Chapter 85
[Lea! How are you?]
“Pretty good, how about Auntie?”
[Me too, I’m very good. I’ve been wanting to contact you for a long time, but I’m afraid to intrude.]
“Of course not, Auntie can call me anytime.”
[Ahaha, alright! Actually a week ago I came to the house, but there was only your mom. You live near where you work now, don’t you?]
“Y-yes, Auntie. So Auntie came to the house?”
[Yes, I was there for only two days. Your mom’s condition is very poor, have you returned home? Actually, I can’t bear to have her at home alone but I can’t stay there for long.]
“I’m home, Auntie. It’s her birthday.”
.....
[Oh, you’re right! I’ll congratulate her directly later. Um, Lea, what I’m really trying to say is, if your mom’s condition continues like this, you better take her to a psychiatrist. You already have the money to take her there, right?]
Kalea was silent, thinking about the words she had heard from her aunt.
“M-mom always doesn’t want to be taken there.
[Oh, is that so? I’ve also offered to go to a psychiatrist, but she just scolded me. Lea, listen to me. You still have me here. If there’s anything, you can tell me. Don’t keep everything to yourself. I was really shocked when I came there, the house was very messy and there was a lot of alcohol scattered about. You understand, right?]
“Y-yes, Auntie. Thank you very much ....”
[OK, I’ve calmed down a little if you came home. Don’t leave your mom alone too much, okay?]
“Yes, Auntie.”
Kalea put her phone back down after the call was over.
It turned out that her mother’s sister came to the house. Maybe that’s also what made Freya soften up a bit on Kalea. She didn’t know what her aunt had said to her mother, but Kalea was relieved that there had been no fighting between her and Freya today.
Psychiatrist, huh ... Kalea only once offered Freya to come there. At that time, she set aside money every month for her mother’s medical expenses, but what happened was Freya’s yelling and harsh treatment of her child because she thought Kalea thought she was crazy.
Though Kalea only wanted Freya to recover from her trauma. Wasn’t Freya aware, she wasn’t the only one injured? Kalea had to accept all this suffering from childhood until now. She was also grateful to herself for still surviving even though she often thought of ending her life, but still. The only thing that made her strong until now was her mother.
It was like Freya was both a cure and a disease for Kalea. She was the one who made Kalea want to leave this world, but Kalea couldn’t leave Freya alone.
Kalea decided to put that aside first. She wanted to be closer to her mother again. The girl came out of the room, a faint smile etched on Kalea’s lips when she saw Freya watching television. No alcohol around. Really, Kalea still couldn’t believe it, what did her aunt do to make Freya turn like this? It seems that if the aunt comes again, she will ask what tips she can apply in the future.
With a fair amount of courage, Kalea walked over to Freya who looked busy and didn’t even look up even though Kalea was already sitting beside her. This was better, because before that Freya had thrown a cigarette ashtray at Kalea just because her daughter wanted to clean up the garbage that was scattered on the table.
Kalea’s tongue was blank, she didn’t know what to say even though the opportunity to get to know Freya was wide open! It seemed that the presentation in front of many people was better than Kalea’s current state.
“M-mom, did Aunty come here yesterday?” Kalea asked, running out of ideas to ask.
“She called you?” Freya asked back. This is already very good!
“Yes, I said I was at home today, Aunty is worried for Mom,” Kalea replied with cold sweaty hands.
“She’s too much,” Freya snorted as she changed the television channel, Kalea only responded with a bitter smile. Even though her aunt’s concern was very precise.
“How long have you been here?” Freya asked.
“Ah... um, Mom .. how long do you want me to be here?” Kalea inquired, a little scaredly looking at her mother, she shuddered in horror as Freya glared at her.
“Why are you asking back?”
“S-sorry, Mom! Um ... seems like two days. Can I?”
Freya rolled her eyes lazily and returned her attention to the television broadcast she was watching. “Up to you.”
