After Mariana delivered in the papers, they said they were going to go over the passenger records from Orlando to find Mona's fake name. Mariana felt relieved to hear that and that she could relax for once.
To celebrate, she and Crystal drove around the town. She allowed Mariana to play some songs from her phone and sang along to the radio, happy as a clam. They placed the car off somewhere and got two ice creams in a cup while walking along the sidewalk. The sun was galloping through the clouds and dissolving a trail of light on their faces.
Mariana licked hers off the spoon with rosiness blushing through her cherry cheeks. It brought back the shine in her face, but there was still an heavy ache, weighing down her heart, in the background. She wasn't able to share this treat with her kids, and that's what made her sad. But what maintained her mood was that soon they will find out where Mona traveled to, and when that happens, they would find their kids.
"So what's been troubling you Mariana? Is it about your kids?" Crystal asked.
"Well lately, I've been feeling so stressed out," Mariana started off and slowed the pace of her eating. "I haven't been getting the best of sleep because I'm frightened I'll see Xavier in my dreams. It's caused me to just stop sleeping, and it's really affecting me mentally," she explained with sadness withering her tone, dying it out. Her head tilted toward the ground with a sad grin.
"Oh no..." Crystal said, "how comes you have been having nightmares of Xavier?" She asked with concern laced in her voice.
"I think its because what has happened brings back unpleasant memories, just with different people." Mariana sighed. This situation was a like painful echo to a suppressed memory. Except this time, it's an ex-friend who was close to Xavier, which still creeped her out and made it extremely closer to home.
"Oh... was the way you lost your mother similar?"
"Mhm." Mariana nodded and within her eyes was a forlorn gaze into the ground. "I just wished she was still here you know. Like this whole case with my children is bothering me and I can't even turn to my own mother about it because she's dead."
"I get that feeling because there is nobody is like your own mother. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here."
"I really do appreciate that. Thank you so much." Mariana smiled serenely and hugged her. She knew she could go to Crystal for any advice she needed. Especially with her first pregnancy when the reality really hit her. That she didn't have her mother by her side. But thankfully Crystal often came over to see how she was doing, and assisted in any way she could. So she didn't feel so alone.
"I'm always happy to help in any way I can," Crystal smiled as they continued walking. They passed two men who were sat down drinking their coffee. The pungent odor floated into their noses. Mariana smiled, but it had a shimmer of gloom. Even thought the day was bright, it was like she was seeing the world through a cloudy lens.
"Mariana," Crystal said.
"Yes?"
"If your nightmares with Xavier are becoming really bothersome, how about getting some professional help to make peace with your past?"
"Honestly, I am gonna do that. After I get kids back then, I'll go," she said firmly. She felt a gleam of proudness knowing she was going to do that after this whole thing dies down.
"I think it's a good idea," Crystal said and started brushing her hair back gently. "Because I don't want this to make you sick Mariana. You're really special and you don't deserve to suffer like this." She lifted up her chin to speak directly to her, making sure she got all her words.
"Yeah I know." Mariana wiped a tear away and tried to smile. She didn't want to suffer anymore and wanted to be free along with her kids.
"And remember, these nightmares are nothing more than just dreams. So any time you wake up from one, just remember that it wasn't real and he can't come back to hurt you like before."
Mariana nodded but they felt so real as if he was there.
"Tell you what, if it'll make you feel better, how about we go to the cemetery to see your parents? Would that make you feel a bit better?"
"Okay, I'm fine with that," Mariana agreed so they went back for the car.
They brought flowers drove and then went to the cemetery. Mariana's heart thumped harshly inside her chest. It was like a banging drum, that made her feel slightly nauseous. But she was also happy of being able to bring flowers to her parents and siblings.
When they got there, Crystal silently drove through the cemetery. Mariana stared at all the memorial tombs of all the fallen flowers. It gave off an uncanny feeling knowing all those underground used to be living people with their own lives, families, goals, and hopes and dreams, but now they were no more than dust. Death had snatched them, the silent and inevitable enemy.
