The morning breeze was different when Rina stepped out of bed. The weather was bleak. The glommy wether and chilly wind bit at her skin painfully. She grimaced then glanced at the window beside their dresser and saw that it was left open. No wonder the blankets was sodden, she thought to herself. So she walked over and closed it. After, she pulled out a shawl from her drawer, wrapped it around her shoulders, and shivered. It was too chilly, she could only hope her daughter didn't make the same mistake of leaving her bedroom window open. Rina then proceeded to rid herself of her pajamas and tied her hair in a bun. When she felt she was ready, she looked back at Albert who was cocooned in a thick blanket. She smiled at the sight of his sleeping face. Slowly, she walked over to his side of the bed, leaned at his unconscious form, gave him a peck on the forehead then headed downstairs. She had always postponed acting like a wife to him, because for her, to act as such with her daughter still missing never felt right. But now that Cassie was back, her world of black and grey and everything that slowed it had taken color and momentum.

When she got to the kitchen, she decided to whip up a small breakfast tray for Cassandra. The events of the previous day scared her. She thought for sure that she'd once again lose her only child. Though she couldn't help but berate herself for not thinking properly. She is a woman, she should have known that the blood dripping down her daughter's leg was caused by her period. Cassandra was, after all, a teenager. As the thought washed over Rina's mind, she immediately felt remorse. Multiple questions popped into her head as she prepared her daughter's breakfast. When did Cassandra get her first period? Did her sister even brief Cassandra about why she had to bleed every month? Did Cassandra suffer such intense cramps since she started having her period?

Rina sighed as she grabbed a pot for her tea. A girl's first period was an important part of her life, and Rina missed that. She missed that milestone in Cassandra's life. Her daughter had to face that alone. She should have been there, Rina thought solemnly.

After a few minutes, she gathered the sandwich, scrambled eggs, and a cup of tea from the kitchen counter and then positioned them inside the tray. She was preparing to exit the kitchen when she heard a scuffle from outside the lone window of the kitchen. Leaving her task, she made her way toward the small aperture near the fridge. She drew the curtain open and peeked outside-there was nothing or no one there. Frowning, she left the window and went back to her task. After she placed a small vase with a single rose in it, she made her way to the second floor and knocked at her daughter's door.

Rina must have jabbed her knuckles on the wooden frame a couple of times before worry slowly crept and pinched at her heart. Sure, her daughter must still be asleep, but remembering the incident the day before, Rina bent down, placed the tray of food on the floor, and using both her fist, she banged on Cassandra's door. When it failed to give way, she turned the knob to let herself in, something which Cassandra previously warned her not to do. She wasn't surprised when she found the door locked. But that only increased her worry.

Again, she banged on the door with all her strength and accompanied it with a yell of her daughter's name. She almost cried out for Albert but was halted from doing so when finally, the door unlocked and her daughter's sleepy face came into view.

She knew Cassandra hated it, but Rina couldn't help herself. She wrapped her arms around her daughter's body and cried.

That relief to hold her in her arms didn't last long though, because, in an instant, Cassandra wriggled free of her embrace, took a step back, and yelled, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

The way Cassandra said those words with a deep frown on her forehead was a reminder to Rina that she crossed the line. Normally, a mother would have shouted and demanded that her child learned to speak properly. But Rina didn't have that luxury just yet, so she took a step back and said, "I knocked a few times and there was no answer. I got worried, hon."

A chuckle answered her, and Rina could only watch as her daughter's upper lip inched upwards followed by a scowl. Oh, she knew what was coming.

"Worried? You're worried now? You've left me for thirteen years and only now do you feel the need to worry? Don't make me laugh!"

The words stung. Rina knew there was nothing she could retort to that. Cassandra had been filled with bitterness ever since Rina's return. True, she wasn't there, but there is nothing she wouldn't do to make up for those lost years. It wasn't like she abandoned Cassandra for selfish reasons. She left to protect her. She didn't want her mistakes to become a burden to her daughter or have her life endangered because of it. How could she begin to enter Cassandra's heart if she keeps refusing to open even an aperture of hope for her?

Despite the grief within her, Rina held her tongue and smiled, she went out the door, bent down, and picked up the tray of food she had prepared earlier then handed it to Cassandra.

Her daughter gazed at it for a few seconds before finally deciding to take it from her hands. Rina was thankful that she accepted. It would have broken her heart further if Cassandra refused even that simple gesture of love.

Rina wasn't given a chance to say anything else after Cassandra took the trey, because she had closed the door on Rina's face before she could form or think of anything to else say.

***

Nightfall, Cassandra was aroused by the painful coiling of the muscles in her abdomen. She released a frustrated sigh and turned to her side. She raised both her legs towards her chest and hoped that the pressure would lessen the pain. She must have stayed in that curled-up position for a few minutes before the discomfort forced her to leave her bed. She walked around her room and tried to think of something, anything to pry her mind away from the pain. It didn't work. Matter of fact, the pain was heightened by the chilly breeze of the night.

She has forgotten to close her window again, she thought with dismay.

She made her way towards the window, barely able to hold herself upright due to the pain that hammered within her lower body, and shut it closed. As she took a step forward, retreating from the window, the pain she felt became unbearable. With its intensity turning her legs like jelly, she knew it would be impossible to tackle those few steps towards her bed, so she leaned on the wall behind her and slowly slid down to the floor. In her seated position the pain appeared to have lessened a bit, so she closed her eyes and decided to stay there. The floor felt icy, but she couldn't care less. It was tolerable compared to the pain in her abdomen.

As the night grew deeper, Cassandra's cramps intensified. With her eyelids shut, she allowed a single tear to roll down her cheek. Even with her mother-now a few meters away-she still felt alone. With the cramps punishing her body she couldn't help but remember how she languished alone inside the rundown house of her aunt. The nights she spent there without medicine or anyone to take care of her during the days when she experienced the same amount of pain turned the lone tear on her cheek into a river of salty liquid. Perhaps, it would be impossible to forget those nights because they had been associated with her cramps. Maybe, whenever she gets her period those lonely nights would resurface and fill her heart with bitterness.

In her state of painful reverie, her senses suddenly became alert. It wasn't due to the pain though, it was because of the sound that came from outside her window. It seemed someone was playing the flute. The melody felt soothing. Perhaps it was out of imagination, but Cassandra felt like the tune had lessened the pain in her abdomen.

The music continued for about three minutes before the sound gradually faded, but it felt as though the melody had only flown somewhere near their house because she still heard it. Faint, but it was there.

When the tune completely disappeared, Cassandra's pain came once more. Panic claimed her as the thought of having to experience the serrated feeling again, swelled in her head. Filled with those thoughts' trepidation, she stood from her spot and ran towards her bedroom door, pulled it open, and staggered down the stairs. She didn't care if her hurried footsteps would cause her mother or Albert to wake, all that mattered was to find herself near that tune again.

When she got out of their house, the pain in her abdomen increased. She labored a step, one after the other, intent on uncovering where the tune had gone. She didn't know where she was headed really, but somehow, her steps had taken her to the bank of the lake. She huffed as the pain in her abdomen seared her insides. Her entire body shook as the pain shot to every inch of her body. Not wanting to fall on the muddy ground, she braced her arm on the wooden fence in front of her and took deep drags of air.

"Hello?"

The voice startled Cassandra. She abruptly turned her head to the side but the action was done fast, it felt as though something in her neck had snapped, and all too soon, she lost consciousness.