Chapter 85: Gardener

MIA

PRESENT HOURS......

Laughter filled the table as we ate cookies and drank orange juice.

I am beyond happy right now. I never thought I would be in this position ever again.

Seated with family, talking and eating happily.

I feel some part of the void in my heart filling up with joy right now.

This is amazing.

I am seated on the seat next to the one I sat on earlier this morning. Next to me is Julia, one of my cousins. She is very beautiful with brunette hair and blue eyes.

And we are almost the same age. Just a year difference.

On my left is grandma and next to her is grandpa who is seated in his head chair.

Opposite us are my uncles, Uncle Pedro and Uncle Blanco.

Uncle Blanco is a spitting image of my dad. I almost shed a tear the minute I saw him. He has green eyes like my day and short dark hair.

Uncle Pedro, the eldest looks more like grandpa.

Short salt and pepper hair and green eyes too.

Next to Uncle Blanco is Isaac. Uncle Pedro's son.

He is strikingly good-looking with short dark curly hair and he is two years older than me. After him are Rachel and Jeremy.

Rachel is ten with blond hair and Jeremy is eleven with brunette hair. And they are so adorable.

Julia and Jeremy are uncle Blanco's kids while Isaac and Rachel are uncle Pedro's kids.

This is the one big family I have always wanted.

Grandma said they came before she told them about my arrival last night. Now, here they are.

They are here to see me.

I haven't felt this special in a long time.

The feeling is very beautiful and they all seem to like me.

They got me gifts.

Uncle Pedro got me a teddy bear and Uncle Blanco got me chocolates.

I wasn't expecting this.

I am so overwhelmed.

Julia has been asking me about a lot of things and I find it nice.

I can't remember the last time a girl was this nice to me.

Coco would have been an exception but she changed because she thought I seduced her boss.

That's all my family here except for my aunties, my uncles' wives who are back in the city.

I guess I will see them some other time.

"What's your favorite color though?" Julia asked.

"Pink and white."

"Wow, me too. Pink mostly."

"Pink is beautiful."

"I know right? That's why I am wearing a pink dress," she said proudly.

I chuckled. "It looks good on you. It makes your eyes glow."

I covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Thanks, girl."

"So tell us, Mia," Uncle Blanco called. "How has it been so far?"

My heart picked up.

"Yeah, tell us how you have been so far? Are you in college now?" Uncle Pedro asked.

I straightened up a bit in my seat.

"Um...not really."

"Why is that?" Uncle Pedro asked.

"My mom, she.....she couldn't afford it." I stuttered.

"That's absurd. Your uncle and I have been sending her money for your education since your dad died."

I furrowed my brows.

"Didn't she tell you?" Uncle asked.

I shook my head.

They shared a look.

"Honey, she never sent you college?" Grandma asked.

She kicked me out.

"No," I said.

Uncle Pedro scoffed.

"What did she do with all the money we have been sending her then?" Uncle Blanco asked.

"Maybe she used it for herself," Isaac spoke for the first time.

Actually, he spoke when we greeted each other and introduced himself to me.

"That's absurd." Uncle Blanco said.

"Mia," Uncle Pedro called, making me look at him.

"After your dad died, we heard the news and reached out to your mother. We promised to provide all your needs. We gave her money monthly for your education and upkeep. So you are telling me that at twenty, you are not in college?"

I didn't respond but lowered my gaze as my heart tightened severely.

"God, this is preposterous."

"I knew that woman was not to be trusted," Grandpa said.

"Antonio," Grandma called as I lowered my gaze.

"What? The woman is a fraud. How could she do this to her own child?"

Grandma held my shoulders gently.

"It's okay, honey. All hopes are not lost, okay?" she said.

I gave her a tiny smile, placing my hand on hers which is on my shoulders.

"Thank you, grandma."

"Julia, Isaac," she called. "Take your cousin to the farmhouse. Show her around, okay? Grandpa and I haven't gotten the time yet to do it."

"Alright, grandma. Come on, Mia." Julia said, getting on her feet.

