He hates you for more than twenty years. If we had to wait for his approval, we wouldn't be able to unite."

"Then, I won't stay with you" Helen commented briefly.

Charles could not accept Helen's answer. "Why do you insist on Luki's consent?"

"Charles. How can we be a family if one of us doesn't want it?"

Charles remained silent. "Alright, I'll discuss this with Luki." "Thank you" said Helen.

"But I don't want to stop visiting you" Charles said suddenly.

Helen laughs. "of course. You can come here anytime. After all, you are Laura's father. You must want to know her."

 

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"I won't accept that woman." Luki looked at her papa in annoyance. "Maybe he's lying. Laura's not papa's daughter. Is my dad suspicious?"

Charles looked at his son furiously. "I know he's not lying. Why do you hate him so much? He's always been nice to you."

Luki smiled wryly. "He just wants your money, pa?"

"Your accusation is not true Luki," said papa growled. "He even said he wouldn't stay with papa if you didn't agree."

Luki smiled. "Goodoo. I won't approve it until anytime." "LUKI.....!" Charles shouted, but Luki was out of the office.

 

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"There's someone who wants to see you" Maya tells Laura, who works in the kitchen.

Laura asked one of her assistants to replace her and walked out of the kitchen. He saw Luki sitting at one of the tables in the corner of the restaurant. Laura came to him.

"Sit down" Luki said without looking into Laura's eyes.

Laura sat down in front of Luki. "Why are you here?"

"Your mother told my father that you were his daughter" Luki said without further ado. "I don't trust him."

Laura looked at Luki sadly. "Why do you hate my mother so much?"

Luki replied in annoyance. "Have you ever lost a mother?"

Laura shakes. "No."

"Then you'll never know what it's like." Luki clasped her fingers until it turned white. "Your mother had a great way of getting my father to marry her."

"My mom loves your dad" Laura said.

"I don't believe in his love." Luki laughed shortly. "That's just the excuse your mother made."

Laura understands now. "You never love someone, do you?"

"I love my mother" Luki argued.

"Yes. I know that" said Laura. "But he's dead. After that you never love anyone again, do you? Your life must feel empty."

Luki grunted softly. "You dare lecture me about my life? You know nothing about my life. I came here to offer you money." "Huh?" Laura bungling's.

"How much money do you want you and your mom to never see my dad again?" Luki took out a check from her pocket.

Laura could not believe Luki made such an offer. "If you weren't my brother, I would have hated you right now. I don't want your money."

"Oh...Do you want more money? No problem." Luki started writing some money on her check.

"You really insulted me, Luki!" Laura looked at her brother sadly. "No amount of money in the world can replace family relationships. I'm not leaving. I want to know my father. I want to know you too."

Luki was stunned, but then clapped her hands. "Bravo! Your words really touched me." He did not believe a single word that came out of Laura's mouth.

Laura knows she can't convince Luki. Finally he said slowly. "You think everything can be solved with money. A daughter's relationship with her father can't be bought with money, Luki. But, all right, you want to know how much money I want? I want half the money you got."

Luki tore the check in her hand. "You're really greedy."

"If I was really greedy, I'd have asked for money the first time I knew I was Charles Rafael's daughter. Before you offer it to me. Think, Luki. I believe in my mother. Do a DNA test if you don't believe I'm your father's daughter. I won't turn it down."

"good. I will" said Luki. "I don't want you to be fooled. You'll be contacted by my lawyer."

"I'll look forward to it." Laura stared back at the challenge in Luki's eyes.