Holding On

Fifty Four

The awkwardness about talking to Martha begun to reduce gradually until it'd fizzled out as Emma, Martha, her father, the twins and a pilot sat in the helicopter, heading for her father's ranch. The woman was pleasant and easy to talk to, and her eyes glowed with a poignant optimism that you couldn't help but take a dive into.

When Martha asked her about her life since her mother's death, Emma hesitated, but as soon as she begun to speak, she looked into Martha's eyes, and the look of genuine concern and curiosity she saw in them made her open up much more quicker than she could've anticipated.

“I can just imagine all that you went through. It must have been hard.” Martha took her hands as she said it, and Emma could see that she meant it. “I guess these past four years have served you well, hasn't it? With your husband and your daughter.”

Emma smiled as she thought of the joy George had brought into her life, and the compounding of that joy when their daughter had been born. It was Martha's voice which pulled her from her reverie.

“Your father. He truly regrets everything he did to you and your mother, you know. And I know he wishes he can turn back the hands of time.” Hurt flashed in the woman's eyes, and without asking, Emma knew the reason for it.

Her father wishing he could reverse time made it seemed like he regretted the present, regretted the life they'd shared together, their children. She squeezed Martha's hand, not knowing what to say.

Martha went on, glancing briefly at her father sitting at the front beside the pilot, and her children who were much too engrossed in the games they were playing on their respective tablets.

“We've been married for 10 years now, and yet he still holds onto the past. In the prime of our marriage, he swore that he'd gotten over his past. And yet one look at the portrait and I knew he was lying. He was still very much enraged with your mother, and the anger he refused to let go off, which I knew was born from love, always got in the way of our marriage.”

“There were times he would withdraw without reason, but I said nothing hoping things would change gradually. Then Jack and Jake arrived. It didn't change things much even though he made more efforts to spend time with us. When he returned from New York after going to see you to plead for your forgiveness, he returned devastated. For two days he wouldn't talk to me, and when he finally did, I felt a wedge between us much wider than it'd ever been. I feared I was going to lose my husband and still did until an hour ago.” A tear slid free from her eyes.

“Martha...” Emma whispered, feeling awkward, not knowing the right words to say.

“No need to say anything dear.” Martha smiled sadly, a ray of hope suddenly shining in her eyes. “I only hope that you forgiving him will make things better.”

Emma didn't know why, but she couldn't help but glimpse mirrors of her mother in Martha's personality.

***~***

Emma watched the reactions of all the people her father introduced her to. It varied from surprise to shock, but it was easy to decipher those who knew about her father's past.

The coffee event commenced the next day post their arrival in her father's ranch, and practically the whole town had trooped in, the whole place bustling with excitement. Emma later learned to her relief that the event was sponsored by all the coffee growers in the region and not just her father.

Talks with her father were slightly awkward because despite herself, she was yet to get fully acclimatized to the fact that she'd allowed him back into her life. The day, despite filled with fun, was quite exhausting and the waterbed in the room she'd been given was more than welcome as sleep took her.