"What are you doing here, Sarah?" she looked startled upong seeing me by the local market of this foreign land. I'm here for vacation. Just trying to have fun and unwind.
I immediately noticed she was carrying a bag pack. And on it was a baby boy.
"Who is that, Harley?" I immediately asked.
Then she hugged and looked at the baby with eyes hesitant. She then finally answered, "It's my son, Phineas."
As soon as she says this, I realized who this young infant's father was.
"Huh? Harley! What- what- why didn't you tell us that you're pregnant before?" I was a little emotional. I think I may have raised my voice a little. I just couldn't help but get a little hysterical. This is too much information to wrap around my head in a matter of seconds.
She kept quiet and covered her son's ears as he began to cry loudly.
"Hush hush my baby, phinny." she started humming and gently swaying him around.
"Harley! Are you and Phineas alright?" somebody yelled from afar.
It was Harley's mom. She's known to be very tactless. So her whole family relocated here? I thought it was just her, deciding to work at a web development company overseas. It's true that it's much more financially rewarding. But this child...
"Can you please stay away from Harley and my grandson? Haven't you done enough?" she yelled at me.
What is she mad at me for?
"Hi ma'am. I was just greeting Harley-" I tried to tell her.
But her mom yelled, "That's all you ever do! Play innocent and make my daughter the villain! Tell me! What did my daughter ever do so wrong to you for you to torment her like this?! She even decided to raise her son alone. What wrong did she ever do to you?! Tell me so I can discipline her!"
"Mom! Stop- don't- " Harley tries stopping her mom from suddenly ranting out at me. Why is she so mad?
I knew Harley and I had issues with our friendship and the old business. But isn't she overreacting? Harley must've been exaggerating her stories to her.
"No, Harley! Don't order me around! I'm your mother and let me talk!" her mom shouts at her.
"You! Talk? Are you suddenly mute after talking behind my daughter's back so much? Tell me, woman! What did my daughter do so wrong to you?!" she yells and she was terrifying. Like a classic Asian mom. Or in westerner's counterpart, a classic Karen.
She forcefully grabbed my hand tightly and yelled to ask again, "What did my daughter do to you?"
"Why don't you ask your daughter, Ma'am? It'll be clear in time." I told her.
"Are you stupid? Would I ask you if my daughter knew? She didn't know as well! You suddenly left her after years of friendship and cruelly ruined her reputation! Not even giving a proper reason!" she still yells and confronts me.
I tried to keep my composure. I'm the better person. Her mom is being emotional so I'll just relax and calmly approach her.
"Ma'am, she wronged me. Ask her." I told her.
She looked back, still in anger and full of unstoppable rage as she screams, "Huh? How? Tell me the exact details! Speak up! Stop using vague statements. Maybe you really didn't have a strong enough reason to betray her like that if you can't answer me directly! You almost killed my daughter! I would've had you killed if that happened!"
Killed her? Huh?
What is she talking about?
"Mom please stop! I don't want her- just please stop!" Harley tries to break her mom's grasp and her infant son was already crying loudly too.
"Why Harley?! Is it so wrong to be mad at the person you almost took your life for?! You are my child. Don't I have the right to be mad for my own daughter? She even has the audacity to show up in front of you again after asking you to leave!" her mom yells out and began pouring her tears out.
Harley, did what?
"No matter what age. Or how independent you may be, I will always defend you Harley. I won't let you get hurt. Or- or- just die like that. My kind daughter. You don't deserve to be tormented emotionally by her again. You were finally-" her mom starts lashing out while her tears are uncontrollably falling on her face.
"Mom. Let's just go. I know. I understand. But please. That's not me anymore. It was a weakness I had outgrown. Thanks to all of you. And Phineas." Harley held her mom's hand and she began to relax.
They both walked away as I remained stunned to my toes.
Harley. How much damage did I cost you?
------------------------------------
"Good news?" I asked.
"Yeah." Sarah smiles.
"Okay. I'll listen. But just quickly. As you can see, there's a pile of paperworks here in my desk. Research isn't going to conclude itself." I told her.
"Harley..." Sarah spoke.
And as soon as I heard her name, I quickly dropped my pen and truthfully gave her all my attention.
She looked like she was holding back her tears.
"She's with your child. Overseas." Sarah says.
Huh? My child? What does that mean?
"I'm sorry, Finn. Tell her I was- I'm sorry as well." Sarah says and gave me a card. It had Harley's address abroad.
"I gathered her information. I even got her number. Her work number at least. Go to her. I know you still- you- you should be together." she says while tearing up.
"Wait. I don't understand. What are you saying?" I was puzzled.
"I saw her while I'm on a tourist trip. She was carrying a baby. With eyes like glass as I stare into it. So transparent and true. Even when crying, you'd just know by his face. His nickname was Phinny, short for Phineas. How obvious could it have been? But if you want more proof, just go to her." Sarah says thoughfully with her eyes glistening from tears.
"Why? Why didn't she-" I was questioning on why she hadn't let me know. If that was my child, I still deserved to know.
"It was my fault, Finn. I didn't-" Sarah choked up but continued, "-I tormented her to a point that she wanted to shut everything off that was related to me. She needed to run away. And you were someone who'd make her blame herself even more. Because of me. She couldn't pursue you. She truly did it for herself and her peace of mind. And- it was my fault. I- I'm truly sorry. I was too immature to know. And understand then." Sarah wipes her tears that continued to fall.
"So please. Just tell her, I am sorry. And I know I don't deserve the closure of talking it out with her. Some things just aren't meant to be resolved that way. The damage I gave to her. The hurt I caused to her family. Was already too severe for me to try and-" sobbing, she still continues.
"This much I can do to at least appease my guilt. Even though I- you- you belong with each other." she tried to conclude clearly. Despite her statements being unclear, I was trying to understand and process it.
"I don't deserve to say I- I lo- I care for you, Finn. And I'm sorry. To you. And to Harley. I hope you'll find each other again." Sarah says.
Then she stood up and finally, I heard her bid her farewell back to me.
"Goodbye, Finn." Sarah waved.
(to be continued)
Writer's Note
- Hi! I know I said there's only 1 chapter left but I wasn't able to finish this chapter fully. It was too short if you'd notice. But I'm too sleepy, I couldn't continue. So I'll just write the other half on another continuation chapter tomorrow. Thank you for understanding!
