Chapter 2 - ALL FOR MUM

Wright rushes down the staircase and went to see who was at the door. He wasn't expecting any guest this early and he wondered who it was that have come to see him by this time.

He got to the door and opened it. He managed to force some smiles as he saw Maeve and Riley standing right before him, each holding a bunch of flowers. Their presence gave him some sort of reassurance, the kind that he felt he needed in this present situation.

Riley is Riona's classmate and even though they had not been best of friends, they still find a way to get along. Maeve is Riley's mother. Maeve started showing interest and coming close to the family after Evolette passed on.

"You are here already," Wright said as he welcomed them into the house.

"Good morning Wright" Maeve greeted.

"Hello Maeve, hello Riley" Wright greeted the both of them.

He moved a little and gave way for the both of them to enter inside the house and with a smile on their faces, they entered and dropped their flowers on a table. However, they both remained standing. Wright closed the door and turned towards them.

"Good morning Mr. Wright. We brought some flowers for you and Riona" Riley announced.

"That is very thoughtful of you Riley" Wright responded.

"And how is Riona?" Riley asked.

"I believe she is fine Riley" Wright replied.

"Would I be able to go be with her?" Riley requested.

"I doubt she would want that, but anyway, thanks for the offer, I appreciate" Wright replied.

Haven got a negative response from Wright, Riley went to sit on a couch.

"How is she, have you been able to tell her yet?" Maeve asked.

Instead of providing a response, Wright rubbed his hands on his face.

"I can help you do that if you don't mind" Maeve volunteered.

"There would be no need for that Maeve, I can take care of it, I assure you of that," he said.

"Are you sure you do not need my help, Wright?" Maeve asked.

She smiles as she speaks. She knows how difficult it had been for Wright to pass this information to his daughter, Riona. He has been postponing this for like forever and right now, he cannot delay any longer and must tell her this very moment.

"Trust me already Maeve, I said I got this completely under control" he responded.

"Come on Wright, I know exactly how these things are. She is human and we both know how emotional they can get over things as this" Maeve said.

Wright quickly looked around the house to know if someone has heard Maeve's last sentence. When he was certain that they were the only ones in the room, he whispered "please keep it low Maeve, be conscious of your environment"

"Sorry if I scared you Wright, but I know there was no other person here" Maeve mumbled.

"I said I got this under control, I can handle it" Wright snapped.

Wright was already beginning to feel nervous and he wished he could rather do away with Maeve's unending questions as they were only adding to his anxiety.

Maeve was immediately sorry for what she had said as she noticed how her statement has gotten to Wright and how nervous and furious that he was. So in a bid to pacify him, she said "Sure, of course, you do and I trust that it will be fine"

"Thank you so much for coming, Maeve, I really appreciate it," Wright said as all he wanted to do was to dismiss them and be all alone to face Riona.

Maeve carefully looked around the house. She wanted to ensure that everything was where it should be and that nothing requires her assistance.

When she was sure that everything was fine, she asked him "Is there something that I can help with before we leave?"

"No Maeve, everything is perfect, believe me, I am in control here" he replied.

She looked at him intensively, as she was searching to see if he was hiding anything from her. When she was satisfied that he was not hiding anything, she said.

"That is good to know Wright".

"So when would you guys be ready, it's almost time," she asked.

"Do not worry Maeve" he replied.

"Are you sure about that?" she persisted.

She was beginning to look worried. Wright had never acted this way towards her and so she wondered why he should be acting all cold towards her. She knows he is the reserved type, but she is actually doing what she believes is the best for him and his daughter.

She has been there once too, and she knows that this is a trying time and she was only trying to assist.

"You can leave now Maeve" he instructed.

Immediately the words left his lips, he realized that he was being too blunt and unfair to someone who has decided to stand by him at a time that he needed a friend by his side and so he quickly retracted his words and said.

"I sincerely appreciate your kindness Maeve..."

He paused for a while and stared at her, he wanted to be sure that she was not misunderstanding his motives and so, in a bid to ensure this, he said slowly.

"Rio and I would like to go through this alone at the moment"

Realizing that he might have just passed the wrong message, he quickly added.

"I am actually trying to say that I would like to be alone with her when I pass the news to her. Please don't get me wrong"

"It's okay Wright, I believe we have to leave now," she said.

