Chapter 262 - Ch. 262 Face The Mother And The Past
On the D-day, Roxy decided to come with Declan to her parents' anniversary. She had prepared a wedding anniversary gift for her parents. She made it herself, and it took her nighttime to finish it and hurt her wrist as it had been a while since she did it. Nevertheless, the result was satisfactory, but…
Roxy wasn't sure if she was ready to give it. If she gave it, it meant she was telling her parents that she had returned.
Roxy was still biting her lip with a heavy feeling even though the car had arrived in front of her parents' house.
Roxy looked at her house with an anxious look, and her two fingers fiddled with her dress as if her fingers couldn't stop moving.
Declan smiled gently, realizing his lover's anxiety. He grabbed one of Roxy's hands, making the girl stop playing with her lower dress.
"Hey, everything will be alright. Trust me."
The nervous girl calmed down and smiled faintly at him.
After parking the car, Declan got down and turned to open Roxy's door. The two of them walked into the gates of Mr. Zouch's mansion, and someone came outside to welcome them.
"Kaylee, darling."
Roxy blinked a few times before finally smiling broadly at the person who called out to her. "Aunt Anna. You came here?"
"Of course, and your Uncle Pierre is here too."
"He's here?"
"Do you think he will let me travel alone?"
Roxy chuckled at the witty tone of her uncle's wife. "No, I don't."
"And you must be Declan. I've heard so much about you." greeted Anna to Declan.
"I hope only good things."
"Oh, it is. Come on in. I bet your uncle would be thrilled to meet you guys."
"Where is mom?"
"She's in the kitchen. I wanted to help her, but she kicked me out. I think she wanted to prepare dinner for all of us."
Roxy glanced at Declan with a questioning look, and after getting a light kiss on the forehead, Roxy said goodbye.
"I'm gonna look for her."
"She's lovely, isn't she?" asked Anna as soon as Roxy went inside and headed towards the kitchen.
"She is." replied the man with a gentle look.
"Tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living?"
"Well, I'm a…," and the two of them walked inside to join Pierre and Bosley for a small talk.
In the meantime, Roxy entered the kitchen room slowly with a thunderous heart. She didn't expect Pierre and Anna to come here too, and she saw Robert's car, which meant her cousin had also come.
Roxy didn't know if she was ready to meet her mother, but she didn't want to keep shutting her mother out of her life forever. What Declan said was true. She would not be able to avoid her mother or the past for the rest of her life.
Sooner or later, she would have to face it so that she could come out of the darkness of her heart.
Roxy smelled a delicious aroma and immediately knew her mother was cooking her favorite dish. She walked deeper, and when she found the figure of her mother who was ordering the cook to help her, Roxy felt the tears gathered in her eyes.
"Mom?"
The mother turned to her, and Roxy could see the disappointed look in her eyes made her confused. But the disappointed look turned into a cheerful one and greeted her with joy.
"Kaylee darling, come here. Try my soup."
Roxy complied and approached her mother without taking her eyes off her. Every now and then, she would glance up at the ceiling to prevent tears from falling.
The mother gently scooped up the soup and pointed it at her daughter.
"Careful, it's hot."
Roxy blew the hot smoke on the spoon and then sipped the sauce slowly.
"How is it?"
"It's perfect, as usual."
Britney smiled widely, hearing that made Roxy dumbfounded. For some reason… she felt that something had happened to her.
Britney told her cook to lift the soup pot and finish the rest. Then she took her daughter's hand and hugged her tightly.
"Naughty girl, I miss you. Why are you just coming home now?"
Roxy was stunned and speechless. Not that she decided to keep silent, but she didn't know what to do. She was even bewildered about her current feelings.
Oh, how she wished 'Kaylee' was here right now so she could hide in her shell. But…
"Can we talk? Alone?"
Britney let go of her arms as she looked at her daughter with a curious look.
"Do you want to take a walk with me?"
Roxy nodded once, and the two walked out into the backyard after putting on their coats.
"Have you met your uncle? Pierre and Anna will stay here for a few days. Have you got any plans with Declan on Christmas Eve? How about we spend Christmas Eve together this year? It's rare for your uncle and aunt to come to New York in the winter."
Roxy walked in silence while listening to her mother speak like 'Kaylee' usually does.
"Why are you so quiet, dear? What do you want to talk about?"
Roxy's footsteps stopped, and for a moment, she considered what she wanted to say. And then…
"It's me, mama. I'm Roxanne."
Hearing her eldest daughter's name escape from her daughter's lips, Britney turned to look at her eldest daughter, and her eyes began to tear up.
"Roxy?"
"Yes. I've seen the video…." Roxy didn't know what to say to continue her words. She felt her heart like a tangled thread that she could not unravel.
Her feelings were too complicated and raging that she couldn't find a way out.
"Are you still angry at me?"
Is Roxy still feeling angry? Was she mad in the first place?
No. Roxy was never mad at her mother, but she was disappointed. She was hurt, and she decided to shut everyone out to protect herself.
"I can't forget what you said that day."
"I know. I'm sorry.." Britney clenched her fists while taking a deep breath.