Chapter Eight

The next day after work, Amanda decided to go home. She was very much surprised when she saw her mother, Mandy gave her a hug and said "Darling, I am sorry for hurting you. I did not know what came over me. I tried calling you but you never picked. I know you are still angry  with  me. Please forgive me. I promise I will not hurt you anymore.." Amanda could not believe what she just heard but she saw mockery from the voice of Mandy while she was apologising.

Mandy understood Amanda's facial expression, then she looked Amanda straight in the eyes and said " I am  asking you for your  forgiveness and I meant every of my word."

They sat down on the couch. Amanda pinched herself harder to know whether she was dreaming but she felt much pain then she knew she was not dreaming." Am I dreaming?" the question escaped from Amanda's mouth. "No darling, you are not dreaming. Go and have your bath after which you come down for dinner. I made your favorite." Mandy said. 

When Amanda was done with her bath and dinner, she went to her and was deeply in thought of what Mandy said. "What just happened?" Why the sudden change? Is she pretending or had she really changed? I don't have to trust her but I will play along."

Tricia who saw what happened between Amanda and her mother approached her mother while she was resting in her room.

" What was that for? 

Mother, could you just explain to me what just happened some minutes ago. Don't tell me now that you prefer her to me."

Her mother replied in a low tone "keep calm. I know what I am doing. I am using my new plan. I am doing this to make her marry Louis. You know I don't want you to be the one that Louis will get married to and  you also know how much I dislike her."

" Mother, I know that I hate her because she is Dad's favorite and she gets whatever she wants from father unlike me and that is the main reason I hate her despite that she is my sister. Mother, you have not told me the reason why you also hate her. Why do you hate her?"

Mandy replied, "I want to tell you something but you have to keep it to yourself . Your father warned me not to tell anyone of you about it. Amanda is not my biological daughter. You are our only child. When I couldn't conceive after years of marriage, we adopted Amanda but after few years of adopting her. I found out that I was pregnant. I used to love and cherish Amanda until I noticed how much your father loved and cared for her. Your father can give up on everything but definitely not on Amanda. I was really jealous and I felt that my past is hunting me. Another thing is that her face reminds me of my past. These are the reasons I hate her." 

Tricia who  looked surprised said        "Mother, are you saying that Amanda is not my blood sister? Wow... This is good news. I wonder why father prefers an adopted child to his own biological daughter. I know father gives me everything but the problem is that he always ask too much questions before giving me what I want but whenever Amanda demands anything, father doesn't ask her reasons for demanding such from him. Mother, you said her face is always reminding you of your past. Why then did you choose her at the orphanage instead of another baby who will not remind you of your past? Can you tell me your past?"

Mandy answered " well, she wasn't looking this way when she was a baby. Her face was not looking like someone in my past when I adopted her but looking at her now , she looks the same like the person in my past. Well, talking about my past,  it is my little secret."  Mandy concluded. Tricia thanked her mother for telling her the  secret then she left.

While in her room, Tricia was smiling then she said " Mother, you really gave me a good news today. Hmm. I can believe that I  am the only child of this family.