CHAPTER 8 The Lie
1536 Words
Two days later, Edward was finally discharged from the hospital.
The doctor had told him to take things slowly.
“No unnecessary stress,” the doctor said as he went through the instructions. “You need proper rest, regular meals, and enough sleep. Don't return to work immediately. Give your body time to recover.”
Edward nodded.
“I understand.”
“You've been pushing yourself too hard.”
“I'll be careful.”
The doctor gave him one last look.
“Please do.”
Edward left the hospital with Vivian and Elizabeth.
Throughout his stay, Maya had never come to see him.
Not once.
At first, Edward had tried to make excuses for her.
Maybe she was still adjusting.
Maybe she was angry.
Maybe she was confused about everything that had happened after Natalia's death.
But as the days passed, the disappointment grew.
He had expected his daughter to come running into his room.
He had imagined her sitting beside his bed, holding his hand and asking if he was okay.
Instead, nothing.
Not even a visit.
And the more he thought about it, the more it hurt.
---
When they arrived home, Maya was sitting quietly in the living room.
The moment she saw her father walk through the door, she stood.
“Dad!”
She wanted to run to him.
But she stopped herself.
Edward looked at her.
For a second, Maya saw the father she knew.
Then his expression became distant.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Fine.”
His answer was short.
Maya looked at him carefully.
She had missed him.
So much.
“I was worried about you.”
Edward said nothing.
Elizabeth walked past them with her handbag.
“He needs to rest.”
Maya nodded.
“Okay.”
Edward started walking toward the hallway.
“Dad?”
He stopped.
Maya looked at him.
“I…”
She didn't know what to say.
Edward turned around.
“You didn't come to the hospital.”
Her heart dropped.
She looked down.
“I wanted to.”
“Then why didn't you?”
Maya remembered Elizabeth's voice.
Don't you ever tell him what happened.
If you tell him I stopped you, you'll regret it.
The memory frightened her.
She swallowed.
“I had an important assignment.”
Edward stared at her.
“An assignment?”
Maya nodded.
“Yes.”
“You couldn't leave it for one day?”
She didn't answer.
Edward's face fell.
“I was in the hospital, Maya.”
“I know.”
“And you couldn't come.”
“I wanted to.”
“Then why didn't you?”
Maya's fingers tightened around the edge of her dress.
Because I was scared.
Because Ma'am told me not to come.
Because I begged her.
Because I wanted to see you.
But none of those words came out.
“I had to finish my assignment.”
Edward looked at her for a long moment.
Something inside him sank.
He had never expected that answer from his daughter.
“You chose your homework over your father?”
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
“No, Dad.”
“That's what it sounds like.”
“It wasn't like that.”
“Then what was it like?”
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Edward sighed.
He looked tired.
Disappointed.
“I don't understand you anymore.”
Those words hurt more than Maya expected.
She looked at him.
“I'm sorry.”
Edward shook his head.
“Just go and finish your assignment.”
Maya lowered her eyes.
“Dad.”
But Edward had already turned away.
Maya remained where she was.
She wanted to follow him.
She wanted to explain.
But she was afraid.
Afraid of Elizabeth.
Afraid of making things worse.
And most of all, she was afraid that her father would believe the truth and still be disappointed in her.
---
That evening, Maya sat on her bed with her books open.
She hadn't written a single word.
She stared at the page.
Then she dropped her pencil.
“I don't even want to do this anymore.”
She wiped her face.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
She pushed the books aside and lay back on her bed.
For a moment, she stared at the ceiling.
Then her eyes filled with tears again.
She turned onto her side and hugged her pillow.
“I'm sorry, Dad.”
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“I didn't mean to lie to you.”
She cried quietly.
She hated lying to her father.
She hated that she couldn't tell him the truth.
She hated that he now thought she didn't care about him.
But she was too scared to do anything about it.
---
Downstairs, Edward sat quietly in the living room.
Vivian had already gone home.
Elizabeth sat nearby.
“You should rest,” she said.
Edward nodded.
He looked toward the empty hallway.
“I still can't understand why Maya didn't come.”
Elizabeth was quiet for a moment.
“She may be going through a lot.”
Edward sighed.
“She used to be so close to me.”
“I know.”
He looked at Elizabeth.
“I never thought she'd choose homework over me.”
Elizabeth reached for his hand.
“Don't think too much about it tonight.”
Edward nodded.
But the disappointment remained.
---
The days that followed were different.
Not suddenly.
Not enough for anyone else to notice.
But Maya noticed.
Her father's hugs became shorter.
Sometimes, when she sat beside him, he would only speak to her for a few minutes before finding something else to do.
And there were times when Maya would walk into the living room and see Edward laughing with Suzita.
Suzita would sit close to him, showing him her drawings or telling him something that had happened during the day.
Edward would listen.
Sometimes he would laugh.
Sometimes he would pull her closer.
Maya would stand quietly nearby and watch.
She missed that.
She missed being the little girl who could sit beside her father without wondering if she was bothering him.
She wasn't angry at Suzita.
She knew Suzita was his daughter too.
But sometimes, when she watched them together, something inside her hurt.
She wanted her father too.
One afternoon, Maya gathered enough courage to go to him.
Edward was sitting in the living room with Suzita.
Maya smiled a little.
“Dad?”
Edward looked up.
“Yes?”
She walked closer.
“I wanted to—”
Before she could finish, Elizabeth entered the room.
“Edward, did you take your medicine?”
Edward looked at her.
“Not yet.”
“You shouldn't forget it.”
“I won't.”
“I brought some water.”
She placed the glass on the table and sat beside him.
Maya stood there for a moment.
She looked at her father.
Then at Elizabeth.
Then at Suzita.
“I'll go.”
Edward looked at her.
“Okay.”
Maya turned and walked away.
Her chest felt tight.
It seemed like every time she tried to spend time with her father, something happened.
Another conversation.
Another task.
Another reason for him to stay with Elizabeth.
Sometimes Elizabeth would ask Edward about work.
Sometimes she would remind him about his medicine.
Sometimes she would suddenly need his help with something.
And Maya would stand nearby for a while before quietly leaving.
She began noticing something else too.
Edward was spending more time with Suzita.
At first, Maya told herself it was normal.
Suzita was his daughter too.
She knew that.
But knowing it didn't stop the small ache in her chest whenever she saw them together.
She wanted her father to ask about her day.
She wanted him to sit beside her again.
She wanted things to feel the way they used to.
But things were different now.
And she didn't know how to make them go back.
---
One evening, Maya passed by the living room and saw Edward helping Suzita with something she had drawn.
Suzita laughed.
Edward laughed too.
Maya stopped for a moment.
She watched them quietly.
Then she looked away.
She wasn't angry with Suzita.
She just missed her dad.
And she didn't know how to tell him.
So she stayed quiet.
Because every time she tried to get close, she felt like she was interrupting something.
Little by little, Maya began spending more time alone in her room.
Not because she wanted to.
But because it seemed easier than feeling unwanted.
She would sit with her books, play with the little things in her room, or hold the pillow that still smelled faintly like her mother.
Sometimes she would whisper,
“Mom…”
Then she would wipe her eyes and return to whatever she was doing.
She was still only ten years old.
She didn't understand the adults around her.
She didn't understand why her father had changed.
She only knew that the place she once felt safest was beginning to feel different.
And she missed the father who used to make her feel like she was the most important little girl in the world.
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