Sonata of The Shattered | Book I

The Truth for Christine

30 June 2022

Fransesca was cooking in the kitchen when she heard the door open. Certainly, it was none other than her daughter, Christine, who're just home from a friend's house. She received her marks earlier today and everything was straight As so she decided to cook her some delicious meals, some of which have been her favorite dishes since she was a child.

"Mommy, are you cooking something?" asked Christine. Fransesca nodded her head and smiled at the younger one. "Yes, I'm cooking delicious meals for you to celebrate your report card. Straight As and I couldn't be prouder." Fransesca told her as she continued to stir the pot of tomato soup while turning her head at her daughter.

"How's your friends doing? Is Anna's parents around?"

Christine sat on the couch and nodded. "Well, we met her dad and he's super nice. He treated everyone with some ice creams and he kissed her all the time after he received her report card. I wonder what it feels like sometimes but then I believe it must've felt the same as how you always did the same to me." said Christine as she tied her hair and stretched her body.

"I'm going to take a shower. I can't wait to enjoy those meals you prepared for me, mommy."

"Sure, darling. Clean yourself first then I'll prepare the food for you."

Christine went into her room and Fransesca turned off the stove soon after she heard the 'click' from the door. Those words that Christine just said to her, it struck her deeply into her heart. Never once she thought that her daughter would still feel lonely and jealous over the presence of a father in her friends' life. She never thought that Christine would be jealous over it but now she knew. Now she knew that indeed, the young lass felt the emptiness.

She now knew the one thing she always denied, that no matter how much she tried to fulfill the role of a mother and father at the same time, she wouldn't and couldn't be able to do it properly. She couldn't fill the feelings of how a father would do to their child, to their daughter. She now realized that what she heard around was true, being a single mother itself wasn't enough. Even after all that she did to Christine.

The presence and existence of a father became a very important thing in someone's life.

No, as much as she wanted to cry, she stopped herself from doing so. She doesn't want to look like a weak person in front of her daughter. She wanted Christine to know and see her as a strong woman and mother, who did all that she could for her family; her daughter. It was painful inside, but she managed to keep a smile across her face.

The sound of the bell ringing stopped her from the fluctuating emotions she felt inside. Fransesca made sure that the stove was off already before she walked to the door and opened it for whoever stood behind it. A surprise as always; that man, Clayton, came to her house without any words prior.

"Clayton, Christine is here. I don't think I can allow you to come." Fransesca told him as she tried to look fine after all the feelings that came from her daughter's words. Clayton smiled as he heard her words and nodded. He understood that there were things between the mother and daughter that he wouldn't understand until that day finally came; the day when she knew about his identity.

"Uncle?"

Christine's voice suddenly caught them both in surprise. It caught them off-guard, especially the woman. "Christine, how are you? I'm not with Vincent at the moment, though." Clayton replied, trying to act normal in front of his own child just like usual. "That's okay, uncle. Mommy, this is Uncle Clayton! Vincent's uncle who drove me back home that day when I visited NAGHS as well as where I last studied with Vincent." Christine introduced the man to her own mother.