Chapter 176 - I Miss Her

Cherry got lost in her thoughts as the scenes of her past unfolded again in her mind. It had been six years, and by deciding to come back in her place, she thought she was already emotionally prepared to face them all. She presumed it wouldn't hurt anymore. She even felt triumphant in being able to forgive Andrew so easily. But why seeing her mother relived all the pain she felt in the past?

Her mother's elegance and self-confidence she displayed a while ago were her traits she remembered she always possessed, and it seemed that her loss did not affect her. Is she already married? Is she still the same person she used to be, especially in dealing with men? How did she react when she heard the news of her demise? Did she ever mourn for her loss? These and other so many questions came into her mind that she did not hear her phone ringing. 

After several missed calls, Miss Grace Veraces went to the reception area and asked the receptionist to connect a call to her room and tell her that she was waiting for her in the lobby. The sound of the phone in her room was louder than her mobile phone, so it successfully interrupted Cherry from her train of thoughts. She hurried to pick it up, and the receptionist's message reminded her of her appointment with Miss Veraces.

"Miss Grace, I'm sorry. I had this sudden urge to go to the bathroom. Can I see you at the coffee shop, instead?" Cherry explained as she called her up.

"Sure, Miss Che. Are you sure you are fine? It took you so long to call me back. When I was on my way here, you told me you are already in the restaurant checking your mails."

"I'm fine, Miss Grace. See you in a while."

She did not hang up and waited for Miss Grace to end the call herself. Little did Grace know that he did not turn off the phone, allowing her to listen to her ongoing conversation.

"Thank God, she's okay," Cherry heard Miss Grace exclaimed.

"What makes her so long? If she's not feeling well, I can request a doctor for a room visit," her mom's worried voice floated in her ears.

"I think she's fine. She'll be here in a minute."

"What's her name, by the way?" her mom asked again.

"Miss Cherry," came the reply, and her heart skipped a beat when she heard Grace completing her identity, "Cherry Perez."

Cherry heard a gasp, and even if she did not see the person, she knew it was her mom because Miss Grace commented right away. "How come I didn't realize it? My goodness, you share the last name!"

"Indeed, but even if my daughter's name is also Cherry, a dead person can't come back."

"Who knows she is a relative?"

"Perhaps." 

"By the way, Miss Perez, I heard you were sick for so long after your daughter's death. I'm happy to see that you are fine now."

She heard a chuckle and then a sigh before her mom answered, "I didn't know how I survived."

The statement cut through Cherry's heart like a sharp object. She didn't know if it was guilt or a sense of pity. Whatever it was, it made her feel like crying for the first time. Never did she expect that her loss would affect her mother. For if she had a mother's heart and if she cared for her as her daughter, she shouldn't have betrayed her. Taking her daughter's lover in her bed was such an inhuman act. To think, it didn't happen once but many times.

Cherry ended the call. She couldn't afford to hear another shattering statement from her anymore. Most of all, she still couldn't fully believe that affection for her existed in her mother's heart. She waited until Miss Grace called her back before she gave her location. As requested, Miss Grace came alone.

They sat across each other in a four-seater coffee table. Though Cherry had a thicker retouch of her makeup, it still did little to conceal the evidence that she had just cried. Miss Grace gave her a look that she was concerned about how she felt at the moment but got no courage to speak out. Cherry forced out a smile before handing Grace the menu.

"I'm sorry for taking long, Miss Grace," she apologized, and her hoarse voice complemented her swollen eye bags, making Miss Grace stare at her with a pained smile.

"It's alright, Miss Che. While waiting for you, I met a friend, and we had a little catching up," Miss Grace answered with a bright smile before she added, "and you know what, you have the same name with her daughter."

Cherry feigned a surprised look and exclaimed, "Really, but you're right, I share the same name with a lot of people out there. How is your friend?"

"It so happened that she is the directress of this group of hotels and restaurants that I came across with her."

"Really?"

Miss Grace smiled enthusiastically, and with pride in her tone and expression, she replied, "Yes. I'm happy that she got up again and moved on after that tragedy of her life. It had been a long while since her views changed from wanting to die to giving herself a second chance."

Cherry pretended to be curious, and she furrowed her brows as she asked, "Why? What happened to her."

"She was unable to accept the fact for a long time that her daughter went away. Her staff caught her many times, attempting to end her life. She's her only daughter; after all, no  mother would be able to accept such loss so easily."

Cherry choked at the information, and she felt a lump was obstructing her airways. Her mom always acted indifferent like she never cared about how the world went around her. She couldn't deny that her mom tried to do her duties as expected of a mother, but due to the shameful things she did, all she could see was her wickedness and not the good side of her.

Before she could share an opinion on what Miss Grace said, she saw her eyes turned towards the door like she watched someone coming over. She then heard footsteps, but she held her breath, not daring to turn her head and look at who came over. To her anxiety, Miss Grace rose and walked a few steps behind her.

"What happened?" Miss Grace's voice was clear enough for her to hear.

"Nothing. I just can't help myself from getting emotional after our chat. I ran away. I don't want the people to see me at my weakest moments."

Cherry then heard sniffs, muffled by the music on the background. She cursed whoever was the staff at that coffee shop who turned their music too loud.

"I miss her, Grace!"