Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Kelly recalled how she lived the colorful days of her youth. She attended every school pageant with her striking beauty. She was one of the school swimmers from a young age as she liked swimming ever since she was a toddler. It became her sport, and it helped her keep her body healthy and fit. Also another reason why her teachers would ask her to represent their year level for a few school beauty contests. She had a lot of friends. Many people liked her, but so as those who hated her. Yet, she did not mind. She knew she could never please everyone, whatever she may do. She just lived freely.

She was an only daughter of a middle-class business couple. Their cargo forwarding business was among the top in the industry. But she wanted to pursue nursing. She was thinking about providing her parents with familiarity with medical assistance when they turned older, so she chose to take a nursing course since medicine would take too long to study.

She lived happily, and she enjoyed life to the fullest with her parents' endless and full support on her every endeavor until she finished her studies, lived a life of a young pro, earned, and spent her own money.

But she felt the world shattered when her parents died in a plane crash on their trip abroad. Everything went downhill for Kelly. She lost her parent's house against her relatives, who claimed her parents sold it to them along with all her inheritance. She even had to pay debts left by her parents, which were so impossible to happen, but Kelly did not have any proof to prove her claims against them, who had papers to present to the court. Kelly became an orphan overnight. She had to work almost all her time to make both ends meet. Then she had a tragic night on her way home. Her family lawyer, who did not know what happened to her parents right away as he was also out of the country for further studies, and deliberately untold of the situation, of everything spiraling down so fast, came to find her at the hospital one day. Nearly a year after her parents died. Kelly was already a few months pregnant and soon to deliver the baby. The lawyer gathered every evidence to prove the opposite party's fake claims on her inherited properties with nothing much left as the ones who managed the business for merely a few months drove it to bankruptcy beyond repair.

They were her relatives from the maternal side. Kelly did not pursue the fight with them. She did not think it would be helpful for her anyway. But she did not look back at them. She sent her daughter Kate to a boarding school to ensure a healthier environment that would be her guide to grow because Kelly started to feel troubled with many things along with her traumatic experiences and postpartum depressions, that fortunately, came a little late. Kate was already more than five years old when Kelly found it hard to cope with everything despite looking at her angelic and lovely daughter. She decided to send her somewhere she knew she would be loved and taken care of. Kelly visited Kate almost every weekend with her best smiles and only happy face to assure her daughter that everything was fine with her. When she got better, Kelly thought about bringing Kate back home to live with her, but as she saw Kate was doing well in her boarding school, Kelly did not take her out of it until senior high.

Indeed, life has been a challenging ride for Kelly.

But she had Kate to stand up again. Then she found Elijah, who loved her despite her ugly past and despite her many shortcomings. Now, she feels like she is falling to rock bottom again, only this time, it is painstaking slow. She is worried about her daughter.

Unlike before, the first time she hit rock bottom, she was concerned for herself only. It was easier. She could be tough. With Kate along, Kelly was extremely wary. Kate is too young compared to Kelly's age when she lost her parents. Kelly has been keeping herself healthy in the most possible way medicine could ever provide without her daughter noticing. Nick would sometimes ask if Kelly was alright, maybe when she looked so tired, but Kelly would casually answer with just being busy at work or only having a tough day. And Nick would advise her to stop working and rest at home, which she would gently decline and thank her stepson for caring.

Kelly always felt like if she enjoyed life too much, she would have to pay it with equal sadness. Happiness is just too costly for her.

"I better get to work," Kelly stood from her seat. She checked the clock on the wall, and it was almost nine-twenty. "I hope I don't get stuck in a traffic jam," Kelly rushed out.

She had never been out of the house this late as she would always be earlier to make sure Kate doesn't get late for her first class at school.

Today, she killed so much time reminiscing, and now she might arrive late for work!

Earlier with Nick and Kate in the car ride to Rosa Parks...

The two were so quiet inside the vehicle. Nick was cautiously observing Kate's mood while Kate was

also doing the same. Nick knew Kate was still feeling nervous about being around him, so he tried not to intimidate her any more than she already was.

"You don't have to clean my pad if you are not comfortable about it," Nick opened a conversation.

Kate did not say anything in return. She just nodded.

"But you can hang out there if you want," Nick added.

He knew she finishes school two hours earlier than Kelly. She will be alone if she comes home. But it would not be much of a difference if Kate goes to his pad, he won't be there, too. She will still be alone unless she has good friends to spend her time with.

Kate was still quiet. Nick could not make a good guess of what she was thinking so he wished she would talk to him. On her own, though, Nick did not want to pressure her. He thought Kate was having different aftermath emotional distress from what happened to them last night. But he did not want to apologize. Nick was worried she will misunderstand if he says sorry for what happened.

"I will talk to mom tonight," Nick informed Kate. He thinks it would give Kate a peace of mind if she is not keeping so much secret, like theirs, against her mom.

Kate inhaled sharply, then sighed.

"I don't know what to say," she looked out the window. "I want to tell her everything, but I am also terrified of what will come out of it," Kate spoke with evident confusion and sadness.

"I will not tell her what happened, but I want to tell her how I feel about you," Nick cleared his plan. "She won't even know you know anything about it already. Please don't worry about it too much, you might not get to focus on your lessons if you do," Nick reminded Kate with so much concern.

Nick did not have the same thought during their breakfast as he was thinking about establishing a stronger foundation of getting closer with Kate first before he talks to Kelly about his intentions with her daughter, but when he noticed Kate was in some kind of difficulty adjusting to their current situation, he decisively thought about opening up to Kelly earlier than he originally planned. If that would ease Kate's mind, he can bite the bullet and Que sera sera!

"I know you... or... I believe..." Kate bit her lower lips and took a deep breath. "You won't do anything to harm me or tear us, mom and I, apart, but... I am scared."

Kate's voice confirms her emotional statements.

"I like you close with me, but I don't know if it will cost me of my mom's distance, you know...? I am being paranoid, right?" Kate nervously chuckled.

"Of course not. You have every right to fear for anything, but do not let it affect you so much. I just wish for you to honestly tell me how you feel about things so I can adjust and help you in any way possible," Nick replied softly.

They arrived at her school gates and Nick knew she still has a good eight minutes to walk to her room before her classes starts.

"Let me know what you decide to do later, just send me a message. I will send the driver to pick you up, you can tell him to take you home or to my pad. He will wait for you by the school gates," Nick reminded Kate as she got off of the vehicle.

"Thanks for the ride!" Kate waved her hand and walked away.