To Forgive or Forget?

"Are you ok?" he asks but with no reply.

"I'm sorry but I just don't know what to say. It's just as much a shock to me as it is for you", the explanation he knows to be lame but he has nothing else to say.

Isla stands by the big rock at the edge of the property, facing the ocean beyond. The grey sky above, now showing little rays of sunlight, silver lines around nimbus clouds, a sign that the rains have left them for time being. It was as if the heavens knew it to be one of those tearful days for it cried with them. The rain was one of those tropical thunderstorms, dark clouds that spurt lighting and roaring thunder. Rain that pounds the rooftops like shattered glass on zinc.

She moves to sit on a smaller rock, her hair blowing softly with the cold breeze that whispered in from nowhere. Matt watches from just a few feet behind her. His expression is concern and guilt, like when his father caught him smoking when he was fifteen.

"Maybe it's best I leave you alone for a bit. I know it's a lot to take in right now but I just want you to know that both your mum and I are here for you", was all he could say and he hoped it was enough tough he knew it was not.

As he turned to leave, the beautiful magenta rays of sunlight was shining through shyly from behind the clouds, the suns reflection shimmering off the water like little bright stars.

"You're here now but where were you then? You left us. Why?" her voice bitterly disappointed.

"It's not like that Isla. It's complicated."

"That's it?! It's complicated!" she turns to face him. Her anger showing so much that tears trickled down her cheeks. She started to cry.

"Is that the best you can do?!" her voice raised but cracking.

The afternoon had turned to evening and in the horizon the dark clouds had returned. Bursts of lightning lit up the sky at various intervals. The wind had picked up and the crashing of waves got stronger. The white foam crashing to shore became a rough angry crash and the grumbling roar of thunder grew louder. The sun was now just a round glow of light behind vicious dark clouds. the colour and beauty of the cove was now a grey spectacle of gloom. Matt felt a lump in his throat like a nervous schoolboy. He wasn't sure if it was Isla's questioning or a premonition of things to come that made him feel that way.

"Matt!! Come quickly!!" the voice was familiar in the distance and the interruption, timely.

Matt turned to see a frantic Ganesan was running towards them. He tumbled when his slippers slipped off his feet and he quickly but clumsily got back up to his feet , a look of panic on his face. Matt had a sinking feeling and his tummy suddenly churned.

"We need to get to hospital Matt!! It's Jasmine, she collapsed!!" Ganesan screamed.

Then the heavens cried again.

The Truth Hurts

"The rest of the day was a blur for Matt. He couldn't get anything right, not breakfast, nothing!" I said as Nina was just staring back at me in amazement at the recent twist of events in my little tale.

"So Jasmine never aborted the baby and Isla never knew her father", she repeated in shock.

"Was it Matt's daughter?" Nina asked as she got up to stretch. As she looked out onto Cottesloe Beach, some cars were just parking out front, surfers in early to catch the surf coming in that morning. One of them actually knocked on the front door asking for a cup of coffee but Nina gestured that they were closed. The young scruffy haired surfer just walked away.

"He looks a bit like a young Nick", I said to Nina.

"Now that you've mentioned it, he does", she smiled.

"That's freaky. Anyway, is Isla Matt's daughter?" Nina asked again.

I stare out of the window and onto the beach. The surfers were out on the beach, some paddling in to catch a wave others already enjoying the swell of the morning. The white foam crashing onto the beach with a thunderous roar and I can faintly hear the squawk of seagulls flying above. I vividly remember that day when Jasmine finally arrived at Lighthouse Bungalow and till today I cannot fully wrap my head around the fact that Isla just literally walked into my life after all those years of lost hope. I never watched her grow into the beautiful woman that she was when I first laid eyes on her. I never got to watch her take her first steps and never heard her mention her first words. I never got to kiss her goodnight or make her breakfast in the morning. All the things I only dreamed of doing with Isla I had already missed out on. If she never came back into my life then maybe the pain and regret would be somewhat bearable but when I knew that she was there all along and that it was me who had left her, it didn't feel right at all.

I was lost for words and emotions to describe what I felt that day. All the questions whizzed around in my head and even today I find myself questioning myself and always wondering if this is all just a horrible mistake.

"Yes, she is", I finally answered.

Nina just stared at me, speechless. The awkward silence was deafening.

"What happens next?" Nina asked excitedly.

The morning Jasmine was to arrive, Matt had made arrangements for Ganesan to pick her up from the airport. Isla went along that afternoon but Matt had stayed back to prepare for dinner and also to calm his nerves. He tried to keep himself busy but Matt was too overwhelmed by all the thoughts running through his head. As the sun was about to set on Lighthouse Bungalow, Matt perched himself on a rock at the edge of the property overlooking the stunning views the Island of Langkawi offered. He turns around to face the road leading into the property and he can see the dust in the distance. Ganesan was making his way back from the airport. His chest was thumping so hard and he felt nauseas as he saw the car in the distance. The car finally slowed down and drove up to a halt at the front of the house. Matt took a deep breath, turned around and started walking toward the bungalow. He could see Ganesan taking luggage out of the boot of the Wira and Isla was helping her mother out of the back of the car. A wheelchair emerged from the boot and Matt could see a frail framed woman with a scarf covering her head, get out of the car and sit in the wheelchair.

Isla noticed him approach them and smiled. Then she leaned over to the woman and whispered something into her ear. As Matt approached the woman in the wheelchair she turned to look at him.

"Hi, Jasmine", Matt said.

She was first shocked, then her expression softened and she finally recognized him. She couldn't say anything or maybe she didn't know where to start, then she stared to tear and eventually she shook from crying. Matt knelt down and embraced her.

"Babe", she whispered, struggling to say anything else.

"Hi babe", he whispered back. "It's okay babe. It's okay."

Isla and Ganesan were staring at each other with confusion when they finally let go of each other. Jasmine wiped her eyes and tried to compose herself as Matt tried to contain himself.

"Isla baby, I don't know how else to say this to you sweetie", Jasmine said.

"What?" Ganesan replied.

"Just shut up Ganesan", Matt quickly snapped.

"Yeah, what is it mum?" Isla asked as she knelt next to her mother.

"Isla, this is your father."