I looked at Grandma before getting on my feet.

Isaac got up too and so did the little ones.

"Can we go too, daddy?" Rachel asked as Julia led the way while holding my hand.

"Yes, go on." Uncle said and they followed us.

We walked out of the house with Julia still holding my hand.

The sun hit us as we walked towards the farmhouse.

My heart ached as I thought of what Uncle said.

"Seriously, Mia, your mother is the most strategic person I have ever heard of. " Isaac said, making me look at him.

"Isaac, come on."

"What? It's the fact. She used Mia to get money from our dads but she didn't use it for Mia's upkeep. She used it for herself."

I felt tears coming as we walked.

"I don't think she used it entirely for herself, Isaac. She remarried and had a child. So I think she spent it on them." Julia said.

I stared at the grass as I walked ahead of them a bit.

"Still means she used it on herself. No difference." Isaac said as tears approached my eyes.

"Mia," Julia called, stopping me in my tracks.

"No offense, Mia. But your mother wasn't a good person." Isaac said.

I looked at him.

He nodded slightly.

"Sorry, Mia, but I have to agree with him. She wasn't a good mother." Julia said.

I nodded slightly. "Um...can we go to the farmhouse now?"

"Yeah, let's go."

"Wait for us, Isaac!" Rachel yelled.

"Why are you all walking so fast?" Jeremy called as they ran towards us.

Rachel held my hand, making me force a smile as we headed towards the farmhouse.

AN HOUR LATER.......

Leaning on the wooden cage, I stared at some beautiful white sheep as Rachel, who is inside the cage, rubbed the body of one of them without flinching.

She is fearless.

At her age, I can't carry a hen.

The sheep are spotless white sheep and they are fat too.

Grandma and Grandpa must be feeding them well.

They look healthy.

"Come here!" Jeremy yelled, taking my attention. He is running after a hopping rabbit with one in his hand.

I wasn't about to reach the one he was chasing but lost the one in his hand.

"Hey!" He yelled as they hopped away.

I chuckled, staring at him as he ran after them.

My eyes fall on Isaac and Julia who are at the end of the huge farmhouse which seems small from the outside.

Isaac is seated on some set of wood while Julia is standing in front of him and saying things to him.

They are both smiling at each other.

I averted my eyes from them as I walked around.

It has been what feels like an hour since we got here. The animals are amazing.

Feels like a zoo but with domestic animals.

I wish there were horses here. I would love to ride them.

I can't even ride them.

I am just imagining myself on it.

I walked past some cages filled with animals. They are all set neatly in their different cages and they are fed neatly too.

My grandparents are really good at animal farming.

I stood close to the entrance of the farmhouse where there were cute chicks feeding on their meal at the same time.

They must be very hungry.

I smiled as I stared at them.

Their mothers are in another cage, separated from them.

But they seem fine alone without their mother. Feeding well and having fun.

My smile fell as my thoughts moved to Julia's and Isaac's words.

"Your mother wasn't a good mother, Mia."

I lowered my gaze as my heart clenched.

I let out a sigh as I headed out of the warehouse.

A tear rolled down my face and I wiped it off.

The day she threw me out, it was because George accused me wrongly. She believed him without listening to my side of the story.

That was......

I don't.....

Something more than George must have possessed her because how could she go from being a loving mother to hating me that much?

She never even told me I had uncles.

Uncles who kept sending her money for me.

She never told me a thing.

I went through hell trying to fend for myself.

I slept on the streets the night she kicked me out.

What did I ever do to deserve all those treatments, mom, what?

Tell me!

What did I do?!

Was I a bad kid?

I did all the chores. I helped with Vicky. I was obedient.

What did I do wrong?

Sniffling, I wiped my tears as I walked.

I wish she could just tell me what I did.

Tell me what I did wrong because I am confused.

I am.......

I bumped into someone, forcing a whimper out of my mouth.

I looked at who it was.

It was the gardener.

I gulped slightly as I stared at his back which was facing me.

Slowly, he turned around.

My heart dropped at the familiar face but.....

What in the world?