The Abyss of Life

ABL:CHAPTER I

In a small room, you will be greeted by fading pink paint. You can hear the cracks from the walls, the tiled floor and the dusty roof, just the sound of noises and weeping. This was the agony of a mother and a wife.

Alice sighed while packing her daughter’s things. She grabbed Lyka’s pink shirt then sniffed it, the familiar scent of her husband roamed on her nose. “Lyka is really a daddy’s girl, all of his stuffs is also her favorite.”

Lyka is not Alice and Robert’s biological daughter, she is adopted from Auntie Bellen which already had twelve children. Alice is barren, and her husband accepted it that’s why they decided to take Lyka from them since due to poverty and incomplete supply of needs, they adopted her at the age of eight.

Lyka is so thin and malnourished that time, which made Alice into tears. She looks so tiny and lack in food, that time, they decided to take a good care of her. Her papers and certificates were now into Alice’s name.

Robert— her husband and Alice doesn’t have any kid but they raised two beautiful daughters. It was Lyka and Ysabelle, which is not difficult to love.

She immediately putted it in the luggage then zipped it. She was now finished. The tiredness and longing was already there, visible in her face.

The matrimony of her daughter is tomorrow. Everything went too fast for Alice’s memories, she felts like her daughter being twelve years old is only yesterday. She sighed. For the sake of her child, she wishes her happiness on who will she be tied with.

The silence and emptiness was filled by Lyka’s soft voice. She was now home from work as a bank teller. She immediately joined and saw her favorite mirror.

“Ma, I’ll bring that mirror too!” Lyka said as she picked her favorite pink mirror. She is always fond of pinkish things.

Alice shook her head while smiling, her daughter never changed, “Lyka my dear, always remember that I’ll always be here whenever you need help on anything.”, she replied.

“Yes ma, I’ll always visit you so don’t be sad.” Lyka said as she hugged her mother.

The embrace that nothing can replace in Alice’s heart, and her mother did hugged her back.

A ghost smile formed in Alice’s lips, a warm smile that shows the beauty of loving someone and the feeling of being loved back.

×××

People are focused on the preparation of Lyka’s wedding tomorrow. People who are all closed to the couple will be coming to their wedding. Alice and Lyka went to the mall to get some things for the wedding. Alice was still not in the right mind that this will be the last night that her daughter will be living in their home. For the past few weeks and days, she cherished all the time with her daughter.

She remembered the time when Lyka was still an energetic kid. At an early age, Lyka was already able to give happinesss to this world.

“Mommy, look!” Lyka said while pointing to the flying butterfly.

The smile that will also makes you smile, those stunning eyes. Lyka grabbed the butterfly because of her happiness.

“Yca, let go of the butterfly you might go blind when you rubbed your eyes after you hold that butterfly.”

“Mommy look at the other it’s so colorful” Lyka giggled in amusement.

“Let’s go wash your hand we are still going to meet your aunts and uncles.” Alice said then grabbed her daughter’s arms.

×××

How Lyka took her first steps, how she pronounced her first words, taught her about her assignments and how to cook rice. Alice witnessed all the trials and errors of Lyka. This is where all the love of a mother enters, and people do not see how hurt the mother if her child was hurt.

They were in a department store to, buy all the things that are needed and also to buy some heels because Lyka was not able to buy yet since she was busy on the preparation for her wedding.

“Ma, will this look good with my gown?” Lyka asked. She showed Alice the right length heels, the size that would perfectly fit Lyka’s feet and the color of it.

“It suits you well and this is what you wanted to buy before.” Alice replied with a joyful vibe. They brought the heels and the other stuffs that is needed in the wedding to the counter in order to pay for it. When they got home, they quickly fell asleep since it was a tiring day.

The day after, people are busy preparing for the wedding. All the invited guest are already complete. The most important people on Lyka and Ryan’s life were their friends and families.

Alice will be the one who will be accompanying Lyka to the altar since her father can’t make it. While walking towards to the altar, the happiness and the traces of tears can be seen on all of the guest and on Alice. Alice felt all the happiness and sadness since she will not be able to be with her under the same roof, she will not able to see her growth of her daughter. Alice is proud that Lyka’s growth in life and her ability to withstand every hardship on her path.

After accompanying Lyka to the altar, Alice went to her seat and listens to the priest.

Alice was just sitting and staring at nothing. Her mind is full of thoughts, she can’t focus. Her eyes are filled with tears and doesn’t even know the reason.