“Do you still want to see me once a month?” Kalea asked again. Because opportunities didn’t come around every day, and when her mother was in a good mood or changing for the better, Kalea would bombard Freya with questions.
“Whatever, but I’m lazy to have to eat junk food all the time.”
Kalea was flabbergasted, doesn’t this indicate that Freya wants her child to come home more often? Slowly, Kalea’s vision grew blurry as tears started to build up in her eyes. She wanted to cry because it was the first time Freya had actually answered her question without any emotion in it.
Kalea tried her best to hold back her tears, she forced a smile with an uncontrollable face. She nodded and said, “Okay. I’ll often cook Mom’s favorite food!”
Kalea spent her time with Freya until eleven o’clock in the evening. They talked about many things, Freya even asked how Kalea’s studies and work were. Again, Kalea wanted to cry, so she told it even though it was a lie. She didn’t tell if she had stopped being a teaching assistant and her real job turned out to be a woman serving rich men.
“It’s late, you better sleep,” Freya said, ending their current conversation.
The corners of Kalea’s lips curved downward, a little disappointed that she still wanted to linger with her mother.
“When do you sleep?” Kalea asked.
“Soon,” Freya answered simply.
Since there was no other choice, Kalea didn’t want to force herself for fear of making Freya emotional. “Then I’ll sleep first, Mom. Good night, don’t forget the aromatherapy,” Kalea said as she got up from her seat.
“Hm.”
Kalea smiled sweetly to end her time with Freya, after which she walked up the stairs to the room. She plopped down on the bed with a smile that had not faded from her beautiful face.
“It’s the best day ever,” Kalea muttered, unable to contain her happiness.
Kalea’s thoughts suddenly went to Arthur, she had to tell him that she would stay at home longer. Kalea took out her cell phone and typed Arthur’s name there.
“But what if I bother him? What is he usually doing at this hour?” Kalea asked herself. Could it be that the man was having fun with another woman? “Well, it’s really none of my business if he looks for fun elsewhere. Arthur is just like that,” Kalea mumbled, putting her phone to the side.
Kalea was silent, staring at the ceiling of her room, until she finally grabbed her cellphone again with lightning speed and immediately called Arthur. The call was still ringing, Arthur wasn’t usually slow to pick up Kalea’s call.
[Hello?]
“What are you doing?”
[....]
“W-why are you silent?”
[Wait, it really is Lea, right?]
“Of course!”
[Oh, thank goodness. I thought someone else, because you don’t usually ask that. What is it?]
“First answer my question.”
[Me? Um... I’m at- hold on.]
Kalea seemed to already know where the man was. Because the music sounds very loud and there are many woman voices calling the name of her sugar daddy.
[I’m at the club.]
“Yep, I know.”
[So, what’s wrong? You’ve missed me, haven’t you?
“Looks like you’re fine not seeing me for the next few days, huh.”
[Huh? What do you mean? You said only last night?]
“When did I say that? I still said I didn’t know when I would be home, and now I know.”
[So, when?]
“A week.”
[If my sperm is kept too long and not let out, my cock will explode.]
“Nonsense! Tonight you’re going to do it with another woman, right? Why should you wait for me,” Kalea squeaked annoyed. Usually, the man said lewd or ridiculous things very casually, while Kalea who heard it had goosebumps in amusement.
[Why did it take so long anyway? You don’t usually leave the apartment for so long!]
“Th-that’s my business!”
[Oh, have you stopped bickering with your family?]
Kalea’s breath hitched when Arthur asked like that. Does Arthur know about her family problems? Did Aluna ever tell Arthur that? Or was Arthur just talking carelessly? She continued to pray that Arthur wouldn’t know the real condition of her family, even though she knew he had the power to do so. Arthur must be stupid, the man must be just talking mindlessly like he usually does. Yes, Kalea kept thinking that way.
“Who said I fought with my family?” Kalea asked with a racing heart.