Candela

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRINCESS!”

Candela beamed in joy when she saw her parents including her Auntie Bea wearing a birthday cap while balloons are scattered everywhere on the floor. Some are hanging on the ceiling, both red and pink in color. She hurriedly took few steps remaining until she reach the bottom of the stair. She woke up without her parents beside her and when she search for them on the whole second floor, she couldn’t find them. Not until she climbed down.

“Mother… Father! Auntie Bea! You surprised me!”

Her Auntie Bea walked near her and then carried her on her arm. “How was your sleep, sweety?” her auntie asked.

“Pretty good, Auntie Bea… I slept tight last night. When I woke up and didn’t found Mom and Dad beside me, I got scared,” she replied before her mother, Coraline took her from her Auntie Bea.

She kissed her on both of het cheeks and then pinch her tiny nose. “Why our princess got scared?”

“Because I thought you leave me,” she pouted.

Cabdela heard a laugh coming from her father. She glanced at him. “Princess, Daddy and Mommy won’t leave you, remember that,” he said in assurance.

“Why not blow your candles first, Candela sweetheart?” Auntie Bea butted in.

So, her mother put het down and Candela run towards the table where her cake located. Using the wooden chair, she was able to reach the tall table and blew out her candles.

“So, what’s your wish, princess?” her Daddy asked.

Candela smiled cheerfully. “My only wish is to have a younger sister or even brother, Daddy.”

As soon as she said those words, her father’s eyes got widened.

“Why you wished for younger sister or brother, darling?” her mother asked.

She twirled around and face her. “Because I felt envy to my friends, Mommy. They have their sister and brother while me, I have nothing. There are times I got to asked Siena on what it feels to have a brother because she have one, she told me that having a brother is a blessing. She really enjoyed playing with her brother.” She poured her lips. “Mommy… Daddy… I also want to have a brother, even sister. Can you give me that?”

Her Auntie Bea laughed loudly, catching her attention. Candela’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“Did I said something laughable, Auntie?” she confusely asked.

Auntie shook her head while holding back her laugh. “No, sweetheart… it’s just your cuteness makes me laugh everytime. By the way, you are asking for a sibling right?” She nod instantly.

“Don’t worry, your Mom and Dad will give you one,” Auntie Bea said in assurance before winking at her.

*********

“Where are we going, mommy?” Candela innocently asked as she watched her mother, Coraline to tie the ribbons of her red dress.

Her mother glanced at her. “We are going to buy your dad a gift. Have you forgot that today is his birthday?” Her eyes instantly widened as she cover her mouth in shock.

“I forgot, Mommy… sorry,” she said.

Coraline patted her head. “It’s okay, darling.” When Coraline finishes Candela’s ribbons, she then tie Candela’s hair into piggy tails. Tying her hair with red knots then clipping red ribbons on each.

“My darling is gorgeous as always.” Candela smiled with her mother’s praise. Her smiles makes her debt teeth appeared.

“Mother, when will my teeth grow again? I miss my rabbit teeth already.” Coraline pinched her both cheeks before putting her her winter gloves.

“I already told you before, don’t eat to much sweets but you keep on disobeying me and your Dad. Now, who is having a dent teeth?” Coraline’s brow twitched.

Candela giggled before pointing out herself. “Me!” Then in order to climbed down from the vanity table she’s sitting in, her mother carried het down.

Coraline shoved her shoulder bag on her right shoulder before holding onto Candela’s little hand. They both went out their master bedroom and headed straight to the kitchen. There, they saw her father, Baldimore, eating their breakfast with Auntie Bea. Soon as her Auntie noticed her, the fat woman smiled bright at her so do her.

“What’s with the look, Candela sweetheart? Are you having a date?” Auntie Bea asked.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

She shook her head. “Mommy and I are having our date. We will go the city and stroll around,” she bragged, but still being careful not to reveal their surprise for her father.

“Is that true, honey?” asked by her father to her mother.

Her mother just nodded before kissing her father on his lips. Just like a normal kids, Candela covered her eyes using her two little hands. Avoiding not to see how her parents kissed each other but it’s actually too late as she already saw it. That made the elders both giggled on to her reaction.

