New World with Four Husbands-Chapter 607: Confronting my daughter [3]

Cleora doesn’t know how to deal with someone who doesn’t want to open up to her, but she knew that someone trusted her.

How can anyone trust a person, but not open up to them?

Humans are complicated. Cleora couldn’t help, but think like how Leo would think, only because she’s having a hard time understanding Coco.

She knew her daughter for almost all of Coco’s whole life and sure, she had some days where she had difficulty understanding Coco, but by the end of the day, she would understand that Coco needed space.

But it’s been two days. Cleora got defensive, her understanding for her daughter’s well being being overshadowed by her worries.

Shouldn’t it be enough time for Coco to come out of her shell and say whatever’s bothering her to my face? Cleora’s lips pursed, her eyebrows pinching together as she stared at Coco.

What Cleora hates since she met Coco in this world was that large wall between them.

Yes, the two of them cried and embraced each other because they missed one another, but the wall that Cleora felt the moment she stepped inside of Coco’s house.. It felt bigger and taller.

"Have I become a bother to you?" Cleora couldn’t help, but ask.

The question itself doesn’t mean anything.

It wasn’t asked to make Coco feel guilty for alienating her own mother or for making her mother feel like she’s not welcome at her home.

No, it’s none of that.

It was asked to let Cleora know what her stance was in Coco’s life— is it the same or something had changed and it was time for her to draw the line for the two of them as well?

She had never drawn a line between her and daughters, having felt happy to be depended on by her children.

She did her best to raise them well, and they turned out the best of the best— better than she would ever hope to have as a child, better than anyone that would say their child is better than hers, better than the people who would look down on her for being a single mother.

Her daughters are better than any children out there, and she will stand tall for this opinion of hers.

She raised three caring, loving, and nurturing children. That’s all that matters to her, that’s all that she needs to know for her to feel at ease if they want their mother to go away.

But how can Cleora leave Coco alone if she’s being this secretive about what’s hurting her?

If Cleora didn’t know better, she would have believed Coco’s lies that she was fine— that everything is fine.

It was a good thing that she knows Coco.

"If I have, please don’t be scared to slam the door on my face, Coco." Cleora stated softly, a small smile emerging in her lips.

"What?" A frown settled on Coco’s face at the question her mother dropped on her. "You? A bother? To me? Why would you think that? You have never become a bother, mama."

"Then, why are you acting like this?" Cleora asked, going straight to the point. "Something is bothering you, and if it’s not me, then you have to tell me what it is so I can help get rid of it. I hate seeing you like this, my love.. So please, don’t shut me out."

Cleora’s words were dripping with sincerity, so much sincerity that it’s giving Coco a heartache.

It was her own doing.

She was the reason why she’s hurting, but her mother thought otherwise because she refused talking about it.

Who would even want to open up about blaming themselves for their mother’s death right in front of their mother’s face anyway? No one would want that, right?

"I’m sorry, mama." Coco apologized, lowering her head as she stared at the pancakes.

"Don’t.. Don’t apologize." Cleora sighed, her face softening at the sight of her daughter’s guilty expression. "If you really can’t tell me about it, then please, don’t act like a stranger to me."

Coco’s breath got caught in her throat and a lump started to form.

How can she not act like a stranger to her mother when she was the reason why her mother died? How can she face the person she killed? How can she.. How can she be thick faced and express how relieved she was to see her mother in this world?

"I’m sorry.." Coco mumbled, her eyes stinging before they got blurry.

Despite all the questions in her head, all Coco could do is apologize to her mother because deep down, she knew that Cleora wouldn’t blame her for what happened.

"Coco.." Cleora’s eyebrows furrowed in worry, her hands clenching into fists as she stared at her daughter.

She wanted to confront her, to corner her, to ask her what’s bothering her, even if it means making her cry and run somewhere to hide, but her heart clenched at the sight of Coco’s tears.

"Oh, my baby." Cleora cooed and stood up from her chair before quickly rounding the table to embrace Coco.

Coco loosely wrapped her arms around Cleora’s waist, burying her face into her mother’s stomach as she let her tears fall. "I’m really sorry.. I didn’t mean to.. I really didn’t.."

"It’s not your fault." Cleora stated, her voice firm and steady. "It will never be your fault."

She doesn’t know what Coco was apologizing for, but it’s causing her daughter so much pain and if it’s hurting Coco this much, then it means that it’s somehow related to her, to her husbands, or her sisters.

"But you’re here." Coco sobbed out, her hands clenching around Cleora’s shirt and gripping the fabric tightly. "But Cori and Cari aren’t here.." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"What are you—" Cleora’s eyes went wide when she finally realized why her daughter was acting this way. "Oh my goodness, Coco! Are you crying because Corinne and Carina aren’t here?"

Coco flinched, then she nodded.