Chapter 18 — Mother’s Instinct
“THIS is the first time that you went home late, Audrey,” Kristine told her daughter as soon as her schoolmate, whose name was Justin, left. “And, who’s that guy with you?”
Audrey looked at her in tired eyes. Kristine sensed something happened to her daughter. “`Mom, I have mentioned him to you before. Justin is the psychologist student that…” Audrey paused. Her face turned red, “that I liked.”
Kristine knotted her forehead. “That was Justin? The guy you said was a snob and doesn’t talk to students that aren’t his classmates? Then why you’re with him?”
“It’s a long story, mom,” she said and went straight to her room, but then she halted on the stairs.
Kristine noticed that Audrey was hesitant to go the stairs, it was as if she wanted to say something more, and she confirmed it when she looked back at her. Audrey’s eyes were different from yesterday. They weren’t that bright anymore. It was as if something happened while she was outside, and it consumed all her energy.
“Honey, is there something wrong?” Kristine asked and went to her daughter. She reached to touch her cheek and released a sigh of relief when she confirmed that she wasn’t sick. “You can tell it to me; I’m your mother.”
Audrey looked into her eyes, then she smiled warmly. “I’m okay, mom,” she answered and held her mother’s hand. “I’m just tired.”
“Okay, sweetie.” She squeezed her hand. “Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Audrey nodded and went to her room. Kristine watched her daughter as she entered the room quietly. She knew something was wrong from the moment they spoke over the phone. And Edward wouldn’t call her as if in haste if everything was right with Audrey. Kristine went back to the living room and took her phone to call Edward. The man answered after a couple of rings.
“Is she home now?” Edward asked. He sounded worried, and it only made Kristine wondered. “Is she okay?”
Kristine knotted her forehead. “Why are you so worried? Has something happened?” She looked upstairs; Audrey’s door was shut, just like usual. “She just looks tired, but she’s fine.”
“How did she talk to you?” he asked. “I mean in what manner?”
“Edward, why don’t you just tell me what’s going on?” Kristine sighed.
It’s been weeks since they picked up Audrey at the precinct because of attacking a man on the bus. Edward said that Audrey was different when he arrived, and she just suddenly switched when she came. Because of that situation, Edward suspected that Audrey had a personality disorder. Kristine doesn’t want to think that her daughter might be suffering from an illness. She can’t accept it.
“I think something is really wrong with Audrey,” Edward said in a low voice. “She went here with her schoolmate. If I remember it right, his name is Justin—”
“Yeah, he also accompanied her home,” Kristine interrupted. “He looks nice and decent. I don’t think he hurt Audrey—”
“I didn’t say that he hurt Audrey,” Edward said with a sigh from the other line. Then, silence. Kristine was about to hang up when Edward spoke again. “Is she there?”
“She’s in her room. She said she was tired, so I let her rest first. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“That’s good. She needs to rest. It must be a tiring day for her—”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Kristine was losing her patience with the doctor. “I’ll hang up if you don’t have anything important to say—”
“Wait, Kristine…” Edward stopped her, then he paused again and sighed as if he was hesitating to tell her something. “I don’t know how I will tell you this over the phone. Let’s just meet tomorrow—”
“No, I’ll just drop by your clinic,” she cut off. “Maria and I have a lunch meeting. I’ll see you in your clinic.”
Kristine dropped the call without waiting for Edward to answer. She stared at her phone’s screen with a knotted forehead and thought about what he had said over the phone. Something is different with Audrey, and Kristine has a feeling that it happened again today. She looked upstairs and almost screamed when she saw Audrey standing next to her.
“You startled me, honey!” she said, catching her chest. “What do you need? Are you hungry?”
Audrey slightly knotted her forehead. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, mom. But I just wondered why you are always mad at Uncle Edward?”
Kristine didn’t expect her question. “Sweetie, I’m not mad at him. It’s just that…” she pressed her lips together. She doesn’t know how she will explain it to her daughter. “Edward and I—”
“You’re not on good terms since dad died,” Audrey finished. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. But you haven’t told me the reason.”
Kristine took her daughter’s hand. “Audrey, like I’m always telling you, I am not comfortable talking about it. Edward wasn’t really a friend of mine. He was just your dad’s psychologist before.”
“Dad needed a psychologist before? Why?”
Kristine pulled Audrey to sit on the couch before she answered her question. “Your dad suffered from anxiety and depression from sterility. But he progressed quickly when we conceived, and you came in our lives.”
Audrey smiled. “It’s just sad that dad died early. I hope I can remember our memories in my childhood days.” She stood. “I’ll just get a glass of water before I go to sleep.”
“Okay, take a rest, honey.” Kristine smiled as she watched her daughter went to the kitchen. Her daughter is normal, and nothing’s to worry about.
After a few steps, Audrey looked back at her. That’s when she noticed that she wasn’t wearing her sleeping clothes. Instead, she’s wearing the oversized shirt of her dad. Audrey’s wearing this shirt whenever she’s stressed.
“By the way, Mom, do you know why Palma left us?” Audrey asked. She looked so curious and confused at the same time. “And why does Sir Tonio look afraid whenever I talk to him? Did I do something to them?”