Holding On To Hope

Chapter 4 - Two Days Until Home

Lina sat at her desk, tapping her pen absentmindedly against the surface as she scrolled through her emails. The gentle hum of the office provided a comforting backdrop, though her thoughts wandered far from work. She hadn't quite shaken the weight of the previous night's argument with her mother. Her mom's cruel words about her appearance, about her looking like her father, echoed in her mind like a broken record. She tried to focus, but everything felt heavy.

Her phone buzzed on the desk. Glancing down, she smiled softly when she saw Mia's name light up the screen. She instantly swiped to answer the video call, and Mia's bright face appeared, her wide grin instantly lifting Lina's mood.

"Hey, beautiful! What's up with you today? You look like you've been buried under emails for hours," Mia said, flashing that teasing smile of hers that Lina had missed so much.

Lina couldn't help but chuckle at Mia's familiar energy. "Hey, Mia. You know me, buried alive in work as usual," she replied, propping the phone against a stack of files so she could talk hands-free.

Mia's grin faltered slightly as she leaned in closer to the screen. "You okay? You look... tired. Rough night?"

Lina tried to brush it off with a smile, though the sadness lingered behind her eyes. "It's nothing. Just... same old stuff with my mom," she admitted quietly.

Mia frowned, her voice softening. "Lina, come on, you can't keep letting her get to you. You're more than her cruel words, you know that, right?"

Lina nodded, though she wasn't sure she fully believed it. "Yeah... I know. It's just hard sometimes."

Mia sighed. "Well, if I were there, I'd drag you out for a spa day or something to get your mind off it. But hey, two days, right? I'm coming back in two days, and we'll make up for all this stress."

Lina's face brightened at that. "Two days? Really? Oh, thank God! It's been so quiet without you here."

"Quiet? I thought you'd say peaceful," Mia joked, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Not a chance," Lina said with a laugh. "No one else here gets me like you do."

Mia's expression softened. "Well, I'm glad you missed me, because I've definitely missed you. But I swear, as soon as I'm back, we're going out for lunch, we're catching up, and we're going to have a day where we don't even think about work."

"Deal," Lina said, feeling lighter already. "You'd better not stand me up. I'm holding you to this."

Mia leaned back, crossing her arms in mock offense. "When have I ever stood you up? I'm insulted."

Lina laughed, feeling the tension in her chest ease just a little more. "Fair enough. I'll see you soon, then."

Mia blew a kiss through the screen. "Take care of yourself, Lins. And remember, don't let anyone—not even your mom—make you feel like you're less than amazing."

Lina smiled warmly. "Love you, Mia. I'll be counting down the days."

"Love you too! Now go conquer your workday, and maybe eat something," Mia said before hanging up.

Lina set her phone down, feeling her mood lifted. As she adjusted the files on her desk, she noticed the door to Leon's office slightly ajar. She debated for a moment, then decided to check in on him.

Pushing the door open quietly, she found him leaning back in his chair, phone pressed to his ear, his voice filling the room. He spotted her and gestured for her to come in, raising a finger to his lips to signal her to wait. Lina nodded, sitting in the chair across from him, watching as he finished his call.

When he hung up, he set his phone aside and folded his arms, studying her with that older-brother gaze that always made her feel like he could see right through her. "What's up, Lina? You look like you could use a break."

Lina shrugged. "Just came to get a hug."

Leon's expression softened instantly. Without a word, he got up from his chair and pulled her into a tight embrace, resting his chin on top of her head. "What's going on, my child?" His voice was low, full of concern.

Lina inhaled deeply, soaking in the comfort of the hug. She wanted to tell him everything—that she was tired, that her mother's words had cut too deep this time—but instead, she just said, "I'll be fine."

Leon pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow. "You're not fooling me, you know."

"I know," Lina admitted, smiling weakly. "But really, it's nothing."

He studied her face, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Did she say something again? Because if she did—"

Lina quickly shook her head, cutting him off. "Don't worry about it. I've got work to do."

Leon wasn't convinced. He crossed his arms, towering over her. "Tell me the truth."

Lina felt her heart race for a second, but she couldn't bear to talk about her mother right now. "Leon, seriously, I'll be okay. You don't need to worry."

His gaze softened a fraction, but he still wasn't ready to let it go. He reached out and lightly poked her nose, a playful glint in his eyes. "You know I'll always worry. You're my child."

Lina scrunched her face, stepping back. "Ugh, stop touching my nose. I hate it."

"I know," Leon grinned, his voice dropping to a mock-serious tone, "but I like annoying you."

Lina rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. "You're impossible."

"And you love me for it," he shot back, leaning against his desk. "Anyway, don't think I'm dropping this. I'll get to the bottom of it eventually."

Before she could respond, the door creaked open, and Grayson walked in with his usual calm demeanor. "Am I interrupting something?"

Leon straightened up, chuckling. "No, just bugging my favorite sister."

Grayson smiled warmly at Lina. "How's work going?"

"It's fine," she said, glancing between her brothers, feeling the weight of her worries lift a little more with each passing second. "And yes, I'm eating. Don't even ask."

Grayson chuckled. "Good. I was about to."

Leon glanced at his watch, realizing he had a meeting to get to. He turned to Lina before he left the room. "Remember what I said," he began, his tone softening. "I'm always here. You don't have to carry everything on your own."

As he reached the door, he paused, looking back. "And, Lina... I love you, my child."

Lina's heart warmed at his words, and she smiled softly. "I love you too, Leon."

Grayson grinned, throwing a teasing glance at Leon. "Man, you're getting soft."

Leon rolled his eyes, but there was a flicker of amusement in his gaze as he stepped out of the office.

Just as he left, Lina's phone buzzed again. She glanced down and noticed Mia had texted her.

Mia: "I Love you Lins"

Lina quickly replied: "I Love you too Mia ✨"

As the day wound down, Lina settled back at her desk, feeling a sense of peace knowing Mia would be back soon. With Leon and Grayson watching over her and Mia's imminent return, she felt a little less alone, even in the midst of all her struggles.

When the evening came, Lina quietly went to pray her Isha, the soft whispers of her supplication filling her room. She felt a calmness in the act, grounding herself after everything that had happened in the past few days.

With her prayers finished, she sat on her bed, her mind drifting to the people who truly mattered—the ones who loved her unconditionally. Leon. Grayson. Mia. They were her world, and no matter how much her mother tried to break her spirit, Lina knew she'd always have them.

She glanced at her phone, sending one last text before bed.

Lina: "Two days can't come soon enough. See you soon, Mia."