Chapter 30: Chapter 30

After the lecture was over almost all the students had left the lecture theatre, Charlene hadn't budged from where she was sitting. Perhaps she didn't notice Fiona and Javier were waiting for her as she was the one that was holding them back from leaving. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands while trying to get a clear vision of the paper she placed on the table.

Fiona was beside her, staring at what she was squiggling on the paper. Javier rose from his seat, he stepped down then stopped beside her. “I have to go, we'll catch up tomorrow. So next week we'll begin to work on the project.” It sounded more like a question however he didn't expect an answer from her.

Instantly she squiggled the last word she put down the pen and gazed up at his face. She beamed. “Very well. Take care of yourself.”

He nodded. “Um.” He glanced at Fiona beside her, without any gesture or any reaction he began to walk toward the exit. Charlene focused on him until he was out of the hall. She was about to pick up her pen when Fiona decided to remind her she was waiting for her.

“Are you done with that?” She nodded her head at the scrap paper on the desk, Charlene looked at her, she was actually summarizing something she didn't want to forget, she was almost done but she thought Fiona might be in a hurry so she decided to lie instead.

“Done, dear.” She packed her textbooks inside her backpack, she put the pen including her jotter inside. Fiona stood up as she did, both of them headed to the exit, they walked out and walked alongside.

“I heard the results are out.” Fiona said scarcely, she sank her eyes into Charlene's hazel's eyes.

She shook her vigorously negatively as she spoke. “Not yet. Those are rumours, I talked to professor Clark yesterday and he told me they'll be out soon.”

“Right.”

“There's something I want to ask you–”

She stopped making Charlene stop walking as well. She pivoted to look at her, for unknown reasons she was uneasy. Charlene saw it all in her countenance, she tried to refrain from bringing up her suggestion but she had promised herself to help her even if just once. “When was the last time you checked on your mum?”

It was an unexpected question, Fiona never thought she was going to ask about her family. Since she already asked then there was no way she would shun her. She took a deep breath slowly. “Two month ago. I don't know how she's doing, I'm just afraid that I may break down in front of her.”

“How about today?” She suggested, looking forward to a positive response from her but all she got from Fiona was a negative response, she shook her head. “Why?”

“The last time she saw me was five years ago when I left home. I don't think I can face her right now, what if she shut me out? Charlene, I'm sorry but I can do what you want.” Fiona looked down at her feet, trying not to look at her face after she rejected her.

Surprisingly Charlene put a hand on her shoulder, she lifted her head to meet her bright flawless face focusing on her. “It's okay. I respect your decision.” She paused, taking off her hand on her shoulder, she paced back a little. “Let's go.”

“Where are we going?” She asked curiously.

“I'm heading home, James is going to drop you off at your apartment.” She shrugged. They went to the car park. As usual James was waiting patiently for her, they approached him, he opened the door for Charlene, she hopped in then Fiona also did the same. James got in the car and drove out of the campus premises.

Fiona contemplated her suggestion, she sighed constantly while looking out through the window. She missed her mother like crazy, her fear was rejection, after all she chose others over her and what she concluded in her thought was she wouldn't welcome her if she visited her. Charlene glanced at her briefly, she tapped her to inform her they had arrived at her residence.

She abruptly pivoted her head. “I'm sorry.” She apologized. Charlene smiled in return, she was about to open the door when Charlene held her hand.

“Are you sure you don't want to see her?” Charlene asked for the last time, if she said no she had promised never to bring up the topic again.

Fiona looked at her for a few seconds, a tear trickled down her cheek, Charlene extended her hand and wiped the tears. “I don't know. What if she tells me to leave again?”

“You can't guarantee that she will push you away.”

She closed her eyes and opened it after a few seconds. “Fine, but you're coming with me right?”

Charlene smiled brightly. “Of course.” She told James the location, and he drove to the place. Fiona told him to park the car a bit far from her mother's canteen. Inside the car Charlene could see her mother attending to the customers, she wiped her sweat with the back of her palm.

Both of them alighted from the car, Fiona hesitated on her steps, she was looking at Minnie. “That's my mom.” Fiona whispered ruefully.

“Keep walking.”

That was when she noticed she had been on the same track for over two minutes. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before walking toward her. Minnie carried a crate filled with empty bottles, she was taking it to the back of the canteen, she stepped on a stone and almost stumbled but Fiona gave her a hand, she rushed to her front and supported her before the crates could end on the ground. “Be careful.” She said,

Minnie recognized the voice instantly, she looked up to her face. Her jaw dropped in surprise. She was distressed from regret. Apparently she regretted ever letting go of her daughter. “Fiona,”

“Mom...” She whispered.

Minnie didn't give the next word she was about to utter a chance, she engulfed her into a warm embrace, kissing her face all over. “Finally you came to me. I thought you abhorred me for what I did. I'm sorry honey, I never meant to let you go but I–I, I'm just a coward. I don't deserve to be called your mother, I couldn't even stand by you or fight for you when you needed me. I'm sorry, Fiona. Please return home, if he doesn't what you we can leave together and find ourselves a new home.”

Fiona listened to her without interrupting. She gazed intently into her eyes, suddenly she leaned over and pecked her cheeks. “I didn't hate you mother.”

