Chapter 4 4th Chapter

Shalom's eyes glittered with a flurry of happiness as soon as she saw her mother's face. The latter had endeavoured to paint it with a light smile even though it reflected some twinge of sadness.

"Mom," she uttered the name with much affection and quickly leapt off the bed and ran into her arms. "Sorry, mom." She quivered her tone connoting regret.

"Sh! It's Ok, my dear. All is well. It was just a small misunderstanding and nothing much."

"But he..." she said with fragility, peeking at her father.

"Hmm hmm, enough, dear, let it be. Forgive him. He did it out of love; you know how much he cares about you. I too have forgiven him because I love him and I'm sure he loves me equally."

She placated her with dependable reasons which she deemed fit to soften her daughter's heart.

"Ok mom, but he must apologise and promise that he will never lay his hand on you again." Shalom turned and flicked a glance at Lim accordingly.

With a subdued look on his face mired in this ugly moment, he shuttles towards Shalom and Rose and kneels in front of them, his heart hefty with chagrin and remorse. More often than not, man is weak in haste to yield to temptation without considering the gross impact of his actions that he could have impeded if he had governed his egocentric feelings. He made as if to hold Rose's hand and then withdrew and started,

"If I have to relinquish my manliness for the sake of your forgiveness then I will gladly do it. I would rather be thought weak than lose my two heels. I acted out of impulse, honey. If I had been patient, all this mess wouldn't have happened, I am deeply sorry."

He wilted suddenly becoming weenie and was teary-eyed. This was a manifestation of his penance.

Shalom gazed at him with awe. It was a deed that merited him with respect. Seeing her father break down in tears of guilt was a lesson reliable to her in the future.

It's true that she still felt the sadness in her heart because of her father's sordid action, but was convinced that gradually it will be all water under the bridge.

Her face bore a newly minted smile as her gaze flicked on Rose and then Lim and she gestured to both of them to reunite again. It was a moment to reckon with. They hugged and their hearts were warm again. Rose read her daughter's signal and comprehended. Her love for her husband overshadowed her feelings towards him. Standing closer, he told him,

"It's Ok honey, get up now, you are embarrassing me!" She gave a mirthless laugh and held both his hands and helped him up.

Lim was overwhelmingly relieved that they had made up and that so soon. He had been under the misapprehension that she wouldn't forgive him, but he was wrong.

"Well, this needs a celebration," Lim said with vitality, his face brightening up with a wide smile.

"Yipee!" Shalom hopped up with a scream.

"Let's have pizza, dad!"

"Of course sweetheart." He asserted with enthusiasm to carry her in his arms.

Rose lifted a watery smile musing on what had happened earlier and Lim advanced and kissed her pale lips murmuring a thank you.

"Alright, let's go downstairs and call the pizza man. I left the cell phone on the table."

"You go, I will join you in a minute." Implored Rose posing near Shalom's bed.

Richard nodded with a shrug and went downstairs playing with his daughter feeling a plenitude of relief that could hardly be explained.

Rose plonked herself on Shalom's bed puzzled as soon as they left. She had smelt alcohol when Lim kissed her earlier and was now confused.

"Has Lim started drinking? Oh, pooh, that would be so terrible. How, when...he never tasted alcohol, not even a sip of wine!" She was perturbed because it was now definite to her that if he had drunk alcohol then it must have compelled him to behave the way he did with her minutes earlier and she was irritated.

"He will have to explain this. He must have acquainted himself with some bad company. I hope it's not too late to stop him, Oh God..." She said mumbling worry manifesting on her face. She had a sense of foreboding that Lim might end up addicted to booze if he had tasted it already. She slouched her mind filled with zillion vexing thoughts and wished there was any possible way to sluice them off but there seemed not any.

"Mom," Shalom came running, her new slippers slapping the stairs and pushing the door open excitedly.

Rose was waked by her wacky noise and straightened up with goggle eyes and instantly the glittering new slippers grabbed her attention and she exclaimed with pep,

"Say, those are nice slippers!"

"Yes mom, dad bought them, do you like them?"

Aye, they are nice! Your dad is a darling, isn't he?"

Shalom, being a fair judge, noticed that her mom looked squeamish although she tried to hide it under a smile and inquired,

"Mom, are you still upset with dad? Forgive and forget."

"Who says I am? I am absolutely fine."

I know you, mom, like the back of my hand, something is bothering you." She said as if she trusted her intuition. Rose solidly refuted though she knew that her daughter was right she would rather pretend than wipe away the smile she had on her face.

"Where is the pizza?" She asked, trying to divert her daughter to another topic.

"Come, mom, I came to fetch you. It's waiting for you to savour it." She clasped her hand tightly in Rose's and pulled her off the bed. "Alright, dear, take it easy, or has Pizza grown wings that it might fly away?" She said in a jest and grinned.

"Mom!" They broke into mirth going down downstairs. Lim had just taken a few bites when his phone rang.

"Honey," he said, glimpsing at the caller suspiciously, "excuse me, I will take this." He gestured on the phone and sprung up going out. A few minutes later he came back claiming that he had some important work to do in town and made to go out.

"Are you going to drink again?" Rose asked. The unexpected question left Shalom stumped.