The moment everything changed
973 Words
The moment everything changed
Sandra’s reaction, though intense, was justifiable. Her father had spent the last decade detaching from her, both physically and emotionally uninvolved in her life. Now, he had fallen in love with a woman no one had heard of and was engaged to her.
How!?
Sandra had always respected her father and chose to keep her distance, thinking it was the only way he could cope after the death of her mother
Now, she felt betrayed.
He had caged her in this emotionless and lonely house all her life and now chose to care for someone other than her. That wasn’t her only pain—he had opened up to a stranger instead of his own daughter, and for once, never mentioned anything about it to her.
He was a jerk, and all hopes of a relationship between them were gone. The thought alone made her cry even harder.
She lost track of time as she cried for hours. As the heavy rain subsided, so did her tears.
Sandra felt empty, drained, and exhausted from the secrets, betrayal, and the growing distance between her and the only person she had left in this world. She was ready to burn the bridges and move on alone, without a care.
After a sad day, Sandra fell asleep, and for the first time since her mother’s death, she slept for two days straight, her trauma reawaken .
It was a beautiful day. Mr. Grande had wrapped up his weeklong trip and was on his way home two days earlier than expected. He was so happy. He stopped at a florist to buy a big bouquet of roses for his wife, Marie-Clair, and a small lily for his little princess, Sandra.
With a heart full of joy, he headed home, carrying gifts for his two princesses. His eagerness to see his wife was unmatched, and he felt like a little boy jiggling with excitement.
When he finally arrived home, he made his way inside the new house that he and Marie had chosen and decorated together, flowers in hand.
Without hesitation, he called out, "Marie!" with a smile. He called her name again, but unlike usual, there was no answer. He called out several more times, but then a running, tearful Sandra appeared, halting him in his tracks.
In a state of panic, he asked his four-year-old daughter, "Sandra, where is Mommy?"
She replied in her little voice, "They took Mommy outside."
Mr. Grande rushed inside, desperate for answers.
"Sir," called the housekeeper, informing him of Marie-Clair’s condition and the hospital where the driver had taken her
Without wasting a moment, he grabbed his daughter and bolted to the hospital.
This incident occurred roughly twenty years ago. After that day, the course of their lives changed. Marie-Clair battled with cancer, and this illness transformed their once bright mansion into a gloomy place.
Marie- Clair, after years of chemotherapy, surgeries and medications, died a decade after.
The day before Sandra’s Fourteen birthday, Marie-Clair succumbed to her illness.
Her death changed Mr Grande so much, that all spark of hope left him.
Mr Grande buried himself into work, distanced himself from his daughter, Sandra as her face constantly reminded him of his late wife.
He hated life and thought of ending his life to be with his wife Marie.
But he had to be there for Sandra as he was all she had left.
He never thought of falling in love again because, in his mind, no one measured up to his late wife, Marie. However, he met Lily. She rocked him beyond measure. He had no idea how it happened or how he fell head over heels for her. But it did happen, and now he was happy again.
He felt selfish and sometimes hated himself for moving on and for breaking his shell for someone other than his daughter. But he was happy, for the first time since his wife’s death.
He had expected Sandra’s reaction, and he would be lying to himself if he didn’t care. He was scared this would end any hope of a relationship between him and his daughter. However, Lily convinced him to try.
He felt sorry for her, as he had never been there for her. His fear of losing her made him force her back home after her graduation from college.
He never had the courage to talk or engage in a conversation with her. He was scared and sad because, in his years of neglect, she had grown into a beautiful woman, and he knew nothing about her.
When she asked, “How!? Why?”—that was the first time in years she spoke to him, and for the first time, he didn’t have the answer or the guts to respond.
"My Sandra, my baby..." These words echoed in his mind and became audible the moment she ran up the stairs and slammed her door.
The scene remained tense as Mr. Grande, a man infamous for his coldness and viciousness, broke down for the first time since his wife’s death and cried uncontrollably.
Jobe was shocked. He had always hated his aunt’s boyfriend, Mr. Grande, because of his arrogance and coldness, but he never thought he would witness this.
Lily, his aunt, ran towards Mr. Grande as he cried, embracing and consoling him. A moment later, she took him to his room.
Jobe remained in the cold living room, contemplating what had just happened. He felt sad for both the young lady and her father. After all, they were like him—sad and broken deep inside.
He sat there in the living room, waiting for any sign of life. After hours, his aunt finally took him out of the dead silence of the living room, and they went to eat together in the kitchen.
- Writer
