Heart Me

Chapter 22

"Kayla? Kayla?" Mrs. Sergal called out, irritation evident in her voice. "Nana?"

"How can I help you, Alyssa?" Nana replied, her voice calm and reassuring as always.

"Where's Kayla? I just woke her up a few minutes ago," Mrs. Sergal inquired, glancing around the spacious hallway.

"She's still upstairs in her room. Should I call her?" Nana asked, her hands busy folding laundry.

"No. Can you help me with packing Kayla's stuff? Make sure you put everything on this list," Mrs. Sergal said, handing over a detailed list. Nana, a nickname only the Sergals used, was more than just a nanny; she was practically family, having cared for Alyssa since she was a little girl. Even now, as an adult, Alyssa relied on Nana for support and guidance.

"Of course, I'll handle it," Nana said, taking the list with a nod.

Mrs. Sergal rushed upstairs to her daughter's room, her heels clicking sharply against the wooden steps. She found Kayla still in bed, buried under a pile of blankets. Furious, she walked to the bedside, grabbed the covers, and yanked them away, dropping them to the floor.

"Mom... What's wrong with you?" Kayla groaned, taking one of her pillows and covering her head with it.

"I'll take the pillows as well," Mrs. Sergal warned, her voice steely. Kayla sat up, her face scrunched in a sulk.

"Good," Mrs. Sergal said, walking to the window and drawing the curtains, flooding the room with bright morning light.

"Mom, the light hurts my eyes," Kayla complained, squinting against the glare.

"And so?" Mrs. Sergal replied, her tone unsympathetic. "You need to get out of bed and freshen up. We have to take you to camp, sweetheart," she added with a sigh.

"And Dad?" Kayla inquired, her voice tinged with disappointment.

"He went to a meeting. But..."

"You guys are ever busy. If you're not at the hospital, you are attending meetings. You never have time for me. I spend months in school, and the only time I'm at home, you can't make time," Kayla snapped, angrily getting out of bed and marching to her closet.

"Honey... Look... I... Don't say that. Everything we do is for you and Jace," Mrs. Sergal sighed, her daughter's words hitting her like a punch to the gut.

"It's not worth it, Mom. What's the need of working that much for kids you don't make time for? That's why I chose to go to boarding school—to stay away from ignorant parents," Kayla hissed, finding the clothes she wanted to wear and storming past her mom. She threw her clothes on her bed and then went to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Mrs. Sergal stood there, feeling a mixture of emotions swirling within her. Guilt, disappointment, and a deep sense of failure as a mother consumed her. Her daughter's words echoed in her mind, each one a painful reminder of her shortcomings.

She went back downstairs to check if Nana was done packing Kayla's essentials. Disappointment was plastered all over her face. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she saw her husband, Henry, walk through the main entrance, his briefcase in hand.

"Hey, you look so down. What's wrong?" he inquired, concern etched in his features as he approached her.

"Thank God you are here. I think we are working a lot and the outcome is bad. Kayla... She has just given me a lecture on how we suck at being parents," Alyssa mumbled, her voice breaking slightly.

Henry sighed deeply, placing his briefcase on the floor and wrapping his arms around his wife. "I know it's hard, Alyssa. We both know it. But we can fix this," he said gently, kissing her forehead.