Substitute Mother
Chapters 141. Reunions
The footsteps were stammered, between doubt and fear. Doubt whether he chose to follow his heart to meet the little girl there. Fear of rejection, for however he has a promise that has been denied.
Hannah turned her head back, deciding to take a few steps back, equalizing her position with Judith. Faithfully he waited with his best friend, waiting for the former erotic dancer to set the heart.
“When you're ready” he said with a smile. Judith took a deep breath, exhaling it faintly. He had never met a seven-year-old girl. Compared to before, he did not even save the nervousness when he had to dance half-naked in front of dozens of pairs of eyes.
“I'm so scared, Hannah”
“I understand. But your fear won't go away if you haven't met her, right?”
His gaze was taken straight, there was Mark who was standing at the door of his own house. Ready to open it whenever Judith's ready. One more breath, the woman nodded towards Mark. Which the man responded swiftly. Open the door that stands tall. Shortly afterwards, a scream was heard from inside the house.
“Uncle Mark!!”
The little one ran, followed by Maria behind him who chuckled at Aera's energy which was bursting to welcome her uncle's return. Mark looked down as the tiny hand hugged his leg. Exactly like he always did to his papa every time he came home from work.
“Aunty Hannah where?”
Apparently the little one had not seen Judith's apparition. Mark who was asked like that, just turned his head and pointed to where Hannah and Judith were standing. Suddenly, the rabbit's eyeballs sparkled funny.
“Mama!”
The crack in Mark's leg was gone the next second, because Aera did not want to throw anything away to not run and hug Judith's waist.
“This is right mama?”
Judith exchanged glances with Hannah, whose eyes were already misty as she wished. Judith lowered her head, aligning her height with Aera. Caught the face of the little angel, looked at him for a long time as if he wanted to keep it as a memory.
“Iya, darling. This is mama.mama Judith”
Enough validation for Aera to scatter into Judith. “Aera longsuu once.. Aera miss mama”
Although the sentence is less clear because Aera's face was immersed in the niche of Judith's neck, the interlocutor heard it faintly enough. A series of simple sentences that can erode the fear that originally surrounded the heart and mind of Judith.
**
Judith spent the day accompanying Aera to do many things. Starting from learning, cooking, watching television, gardening, to reading fairy tales before going to bed. Aera shared a lot with him. It seemed that the boy kept a lot of stories to share with Judith, even when the fairy tale was finished being read, Aera returned to this story.
“Aera sad when mom is sick. Just papa, that's for a moment. The other friends gave flowers to their mother. But Aera wasn't around, so Aera just stood alone on stage”
Really, Judith felt stupid and regretful. Countless apologies have been said for missing the special Mother's Day event at Aera's school. If he could be more careful, he might not go to the hospital. It won't hurt the angel's heart.
But Aera, a very young girl, has a much bigger heart than anyone else. Because once given the reason that Judith was sick, the girl immediately forgave freely.
“It's okay, the important thing is mama Judith has healed. Don't get sick anymore, Mama Nayara used to be sick and not coming home until now. Mama Judith don't be like that”
Judith may promise not to get sick often. But to not leave Aera, he did not dare to promise that. Not as long as Jeanno's heart is still as hard as a rock.
“Papa rarely goes home now. I don't see Aera every day either. Papa so sucks now”
Indeed, not only did Aera lose Jeanno's presence, but also that personal warmth seemed lost somewhere. Jeanno remained a loving father figure to Aera, but the absence of the man inevitably created a distance that should not exist between father and son.
Judith pulled out Aera's blanket, peeling her forehead for a long time. Feeling guilty for being a part of Aera's grief. Attracting that innocent little girl in this selfish adult game here. Though a few months ago Aera had obtained the proper affection, the warmth of the family that had been dreamed of for a long time. In just the blink of an eye, all the poranda.
“Im sorry mommy, babe.”
**
Judith tapped her finger on the table. Avoiding the sight of a couple sitting in front of him.
“I.. don't know what my plan is”
After confirming that Aera is fast asleep, Hannah invites Judith to have a serious conversation with Mark in the back garden of the house. The only other conversation was about the compensation money Jeanno asked for.
“I think the most important thing is that Jeanno has got the three billion he wants. But my gift check was always torn, even after 3x I sent it. Here I realized something that Jeanno didn't need the money, he just wanted to make you suffer. And if I give him a check for Free, it does not fit his purpose”
Judith smiled softly. “You don't have to send him anymore, brother. I'm sorry for having to trouble you guys up like this”
“No need to apologize”
“Or put it this way, you borrow my money.later let yourself deliver it to Jeanno?”
Judith shrugged her shoulders. “No need, brother. I'll figure out my own way to collect the money”
“You won't....?” Hannah shot him with probing questions. Just shake Judith's shakes. “No, Hannah. I won't be back there again”
“I just got 2 billion. Maybe I'll take it tomorrow, and ask for an extension on the rest. I hope you will be generous”
**
Sharin fires a beard hearing that Jeanno and Nayara have been married simply. He thought the young man would not survive without his parents' property, so Jeanno would quickly return to his throne. Unexpectedly, the man took a serious step. Making Sharin more confident to get rid of Nayara far away. No matter if they are officially married. In fact, that status actually makes Sharin more eager to take Jeanno back.
*
“Andy? Can we do it now?”
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While elsewhere
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“Nayara?”
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The summoned one raised his face. “Oh, Arjuna? Hey.”
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“Hey, um. sorry for the sudden, but I'm here to pick you”
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Nayara, who had just finished her small shopping for the kitchen, looked at her friend Jeanno in confusion. “Put me?”
*
“You don't know? Jeanno was in the hospital because her mother was sick. He went there immediately after getting a call. Because he panicked so he couldn't pick you up. Her mother's in surgery right now, Jeanno can't leave right now so she called me to pick you up”
*
There's an anxiety in Nayara's bead. I wish Jeanno's mom was okay. “Come, Jeanno is waiting for you”
Nayara did not have any suspicions against Arjuna. He also did not have the opportunity to confirm the truth of the information because he did not bring a cell phone.
*
“Oh, I brought a motor. It's okay, right?”
*
Nayara nodded while receiving a helmet from Juna's hand. “Yes, it's okay. Thanks for picking me up, Arjuna”
*
After making sure Nayara hitchhiked safely, Arjuna then ran his bike leaving the minimarket.
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