Love and Beasts

Chapter 51

"Today is 31st of October." Anna said, checking the calendar. "I guess you're happy about it then?" "Of course. Kids are gonna bang on this door and demand sweets from me. I'm ecstatic." The woman said sarcastically. "You know how much I hate rowdy people and how I wish I could have more peace this day." "That's Halloween for ya." "Nonsense. If I could just find a way to make sure no one comes here and disturbs me, I'd take it without second thinking." "Why not visit Mrs Pham?" As she said that the woman looked at her with an unreadable expression. "And waste time and money just getting there? Absolutely not. I'm not going to go there all the way just to chat with her for a moment and then have to come back by myself."

"C'mon babcia. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again. You really want to stay at home like that?" "What about you child? Aren't you going to spend the night at your boyfriend's place? Or better, go together in unique costumes to some party?" "I-... I don't know, I promised Rebecca to help her out with decorating her house." She responded slightly nervous by this question, not wanting to lie. "..." Anna didn't say anything, even though she wanted to. Izabela then took her phone and noticed a text from Akira, telling that he's finally good and can normally do everyday activities as usual. "That's a relief. Atleast I don't have to worry about him dehydrating while being closed from the outside for so long." She thought to herself.

It was true. When Akira didn't want to see her, she would constantly message or phone  Akito and question him about his nephew's wellbeing. Of course the man always reassured her that he's fine but at the same time asked of her to refrain from coming by, which was self-explanatory to both of them. If anything, she sometimes called Akira and talked with him whenever he was in his right state of mind. He would ask how is she, if she's alright and tell her that he misses her. At first it felt like he they were a couple separated for a long time. But each time they talked she smiled under her nose and replied to all his questions, until he said that he has to hang up.

"I'll think about it. For now, I want to survive this day, since work at the office wasn't any lighter than usual." "Hmm, understandable. So young yet already so mature." Anna said, while checking some decorations for their house. She then looked at her only granddaughter, who was currently taking care of some documents related to their house's living expenses. "Iza?" "Yes?" "I'm sorry." At this the girl stopped doing what she was busy with and turned in direction of her grandma. It was rare of her to apologize, even unique due to her being a strict and proud woman, that went through many more hardships in her life than the girl. "I've been thinking about what happened last time. When Aaron, Pierre and Letizia came over." "Granny, can we leave that? What happened in the past stays in the past. To me everything is fine."

"... You know, at first a thought about apologizing to you hasn't even crossed my mind at all. At that time to me, you looked like a rebellious child who doesn't want to follow my words. I think it's probably due to me being discharged from hospital after years of being confined there." Anna said, taking her cup of coffee and putting it in the sink. "When your Opa died, you were just a sixteen year old girl. A teenager, or rather - a child. After that for a few years I was in hospital, my thoughts were centered around Sasha and your parents. Missing them, begging for them to come back  When I finally started returning back to reality, you already turned twenty, had a job, had a life of your own. You were no longer my little baby granddaughter, but a young woman who already got a hold of her own adult life in such young age without my help."

With this, the woman put her hand on the table and leaned slightly, sitting at the close by chair. She then looked at Izabela with a somehow sad and apologetic expression. "As your guardian, I was supposed to raise you properly and provide you with everything essential in the future. I was supposed to be the one protecting you from all the dangers fate might've brought your way. Yet you were the one to take care of me when I was feeble, both on the body and mind, while being grief striken just like you. And now that I'm back, rather than let you make your own choices, I try to control you and act like your parent even though you no longer need me to."