It was an Autumn wedding in the late afternoon. The area faced the breathtaking sunset. At the end of each seated aisle, Alice scented candles hung from n***d tree branches. Spread down the aisle was white leaves, as far as the eyes could see, slightly moist so they wouldn’t c***k when you stepped on them. We’d have a small group of close family and friends dressed in beach attire for comfort. On either side of the aisle, they sat in white chairs set up for them on the sand.

“Okay, okay Alice, you need to breath… Can you do that for me??” Uncle Ernel asked.

Only five minutes remained before my wedding began; I was nervous just like the first time I went on a date with him.

“I can breathe,” I said to her, “I just need my grandmother’s necklace to calm down.”

The necklace that my Mommy Helen gave to me when I was 15 years old, she said that it was a lucky charm, and I guess it is.

My Uncle Ernel looked at me wide-eyed. “Uh, Alice… about that.”

“What do you mean you can’t find my necklace! I can’t get married without it. It’s my lucky charm. No way. Please uncle find it”

“Look,” Uncle Ernel said, “Everyone’s here and has a program. It’s about to start.

I see Robert waiting at the end of the aisle and he’s just as nervous as you. Do you really want to not marry the love of your life over a necklace?”

Alice just shook her head.

“Good, because if you don’t marry him, I know plenty of women who would.” Uncle Ernel said jokingly but with a half side truth.

“Mom”

“Hey Mom”

“Oh yeah Hon?”

“The mass is already finished we can now go out”

“Okay. Let’s go”

While Yca and Ryan mass, Alice slightly remembered her past.

After the mass and the ceremony of the priest in the wedding, a little feast with all the guest of Lyka and Ryan’s wedding as a celebration for the newly wedded couple. This is where the friends and parents of both families will share their messages.

People are asking Alice’s to gave her message for her daughter but she just shook her head as an answer. She cannot.

“Come on, Alice!” they cheered.

But all she answered is a soft smile and a shake of head. Alice doesn’t want people to see how emotional she is. That’s an embarrassment.

All she did is to sit and eat some food even though she doesn’t have the appetite to do so. After eating a piece of cake and some gelatine, she roamed her eyes in the small resort they were in, it was designed by pink and blue color. It was Alice and Ryan’s favorite color. She was glad that even in a small details, the couple is sharing in an equal term.

The attention was diverted to the newly wedded, they’re asking for a kiss and the couple did.

A genuine smile formed in Alice’s lips, as she saw how happy her daughter was.

That’s the only thing that matters for her, her family’s happiness. She holds a glass of water and saw how wrinkled her skin is, she sighed. A heavy feeling in her chest grew but she was distracted by a hug behind her back.

She stood still and sweet orange scent filled her nose. “Mami, Mami!”

“Ysabelle! You’re always startling me.” She hissed then pinches her arms lightly.

Ysa sitted beside her then ate her leftovers, “Hm, this tasted good. Is this catered?”

She asked, Alice just rolled her eyes to her niece. Ignoring the nonsense question from Ysa.

“Ma!”, Ysa grabbed Alice’s arms then shook it. “Ma, is this catered? Ma!”

But Alice didn’t respond, instead she turned her back on her.

Turning her back to hide her warm smile. She was happy for realizing that she isn’t alone, because Ysabelle is always here by her side.

×××

In just a blink of an eye, Alice found herself laying in bed with full of sorrow. She lost her husband Robert and now it breaks her heart knowing Yca is not living with her anymore. She loves Ysabelle just like how much she love her own daughter, but she just can’t afford being separated in anyone with the two. She wiped her tears.

Robert died right after he got addicted in cigarettes, but in total, he was a good husband and father to his kids. Nothing can compare to Robert in Alice’s heart.

“I hope my two daughters will be loved by their husband just like how Robert loved me.. Take care of them, Jesus.” She prayed to God with all her heart.

She stood up and looked for her slippers under the bed, but it’s too dark so she decided to open the lights first.

“But Mama, I don’t even have a boyfriend!”, once again, Ysa startled her.

“Ysa! Oh, God.” Alice holds her nose bridge then massage it. Calming her nerves. “Mama, sorry!” then walked towards her and then hugged Alice tightly.

“Mama, don’t be sad okay? I’m here, I love you!”

Alice can’t help anymore but to be emotional. She felt warm, secured and lucky.

“I’m so lucky to have you, my daughter Ysabelle..” Ysabelle is her younger brother’s daughter with Maxine, but they got separated even before they got married. Arcris died because of a motorcycle accident that’s why Ysabelle grew up with Alice. Maxine doesn’t contacted or even searched for Ysabelle for about twenty six years of Ysa’s existence.

Alice felt Ysabelle’s smile because of her response, but the words that uttered by Ysabelle made her into tears.

The words that she never expected that there will be someone who would tell her..

“I will never leave you, Mom.”