Chapter 3 3rd Chapter

Shalom sat on her bed in a sulking mood, tears welling through her.

"I am to blame for this. I shouldn't have heeded to Aunt Mia when she insisted on going out with me. I wish I hadn't allowed her to manipulate me." She regretted gasping in tears.

There was one aspect she could hardly discern; what beast had steered her father's mind into hitting her mom, something she hadn't witnessed in all her years? "Was he no longer in love with her, but love with another woman?" She wondered. It was hard for her to ascertain but she could tell that there was a likelihood that this incident could be eventuated by bitter scenarios in the unseen future and the thought of it made her shudder. She brushed off the tears from her eyes and looked for her drawing book. It was filled with evocative memories of her family. Often she would draw pictures of the highlights of the day before she went to sleep. As she idly flicked through the pages with watery eyes which had vehemently refused to dry, she came across a particular drawing of Lim and Rose and she randomly reflected on that day; they had gone out for a picnic out of town. They had the most memorable moments then. They had promised one another that they would always be happy together. As these memories were evoked in her mind, she became sadder.

In a moment, she heard the sound of footsteps and then a knock at the door and briskly curled on her bed facing the direction of the wall.

"Honey, please may I come in?"

It was Lim. Her heart somersaulted as soon as she had his voice. She didn't respond but gulped down the tears which had clogged her throat.

"I will take that as a yes." He said and forced himself to take a seat beside her.

"My child," he started naturally, laying his hand on her shoulder and caressing her.

Shalom recoiled and the tears now streamed down like a fountain. He withdrew his hand and placed it on his kneecaps feeling remorseful. Trying as much as to brave himself in front of his daughter, which seemed more complicated to him than the most difficult task he had encountered before, he carried on, his voice trembling.

"I know you are mad at your dad because you have every reason to. I wish I had been more patient. I have no valid reason to give for my mistake, honey." Shalom was feeling stifled by anger and didn't utter a word but could only listen to his utterances which she probably rated as a repellent because she was getting more irked by them.

He must have realised that his presence was only making matters worse instead of calming the situation because Shalom's gasps were now becoming more frequent than before. He got on his feet and after gazing at his daughter for some time made to go out but her unexpected question curtailed him.

"You don't love mom anymore, do you?"

She asked with a leaden heart in an emphatic voice characterised by rage and looked at him with an unflinching stare as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Lim was shocked. If stares could kill then he should have been a dead man by now. He could never have imagined that his daughter, young as she was, could ask such a question.

"Why would such a query be born in her mind? It is way more complex than her age. Laying a hand on his wife was a leap in the dark and he felt mired in this complex situation.

Slowly, he twisted his head and looked at her in awe. Shalom's gaze dropped instantly.

In any case, he was bound to give a clear clarification as an answer to her important question. He could have messed up, but in all sincerity, he had never thought of any other woman but his wife. That was the undaunted truth that his conscience was pleased with and to think that the most important person that he had intimated since she came to this world was now doubting his principles was a pang of deep pain through his heart.

He shuttled back and squatted in front of her unable to control his sentiments.

"Honey, I...I cross my heart!" He sputtered nervously and, having gulped, resumed, "I love your mother and you more than all the treasures of this world, believe...me." He said honestly with dewy eyes and turned away his face trying to stifle the tears back to their origin. He was not sure of what Shalom thought of him now nor could he imagine if his wife would forgive him for his mistake.

There was a sulking silence until a voice said,

"He's right, my child. I have never doubted his love and never will."

It was Rose, a woman with a light and forgiving heart. She would do anything to keep her family together and this was just a simple sacrifice that would change everything. She was typical of a few virtuous women who would rather forsake their happiness for others.