Chapter 3: A long night

Mark Tylers entered the house smelling of liquor. It was late already at night.

"You're at it again Mark!" Jody cried out as he threw up, messing the sitting room then she held him leading him to the room.

"Let go of me bitch" He shouted pushing her but she won't oblige.

"No Mark I can't. You've messed up yourself already"

After cleaning him up, she laid him down to sleep and then went back to the sitting room to clean up the vomit.

Belaine sat on the sofa watching her mother with full pity.

"You stay up late at night to wait for him and when he comes full of alcohol as usual you care for him. Despite all these, he never appreciate your efforts and beat you up at every little cause. Why don't you just leave him alone. Divorce him mother!" Belaine said with despair and her voice was getting high with anger at each sentence .

"No I can't" Jody said, shooking her head.

"You're still young and beautiful Mom! You can't just rot away your young age staying with a man who doesn't value you a bit. Mother please let's leave" She pleaded.

"No I can't do that Bela"

"Why?" Absolute silence followed.

"You'll understand when you too get married" She said the last part in form of a whisper with a faint smile across her lips. Belaine could do nothing but get confused.

Just then, her phone beeped, a message from Miguel popped in, then she smiled. She just couldn't understand why she loved him despite all he use to do to her.

I'm sorry cupcake, very sorry please forgive me. I'll make it up to you"

Can't stop loving you,

Miguel.

She became pink with happiness as She hugged her phone tight. Jody looked at her and smiled remembering her own youth days with Tony.

"Miguel?" She asked not taking her eyes from the floor-- Where she was cleaning.

Belaine answered nodding with a slight sound which meant yes.

"You guys seems happy with each other. Well be very careful to avoid regret".

"Oh sure Mom, you've gat to trust Miguel and I"

"I sure do try" Jody replied before Belaine ran to her room.

~. ~. ~

Belaine entered the room, Jasmine was up on her bed painting something that looks colourful.

"Still angry with me jasmi" She asked but Jasmine ignored her and went on with her painting. Belaine heaved a sigh and continued.

"I'm sorry baby, very sorry for calling you a foodie. You forgive me now?" She made a cute puppy eyes.

"It hurts" Jasmine muttered

"What hurts?"

"You calling me a foodie made me remember the nickname Mateo called me. It's horrible. He called me a fat piggy. It hurts a lot Bela". She began to sob.

"It's okay, you're cute I must say"

"So why doesn't he notice me? Instead he called a piggy"

"Wait you have a crush on him?" Belaine asked in shock and Jasmine nodded wiping the tears in her eyes.

"He's the one on the painting" She said and Belaine took a look at the it. It was a painting of a girl sitting beside a garden alone crying with a boy laughing at her and the heart shapes drawn around the girl's head, broken.

"It sure has a lot of story". Bela muttered and looked at her sister.

"Well you can change, yunno". She said and Jasmine face brightened up.

"And will he notice me" The Little girl asked and Bela nodded.

"But it might be quite difficult"

"Why?".

"Coz you'll have to reduce your eating and do some simple exercise".

"Hmm. It sounds difficult but I'll give a try as long as mateo will notice me". She smiled.

"That's our little secret, Miss Tylers". Belaine smiled and they gave each other a high five.

"I've forgiven you Bela". She said and Belaine chuckled.

"Stop your noise girls". Jody shouted when their laughter was getting intensed. They stopped and after a few seconds gave out a slight giggle.

"Oh my!" Jody entered the room and looked around. The girls were asleep-- Sure they were pretending. She quietly climbed her bed close to theirs in the same room and tried to get some sleep.

What a long day!!