When they got to Mariana's family, they sat in front of four gravestones and placed down the flowers. Mariana only stared at the disturbed ground covered with flowers, because if she looked at the names she would end up in tears.
"I love the names in your family," Crystal said, "especially your mother and your sister."
"Thank you." Mariana smiled and couldn't resist looking upon their tombs with a hidden sense of fondness. She sniffed back her tears, but they came trickling away. They fell onto the ground where her mother and father laid. She held her necklace tightly, as if it was going to break. Her mouth tensed as freely fell with no control.
Crystal pulled her into a hug and that provided her with some comfort. She snuggled into her chest as her body got rubbed like ointment.
"Hey, it's okay." She tried comforting her while the tears continuously dropped along her arm like raindrops of grief.
"I would've loved to meet your parents if they were still here," Crystal said as Mariana laid on her chest, a smile being created on her face hearing those words.
"What were they like?"
"They were the best parents I could ask for," Mariana answered smoothly like it came naturally to her mind. "I was close to both but I was always a mommy's girl. I always wanted to be like her when I became a mother in some aspects."
"Well I can already tell you're a lot like her since your a wonderful mother to your kids."
"You really think that?" Mariana glanced up and her eyes waited for confirmation with the glimmering shine of hope that sparkled in her eyes.
"Of course, that's how I now got the best daughter-in-law because of her," Crystal said and gently cupped her face. Mariana smiled and jerked her face away with the little tickles.
"Yeah, they tried their best," Mariana said as she calmed down and her hair swept by her face. She sighed calmly and looked at the gravestones that had her parents names clearly engraved.
"Even though they are some things my mom did that I won't be doing myself."
"Oh really? Like what?"
"Well when we used to have guests over, she would make me dance around for them in a circle. At first I enjoyed it but then I started hating it and she'll always force me to."
"Oh dear." Crystal chuckled. "It sounds like she wanted to show you off."
"Yeah." Mariana rolled her amusement. "I was her pride and joy after all." She laughed lightly at the memory. How she used to dance with her dress flaring about, and rattling the air with the sound of tambourines. But boy was it tiring...
"But there was a time where our relationship hit a roadblock," Mariana said as she tucked in her knees.
"Really?" Crystal said and turned her head towards her.
"Yeah, there was a time she came back from somewhere and her whole attitude towards me just changed suddenly," Mariana muttered. She slowly rocked herself as the mood around them turned solemn.
"I think it started when I just became a teenager when she started ignoring me and began to behave more hostile. We had loads of arguments and sometimes I felt like she hated me when I hadn't even done anything." Mariana huffed out loud as it made her feel dreary." When it kept happening, I started locking myself in my room and cried to sleep because I couldn't understand why she was treating me like that."
"Oh my, that sounds horrible. Did you ever find out the reason why was acting like that?"
"Yeah. She came to my room one day and seemed quite upset. Then the unexpected happened when she suddenly broke down in front of me and started apologizing." Mariana rubbed her nose to stop herself from crying and continued. "She explained that none of it was my fault. She was just having some issues because I was starting to look a lot like her own mother, who abused her in her childhood."
"Oh that is heart-breaking... I can't imagine anyone going through something like that when they are just a child."
"I know." Mariana nodded slightly with despair. "But we sorted things out that night and our relationship went back to normal." She smiled and looked back at the grave while sighing. "I just wished they were alive today to see my kids."
"Me too Mariana, me too..." Crystal gently stroked her head for comfort and Mariana's head then slumped onto her shoulder.
"Anyway, thanks for coming here with me, it did make me feel a bit better."
"No problem Mariana. It's always nice to spend the day with you." Crystal encompassed her hand and squeezed it tightly. It also squeezed a grin out of Mariana as she smiled down at the gravestones in silence.
A/N: Hey I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you for 900 reads! Only 100 more to 1K! ❤️❤️❤️
Every time I have some moment between Mariana and Crystal, I'm just thinking what if I made Crystal be one of them MILs that absolutely despised their DIL 😂😂😂😂😂😂. It would acc break her heart hahahah.