“But you didn't show up. I waited for you, I stood outside in the cold waiting for you to come to me but you left. For the past few months you didn't come here. I thought I had lost you.”

“You know I stalked you?” Puzzled, she asked.

Minnie nodded. “Of course. I pretended because I didn't want you to leave. I'm sorry, Fiona. Please forgive me.”

“I thought you hated me.”

“Of course not. Why would I hate you? Return home, please.” Minnie implored her almost in tears, she sniffed back the tears.

“No, mom. I don't have a place to return home any time soon.”

“Should I look forward to that?”

Fiona shrugged, she never planned that and nothing would make her return home. She stared intently into her eyes, she decided not to break it to her. “Maybe.”

Charlene stood behind them, obviously she was happy. Her friendship with Fiona was getting intense, Fiona had shared some of her secrets with her but Charlene was finding it difficult to share hers, she still hadn't trusted her to the level of sharing her secrets with her. After she opened up to her, Charlene respected her decision but she knew it wasn't the best thing to do, avoiding your mother was literally something she wouldn't agree to. Fiona told her she had stopped visiting her mother and she was going to stop stalking her. Charlene thought of a way to help her but she couldn't come up with any ways, the only way out of it was to convince her. If she was dubious at least she should confirm, and if Minnie didn't care about her like Fiona had said then she had every right to leave forever.

“Come on in, let me get you something in the store.”

She held her hand. “My friend is waiting for me, I have to leave and prepare for work. I don't want to be late or I'll be fired.”

“At least then me pack some groceries for you–” She protested, not giving in to her excuse.

She shook her head vigorously. “I have to go, maybe some other time, mom.”

Minnie surrendered, she let out a long sigh. She looked at Charlene, she smiled slightly at her and she reciprocated. “Okay.” She murmured.

Fiona hugged her briefly. She turned around then walked toward where Charlene was standing. “Are you leaving already?” Surprised, she enquired.

“Yes. I have to prepare for work.” They walked to the car, hopped in and James drove away. Fiona alighted when they reached her apartment, instead of driving to the mansion Charlene ordered him to drive to Knight's mansion. Firstly she called Kathleen to confirm if she was around, fortuitously she wasn't on call.

The car halted in the garage, Charlene alighted from the car then made her way inside. “Flavia,” She hollered, rushing the stairs as she gripped the railings.

She approached the door, stopped in front of it and knocked gently on it. “Mum.” She handled the doorknob and entered, Kathleen was sitting in front of her dressing table, facing the mirror.

“Did I miss something?” Charlene asked, walking toward her.

Kathleen chortled before whipping her gaze on her. “A lot.” She replied.

“And what's that? You're well dressed, perhaps you are going to a party or what?”

“Nope. Rowan is taking me out for dinner tonight.”

Charlene wrinkled her face as she twisted her lips. “A date?”

She shrugged. “Let's enjoy our golden time. How do I look? It's almost time, his driver will be here very soon.”

“That's beautiful. It's not even your fifty years anniversary yet.”

“We're celebrating that very soon. How's my son in-law doing?” Kathleen rose, picked her phone on the table before gazing at her.

“Pretty good.” She replied apathetically, walking toward a couch. She sat down and freed her feet.

“How are you doing, sweetheart?”

“I'm doing perfectly fine.” She narrowed her eyes. “Has Charles returned from school?"

“You know he's currently working in the company so I'm not sure if he's around or he's at work. You should call him.”

“No!” She refused.

“Why? What's up with both of you?” She stared into her eyes suspiciously.

“Nothing.”

“Why should I believe that? Tell me what happened. I'm your mother.”

Charlene looked at her with reluctance, however Kathleen eagerly waited for her to speak up. She moistened her lips. “I think Charles is hiding something.”

She arched her brow perplexingly. “Something like what?”

“I don't know. I asked him but he didn't tell me anything.”

“Have you tried to figure it out yourself?”

“How do I figure it out? Mum, it seems like you don't get it. Charles and Richard are driving me insane, I don't even understand what is going on anymore.”

“How did Richard get involved?”

”Both of them. Charles is hiding something, and these days I don't know what Richard is up to.”

Kathleen scanned her body, from head to toes. “You're not pregnant—”

“I bet that's not a question, you asked out of curiosity.”

Kathleen covered her mouth when a crazy thought flashed across her mind. “Don’t tell me.”

“What?” She lifted a brow.

“Both of you haven't done it?”

She was literally disappointed, she hit her forehead and shook it pitifully. “I don't know what you're talking about. You're not even helping at all.”

“My love, is it Richard that doesn't have your time or you're the one depriving him.”

“Mummy!” She shouted annoyingly.

“Don't. Tell me the truth.”

“No one is depriving the other of his right. I personally don't want a child now so mum, relax. If you badly want a grandchild tell him to marry his castigator. I'm outta here.” She stood up, grabbed her heels.

“Are you leaving already?”

She stepped toward the door then turned around. “Yes, it's getting pretty late and also I don't want to ruin your date, I can keep you occupied with conversation.”

She rolled her eyes. “Both of you have been married for more than three month and there's no hope for me this year. Charlene, I want a grandchild.”

“I'm still schooling.”

“Who cares?”

“It's my body, mum. Moreover he has a child and I'm not sure he wants another child now. I'm done with your boring conversation, I'm going home.” She grunted softly, opened the door and left.