𝖳𝖺𝗌𝗍𝖾 𝖮𝖿 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗇 | 𝖪𝖳𝖧 |

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚟𝚎 🥀

It was the next morning and I was getting ready for the day when I heard soft knocking on my door. The night wasn't easy for me. My eyes were still swollen from all the quiet sobbing and I had no makeup to look more- presentable, so I had a cold wet towel pressed on my face to cool the swelling. I opened my door to someone I wasn't expecting. My mother. I glanced down at the plastic in her hand. "It's one of my own." she said, walking past me, into my room. She took the white dress out of the plastic wrap and laid it out on my bed. "I want you to wear this during your baptism."

"It's white." I scoffed, and she looked back at me.

"And I- I can remove the stain." she then said, referring to my blouse from last night, but I stood at my door, unbothered. "I've thrown it away." I told her. "And I am going to start my period soon, I can feel it, so I would rather not wear white to church." I added, but she pressed her hands together. It was something she did always when she disagreed with someone.

"Very well." she said instead. "It was Father Kim who insisted that you wear this, but only if you wanted." she continued, "He has such a caring soul, Alora, he puts other needs ahead of his own, perhaps even let his drown for the sake of another."

Her eyes briefly flickered around my room and at the holy bottle on my side desk. "You should use these extra hours within church with Father to your advantage, and perhaps even learn a thing or two." she said, waking toward my door again.

"Oh, and stop throwing away your clothes, Dear, some stains are not permanent." her voice was like velvet and her soft fingers gently caressed my cheek. "Enjoy today." she smiled, leaving my room, and I was left utterly discombobulated.

It was not like her, but I shouldn't complain either.

She must've felt bad about last night.

My baptism was four days away.

And I wanted to confess to Father Kim my sin. What I did last night- how I did use him to my advantage, but not in the way my mother wanted, and how I almost damned myself for it.

I showered and wore another one of mothers vintage long shirts with a blouse. The skirt was a deep crimson and my blouse was simple, white with a floral print just on the shoulders.

I purposely wore the one which fell loose from around my shoulders.

"Alora, come down for some breakfast." I heard Enzo call for me. "Coming!" I answered, leaving my room whilst rubbing perfume over my wrists. "Smells divine." I moaned, trying to not miss a step as I ran down the stairs.

"Careful, Alora." my father said, briefly looking up at me from over his newspaper. My cheeks warmed up as I smiled at him sheepishly. "I made pancakes." Enzo said pushing open the kitchen door with his back as he held a plate full of steaming hot pancakes.

There was also fresh strawberries and grapes washed and poured into a bowl in the centre of the table. "For you, my love." My father said, smiling. "Thank you!" I smiled, grabbing as many grapes as my hand could hold.

"Ah, manners, Alora." my mother warned, "Grabbing food like an animal isn't lady like-"

"Let her eat." my father spoke over her, and I continued to eat the grapes, avoiding her gaze. "Thank you." I mumbled, as Enzo placed two pancakes in my plate. "Eat every bit." he warned.

"Okay...but why have you made so many, does someone here have two stomachs?" I joked, and my mother said, "Take some for Leah, or even Father Kim."

I bit into the strawberry and looked at her, "These strawberries are too fresh to not share, I will pack some of these as well." I told her, and she smiled with her teeth. "Very well- I'll go pack some for you right now." excitement evident in her tone as she spoke, "Do as her heart pleases," my father repeated, to remind me how things would only work smoothy if they went as her heart pleased.