New Home

Chapter 21: Trisha's Family

It's been one hour after the incident that happened. It's been an hour of a long drive. It's been that long that he's just focused on his driving and didn't even acknowledge with a single word on me.

We stopped by to take some gas. While he gets some water, I busied myself on the comfort room. I stayed there for ten minutes just staring at the blank mirror. I look so pale.

When I came back, he's gone for somewhere. Maybe, he likewise, pee. So I just sat back inside the car that is comfortably parked on a shade of a not so big tree.

He came after five minutes, bringing a brown bag. When he sat on the driver's seat and as he starts the engine, he offered me that.

"You haven't had your lunch, you should eat something. This might serve on your appetite." he said calmly, but he just looks so stern.

I took the bag but I didn't mind to look inside of it. I just stared at it.

"Believe me Riley, you need those, so your cheeks would bring up some color." he said, now putting up a frown face.

As like he said, I take a peek inside the bag and there showed me a hamburger and a drink.

"You can eat some rice when the dusk came, for a while, have that burger instead. Besides, it still earns some carbs."

"Thank you." the only thing I replied. I saw him nod and make a slight raise of his lips.

--

"Riley, we're here." I heard his voice, and right before I could open my eyes, he's already out  on his seatbelt.

I asked him after I finished my snack, if I could grab a nice sleep. I'm so tired walking and running away earlier this morning, my head wants to take a rest as well. I just didn't expect, my sleep would be that sound that I can't even determine, we're already at our destination.

I left my seat and watched all over the place. There's this very big house infront of me and is surrounded by different fruit-bearing trees. It is within the line-up of tall houses in the subdivision. The whole place is quiet and you can only hear the sound of the wind. 

I remembered our house here in Manila. It's almost the same features. Big, tall, well maybe, not just the same design or structure of the house. I guess, I want to take a visit on our old house then. I missed the place.

"Riley!" I heard him call me once more. I paid my attention to him and he's not just the one who's looking at me. He had with him on his hands, is her wife's. She's serious when staring at me but a smile faded it. She came to look at her husband's gaze and welcome me with a warm hug.

"Hi, Riley! Welcome to our home!" I felt her tight hug on me. We stayed on that position for five minutes before she totally let me go. "Sorry." and she wipe few of her tears that escaped her eyes. Why is she crying?

I tried to smile infront of her and gladly, she did the same. But there's this bitter taste of that smile and I must've been the one responsible for that. Did she recognized Trisha on me?

"This is my wife, Riley. Madeline, this is the girl I'm talking to you about." he poses an introduction

"Nice to meet you, Riley. Let us go? You two must be already hungry. Glad, I just finished the dinner." 

She walks ahead while Sir Magno went into my side as he guides me on the staircase. "She remembers her." he whispers. I just smiled and he just smiled as well.

We're at the dining table, and there are four seats allowed. No doubt because they were once four in this house. Now, they're only just three.

"It's been a year when that seat is occupied." she smiled at me when she finally collected herself on her seat. 

Long silence came in. It's Sir Magno who broke that nude expression from the two of us. "Is Justin will be home after dinner?" 

She blinks her eyes and released a deep breath before answering her husband. "Ahmm, no. He'll be here, supposedly, right now."

He nods and finally, we started to eat.

We're quiet while enjoying the feast of food on the table. Sir Magno is the one who's the lead of all the talking but the conversation will soon be declined after a single nod or a short span of smile from the two ladies.

"Am I late for dinner? It's been five minutes past six." sound of a jolly guy who, this time, broke the silence filling the whole room. "Dad?!"

"Oh there you are! You were not late for dinner, we started out early. Sorry, if we didn't wait for you." he apologized at him before releasing from a man to man hug.

"Did you just came home?"

"Hmm? About thirty minutes ago."

He nods as he realized the time. Finally, he sat on the vacant seat on my side.

We came back for the food. I focused on my plate when I heard his voice once again. "Trisha?"

Everyone stared at me for a while, but Sir Magno cuts off the expectation.

"By the way, this is Riley, Justin."

I turned to face him but I just found his asking face looking at me. Finally, he smile and reach for my hand. "Hi Riley!" it's been a short handshake. 

He drinks some water after the introduction. I can feel the tense of this family, right now, on the dining table. Silence is the only sound that you can hear. I can even feel different stares on me. It's an awkward position I have here. 

Just then when I thought:

What if I didn't look like her? Did they still be like this?