Lia wails

Lia woke up to find herself perfectly aligned to her pillow on the bed and the blanket covering her whole body. Still tired from the short slumber, Lia's movements were little sluggish, and she wondered about the change in the position she woke up. Everything seems blurry to her sight, and her head weighed heavily from the endless distress.

It took her time to figure out that she fell asleep while staring at her favorite storybook.

However, the disheartened feeling soon faded, and a sense of comfort Lia discerned. She lifts her hand to naturally migrate to the place it appeared soothing, which is the top of her scalp. Lia brushed the spot, again and again, she could only feel more warmth surging and very serene at the moment.

It helped the young girl to relax. Lia then looked around to read the time.

Time - 08:10 PM

Lia startled hastily and jumped out of her bed to reach for her school bag to do homework for tomorrow's class. Then she recalled it being Friday, followed by the images from earlier. Lia remembered her resolution to confess to her mother. She looked at the time once again and assumed that the call ended already. However, Lia frowned, from the thought that her mother never came to see her as she said.

Lia doubted her circumstance and worried if the fate isn't allowing her to reconcile with her mother.

'It doesn't matter!' - Lia bickered to herself.

"I will see and talk to her right now!" she pledged to a sudden incoming sound.

She heard a knock, twice or thrice, coming from outside. Lia dazed, wondering if it is her mother who is calling.

Lia rejoiced immediately, hoping to end this suffering. She dropped her school bag to the ground again and hurried to open the door before her mother gets busy with work over.

Lia opened the door and answered.

Her longing eyes and quivering lips, waiting to apologize, froze from the sight she perceived. The person standing in front of her smiled on the contrary.

The broad, square face with thick brows perfectly aligned atop of downturned eyes. The dark-brown hair with new blond highlights, natural freckles on the handsome face with a small nose, and a bright smiling red lips that highlights the dimples on the sides. The person dressed in simple casuals with a patterned lavender shirt and a cream-colored pant to cover his neat, steady frame.

Lia's eyes grew gradually to her surprise, and her little toes trembled from the sudden loss of strength. She failed to stand firm any longer and wobbled backward to fall on the ground.

"Careful, Lia," the person said to catch the falling child.

"F- Father!" Lia replied in a startle.

Lia saw her father, Ethan Ruz, leaning in front of her. She had never imagined to see him, at least for a while. Even when she raged against her mother earlier this week, wishing to meet him, but not once did she hoped for it to happen.

The last time she saw her father was when he came to send them off at the airport. Not months passed, but only several weeks, still, Lia missed seeing this guy in her life. When she lived in London, her father was only a few hours away from her. However, moving to another country increased the distance and time, along with the possibility to reach.

Lia did miss her father, but she knew the circumstances, and her mother's caring love and attention helped Lia to keep smiling and moving forward. Now that Lia experience being distant with her mother for the first time, she couldn't help but yearn for her father terribly. Also, over the week, she realizes her mistake in running away and reaped to the words Mr. Edwin Grey told her. All of the stress in her head boiled, and Lia let out a loud cry.

Ethan, who was extremely happy to meet her daughter after what felt like a long gap, watched his child wail. He went to get her and lifted Lia to his chest and soothed her by tenderly comforting.

Lia continued crying, and her loud sobs reached her mother's notice. Giselle came out running to see Ethan carrying Lia on his shoulders and consoling her to calm.

They exchange sharp glances, and Ethan assured Giselle to let him handle Lia. Giselle, from far, watched Lia tightly clinging on to her father as she cried. It was a heart-wrenching sight to behold to the mother as she saw those pouring tears from her child.

Giselle moved to help as well, and she patted Lia softly on her back.

"It's okay,"

"It's okay, Lia," she said until Lia's wails softened to little sniffs.

**

Lia wept.

Upon hearing her mother's voice, she reached out to her and apologized out loud.

"I'm sorry,"

"I'm sorry, mama," Lia weeps again after Ethan passed Lia to Giselle.

Giselle sympathized and comforted Lia.

"It's okay, don't cry,"

"It's alright, now,"

"No, it is my fault to ignore you all days-" Lia said.

"I don't like it, mama. I want to be with you," she mourned as she admits to her mistakes.

"But, you are already with me, baby," Giselle said.

Lia's tears slowed down soon to settle, but she still hugged her mother close, never letting go of the hold.

"So, no one fancies seeing me!" Ethan commented, breaking the tension.

The transition of her emotions caused Lia to forget the image of her father for a few seconds, and upon hearing his voice, Lia only then spurs, and Giselle brings her down. Lia looked at Ethan, staring him intensely this time. She wipes away the tears on her wet cheeks, giving a shy smile to her father.

"Papa," she walked to him as Ethan dropped to her height and kissed on the forehead. He tousled her messy hair and made it neat again.

The father and daughter shared a great hug of love. Ethan tightly squeezed his embrace to wane the distance and the detachment he endured away from his precious daughter.

..

"Giselle, you are done with your work, right?" Ethan asked, cutting his focus away from his sweet daughter.

Giselle nodded.

"I assume that a lot of things happened to the two of you, but family comes first," Ethan said.

"Then, let's go out for dinner. Lia?" he asked his lovely little girl, and Lia beamed with the idea.

"Great, but no teary eyes anymore. Both of you go, wash your crying faces and then put some powder before we go out," Ethan ordered the two ladies.

Giselle picked Lia, and they both went to get dressed for the dinner family date.