Electra - On Hiatus

forty four

My throat clogged up. I couldn't find it in myself to speak. Probably it was a dream, it was not real. I couldn't move. If I did, I would be back into reality. 

"Dad?" A gentle voice shook me out of my dream. It was a dream right? It had to be.

My eyes found Tia's and I felt complete. Her eyes held warmth and gentleness, eliciting a smile on my face. It was not a dream. I looked around me and all of them had shock plastered on their faces. My dumb sons had their eyes wide open, looking like they'd pop out anytime. 

Maxim smiled at me, a gentle smile to which I smiled back widely. I was happy, extremely happy. 

"Aw!! My baby!! You called him Dad!" Maria squealed from the stairs. Rea's face morphed into a cold expression. She released a breath and smiled tightly. Maxim and his sons stepped back. Maria didn't know of it yet, she wasn't going to. 

"You called my daddy, Dad!" Tiffany shrieked in horror. She turned her nose and clicked her tongue at Rea. 

"Call me mom, honey!" Maria ran down the stairs, smiling with glee. I wonder how the woman manages to run in her 8 inches heels. 

She quickly gathered Rea in her arms and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Call me mom, sweetie." She told Astrea. Rea's eye twitched but she kept calm.

Maria's eyes fell on her bare arms with her tattoos on display. A grimace graced her face. "These are fake right?" She sweetly asked her youngest daughter. Astrea tried her best not to bash her in the face with her spiked bat. 

Her long nails held her wrist her in hands and she tried scraping off the tattoos. 

Astrea watched her amused, slightly smirking as her mother's face contorted into an expression of disgust when the tattoo didn't come off. Her nails scratched harder, trying further to peel off the tattoo. If anything, those were permanently etched on her body forever, making her, her. 

"Why is this not coming off?" Maria's sugary voice questioned her youngest one. "Why? Is it supposed to?" Astrea tilted her head to the left, letting her mask slip off. She wasn't going to tell her about her real self but she wasn't going to hide being someone she wasn't.

"Yes, they are. Of course they are!" Maria yelled frustrated with the art on her arms. "Tattoos are not meant for women. Us women are supposed to be serene, elegant and poised. Who the hell will marry you? You look like a whore in these clothes and you think you will find a man. Now you're under my care, so it is my responsibility to find you a suitor, someone who can provide you. With all these tattoos and you being practically half naked, no man's going to want to marry a hoe like you!" She ranted exasperated. Her old self was surfacing again. How long had she tried to keep herself composed, but she was ticked off by the art on her daughter's body.

The temperature in the room suddenly fell down by a few degrees. There was utter silence, complete silence. 

The Ferrari, Volkov and Morales brothers were ready to kill the lady. Despite them being their mother, they had not once in their life felt such hate for her. Azrael was even ready with his gun. Astrea subtly shook her head, indicating them to back off. Maria needed a release. She was pent up with frustration, and she needed to blurt out, something that might be beneficial for them. 

Maria's youthful face was full of anger. She roughly yanked Astrea's arm and pushed her to sit on the couch. "I am going to schedule an appointment for you right now, and you are going to get these filthy tattoos removed from your body." She gripped her chin tightly and stared into her eyes. Astrea didn't back off either. 

She was enjoying it, every second of it. 

The family was agitated. They wanted to act up, but one look from their precious daughter, and they tried to hold back, although their anger was rising with every passing second. 

Antonio and Roman had never seen Maria like this before, all frustrated and angry at her children, like she wanted to rip her head off. 

To them, it was a shocking to see their loving mother act like some crazy banshee. They blamed Astrea for their mother's poor mental health condition after she disappeared, although it wasn't her fault at all. 

Maria had undergone treatment for years after she was finally free of her mental illness. She was diagnosed with severe depression and broken heart syndrome. She even tried to commit suicide because she missed her daughter. They blamed Astrea for her condition. As young kids, they used to believe their little sister Ella when she used to scream on the top of her lungs, blaming Astrea for her mother almost dying. 

"Mommy said it's all her fault! She is bad! She made my mommy cry! Mommy said it's all Astreaw's fault!" She used to wail in her father's hold. It wasn't her fault either. She was a young kid. She said what she was fed.

Maria was breathing heavily when she disgustedly looked at her youngest daughter, repulsed by her appearance. 

"He wouldn't like you this way." She whispered under her breath, shaking her head in dismay. 

All of them heard. Their eyes snapped to her, holding her under their scrutinising gaze. She realised her mistake and closed her eyes. 

"Shit." She muttered with her eyes shut. 

Hi! 

Long time no see huh?

Enjoyed the chapter?

So, school's been okayish. Not really loving it, but not hating it either. I have a hard time making genuine friends, so I can just hope it goes well. 

I am preparing for two of the toughest exams in my country, so I have really busy schedule. I am currently packed for the next two years, but I want to update, so I will try my best!

Love you all!

~Nya