Ocean Eyes

c h a p t e r n i n e t e e n

My gaze fell down after I heard what Dad said.

For some reason, that hurt me.

I felt my chest tighten as I looked at the floor.

I spent so many years grieving and finally accepting the fact that Mom was dead for sure, so why did it pain me so much now?

I breathed out.

It was the uncertainty that she is still alive somewhere, and doesn't want to return to her family.

It was the fear of rejection, loss.

Gosh, I sound so selfish. 

" I have something I need to show you," Dad spoke up in silence.

I raised my eyes up from the ground and met his.

The red was almost gone from his eyes, and instead, the orange specks in his iris were more noticeable than before.

I nodded as he stood up and I followed his actions soon after.

He walked in front of his office, a room right in front of the kitchen, and opened the glass doors.

I walked in and the air seemed to become denser with silence and coolness.

The only thing that could be heard was our breathing and the steps on the wooden floor.

I stopped walking in the middle of the room as I observed my dad jumbling in one of the drawers.

I breathed out as I leaned against his black desk and waited to find out why he brought me here.

Dad was mumbling underneath his breath until he pulled a big box and a little jewelry one out.

"What's that?" I voiced out my thoughts.

He smiled but didn't answer my question as I looked at him in slight confusion.

He placed the two boxes on his desk and opened the big one.

What I saw stole my breath.

There were pictures of Mom and Dad that I have never seen before. I pulled a picture out and looked at it with a smile.

It looked like I was still a baby and Mom had the biggest smile on her face as she was holding me in her arms.

But there was something about her that I have never noticed before.

There was a bright glow in her green eyes, that resembled the magic luminance that Storm had.

I felt a tear escape my eye as I looked down on it.

"Darling, I didn't want to make you cry -"

I laughed, interrupting my dad.

"Not at all Dad. Thank you so much for sharing this," I said as I gestured to everything. "With me," I finished.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.

"I should have shown this to you before..." He trailed off. He shook his head and looked down at the smaller box.

I was about to ask if he was alright but was interrupted.

He opened the box and I saw a beautiful gem inside.

He lifted it up and I realized it was a necklace.

"It's so beautiful, Dad," I said.

A small gem that is the color of an iridescent blue was staring back at me.