Immediately Maeve said that they were about to leave, Riley got up and heads towards the door.

As Maeve was about to take some steps towards the door, Wright grabs her by her wrist. He looks at her, his eyes begging her to understand the dilemma that he finds himself in at the moment and understand him.

Maeve understood his plight and so did not attempt to remove her hands from his grips.

"I understand Wright, we would see later in the day," Maeve said.

Wright knows Maeve well enough to tell that those words were truly from her heart and so, he let go of her wrist and she left with her daughter, Riley.

Wright remained where he was and stared at the door for a while. When he was done, he went and locked it and climbed back upstairs to Riona's room.

When he entered the room, he noticed that Riona was still lying down with her back against the door and so he was not sure if she was sleeping.

"Are you still awake, Rio? He asked.

His voice was a little bit tense.

In response, she turned to face him.

"Okay, as I was saying..." He began.

He walked to the chair beside the bed and sat on it. He cleared his throat in preparation for his speech.

Riona watched her dad's countenance carefully and she noticed that he was avoiding her eyes and was also finding it very difficult to tell her the news that he's got for her. She tried to think about what could be possible reasons for that. And when she concluded that no news would be worse than the news of losing her mum, she decided to make it easy for him to talk to her.

Actually, Riona has almost lost her voice as a result of her constant crying for her mum's death. But despite this fact, she managed to speak with her barely audible voice.

"What do you want to say dad?" she asked and went on to stare blankly at him.

Wright was glad at the question from Riona as he saw it as the push he needed to start, so he quickly grabbed it.

"You know this past month has been a very challenging and trying time for us, you and I. After we lost your mum, my wife..." he suddenly stopped.

At the mention of her mum, Riona closed her eyes for a few seconds. Wright clinched his fist and tightened his lips.

After Riona was done closing her eyes, she opened them and said to her dad "Continue dad, I am listening"

This was much more to the surprise of Wright because Riona has always instantly broken down whenever her mum was mentioned.

"Thanks, Rio, your mum, my wife... have to be laid to rest..." He stammers.

"Actually, what I mean to say is that today, she would be laid to rest today. It is actually going to be this morning" he finally said.

He was talking in a rush, as he does not want anything to stop him or any of the words to elude him.

Riona listened attentively as he spoke and all along, she never tried to interrupt him.

Wright watched her countenance, and he was surprised as to how well she has received the news. Seeing that she was been receptive, he became more relaxed and continued.

"We have to be there Rio, we have to be there for her, to pay homage and show our last respect for her. She meant so much to us, and this is our last chance to show her just how much she means to us"

Riona listened attentively to her dad and she waited patiently for him to finish speaking before she responded.

"Okay dad, I will do just anything to make my mum happy".

She managed to force some smile, and Wright also managed to smile back at her.

She got up from her bed and said "Let me get ready immediately dad"

"Yea Rio, when you finish, come down for breakfast," he said as he gets up to leave the room.

But fearing that she might decline to come to the dining table and thus not take any breakfast, he quickly added.

"Or I can go get it up here for you right now if you don't mind"

"I will be joining you dad" she responded.

Her response was like a miracle to Wright. Ever since her mum's demise, she has barely eaten, let alone join him or any of their guest(s) at the dining.

"Dad" she called.

"Yes, Rio" he responded.

"It's just the two of us now right, we've got each other now that mum has left us?" she asked.

Wright did not know the reason for her question so he hesitated to reply to it for some seconds. However, fearing that refusing to respond might trigger her emotions, he answered.

"Of course Rio, just you and I"

She went over to him and hugged him.

"We've got no one else, just the two of us, all to ourselves. And I know that mum is with us too, and even though we cannot see her, she would not let us be all by ourselves" she said.

"Just us Rio, just us," he said.

She released him from her embrace.

"And dad" Riona called.

"What is it dear?" Wright asked.

"I know I am not hallucinating dad, but I heard some growls earlier today. I don't know what time, but it was still very dark and it was almost as if the maker was inside of this house. I was wondering if you heard it too" Riona said.

"I don't think that is correct Rio. You know you have been down lately and moreover, where could such have come from? There are no bushes around us" Wright replied.

"Never mind dad, I will join you shortly," Riona said.

"And I will be expecting you downstairs Rio" he responded.

"And I would be there in a jiffy," she said.