Star-crossed: A Game Of Fate

Chapter 3: The Forgotten Flower

"Hikari?" Evelyn called out to her daughter who was returning with Leyon. She'd come to Claire's house to fetch Hikari for lunch, not knowing that the two kids had gone to play outside. She stood waiting for them in the front yard of the cottage while engaging in conversation with Claire.

Seeing her mother in the distance, Hikari ran up to her and hugged her. Hikari pulled back and grinned at Evelyn, showing her big white set of teeth.

"I assume you had a wonderful time with Leyon?" said Evelyn, smiling back.

"Hikari, you should come here to play with Leyon every day. I'm sure he wouldn't mind," Claire lovingly declared, to which Hikari furiously nodded her head in response. Leyon just stood there, looking uninterested.

"We should go now. Come Hikari." Evelyn led her daughter by the hand.

"Wait just a moment." Claire stopped them. "Kids. You can hang around here for a bit. Granny needs to have a little talk with Evelyn," she said and dragged Evelyn away.

"What is it, Mama Claire?" Evelyn asked curiously.

"I've been meaning to give you this," said Claire, pulling out a small white envelope from her frock's pocket. "Here. It's not much but take it."

"Is this money?" Evelyn looked at Claire, shocked. "I can't accept this. Why are you giving me this much money? Mama Claire, I can't accept this."

"It's okay, my child. It's for Hikari. This will be of some help in her treatment. I know your family's condition and how your husband is. I know how much you're struggling. I just want to be of some help."

"But I can't. This-"

"I'm doing this for Hikari. Take her to the hospital and get her treated. You must make her speak again. She can't stay like this forever."

"But if I take this much money, how will you-"

"You don't need to worry about this old lady, Evelyn. I have plenty of money if that's what you're worried about, enough to raise my grandson. I sold off some lands, you see, after my son and his wife's death. So, my grandson and I can manage well by ourselves now. Besides, Hikari is like my granddaughter. I want to help her."

Evelyn sighed, knowing there was nothing she could do to convince Claire. She, very reluctantly, accepted it. "Thank you," Evelyn muttered with a strained smile.

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"What were you talking about with Hikari's mother, Granny?" Leyon asked Claire later that night as he helped her wash the dishes.

"Why do you want to know about that, honey?" Claire replied calmly. She knew her grandson wasn't the type of kid to poke his nose in other people's business, but when he suddenly asked the question so out of the blue, it made her quite curious.

After a long silence, Leyon spoke again. "Is it something concerning Hikari? I saw you giving something to her mother. Were you giving money?"

"So that's what you were curious about. Now I understand why you're asking me all these questions. It's because of Hikari, isn't it?" Claire laughed.

"Is something wrong with Hikari?" asked Leyon, bringing the plates into the sink one by one.

"It's a long story, honey. But I'll tell you... You see, Hikari wasn't born mute. She hurt her neck when she was four years old. That's why she can't speak."

At those words, something clicked in the back of Leyon's mind. The reason why Hikari suddenly cried earlier that day was that she missed her voice too much. She wanted to speak normally like everybody else, but she couldn't, even if she tried to. "So how, how'd she get hurt?" Leyon continued to ask.