Before leaving their house, Candela and her mother ate first their breakfast with her father. It was a morning full of happiness and truly a blissful breakfast for the both of them. They were all giggling while having fun of talking on random things and jokes. The food that are prepared by her Auntie Bea are truly palatable and mouthwatering. It made their stomachs aches because of fulness.

After eating their breakfast, her father drive them to the train station first going to the city before he goes to his works on the factory.

“Bye, honey.” Her parents kissed again so just like what she did earlier in the morning, she covered her eyes.

She just uncovered her eyes when she felt her body leap on the ground. Her father carried her and hugged her tightly.

“Tell Daddy your whole day later, huh princess?” She nods while smiling. “Dady love you, princess. I love you and your Mommy, remember that,” he added before kissing her on her nose, cheeks and eyes.

“I love you too, Daddy. Be home before night, Auntie Bea will cook another delicious dishes for us. I will also help her again.”

“Just like what my princess asked.” Her father turned to her mother. “So, I’m going now… I might be late for work. Enjoy your day, honey… princess.” They both caged in her father’s arms before finally wave their goodbyes.

Little did they know, that would be the last hug from the father of their home. That was the last kissed her father gave to her and to her mother. That was the last breakfast they have shared. The last night they slept together while hugging each other, feeling the warm from her father’s loving arm.

The last smile.

The last ‘I love you’.

The last jokes and laughs.

The last moment they are together as when they finally came home, her mother and her was welcomed by horrible scene.

On the floor of their house, Auntie Bea and her father, Baldimore are both lying while soaking in their own blood.

There are holes in their chest, their heart was out of their already.

“Father!” Candela cried out as she hugging her father’s lifeless body. “Mom… Mommy… F–father… who did this to h–him?” With her tearful eyes, she glanced at her mother who is standing just few meters away from her… tears rolling down on her cheeks, mouth gaped opened as she stared on the horrible death of her husband and her auntie.

*********

The death of her father sent her mother as well as her into undying pain and grief. There were no nights and days passed that they weren’t thinking of her father including her Auntie Bea. Even though Candela was still a child, she understands everything what’s happened. Specifically when she saw her mother talking to someone who’s assigned to investigate for the murder happened in their house. When she eavesdropped to their discussion, Candela understand that there is someone who’s targeting them. Someone who wants them dead and it happens that, that someone first killed her loving father and cheerful Auntie Bea.

It was hard for Candela to accept that her father already leave her and her mother. She was crying every night while hugging her pillow. Witnessing her mother also crying every night is hard for her, it sent excruciating pain in her heart. It felts like her heart was being hammered.

In order to lessen the pain they both suffering, her mother then decided to find a new house. She didn’t want at first but every time she stared on the floor of their house, she saw her father’s body. The blood dripping and soaking on their body. It caused her trauma to the point that there are nights she wasn’t able to sleep.

But despite of what happened, Candela’s heart somehow felt relief when her mother announces to her about her pregnancy. Her wish during her birthday finally came true but it was sad to think that her brother wouldn’t able to met their lovely father.

“Do you love me, Mother?” Candela asked while sitting on the bed, on their new bed on their new home.

“What if I tell you that I didn’t love you, would you believe me?” She instantly shook her head before smiling at her mother.

“Father told me how much you love me, Mother. So, even if you tell me that you didn’t love me, I won’t believe you,” she innocently replied. Then her mother cages her heart-shaped face on its palms.

Her mother smiled at her. “Always remember that I’ll forever love you, my princess. I can do all things just for you. That’s how I love you, my little Candela. I promised to your father before he died that it will cost my life to protect you. We love you, princess. We really are.” Her mother’s eyes watered before kissing her tiny nose.

“I miss father,” sadness can be heard from her voice. “I miss him. I miss having bonding with him. It makes me sad thinking that he’s already gone. I don’t have a father anymore. We don’t have a father anymore. My brother is still unborn and when the time comes that you gave birth on him, he won’t be able to see father. Our father…” She caressed her mother’s big tummy with her small hands before giving her brother a kiss.

“What do you think we should named to him, princess?” her mother asked.

She put her tiny index finger under her chin. As if she’s thinking of a very ideal name for her little brother. “I knew it!” she exclaimed excitedly. “What about we named him Primo? Oh, that would be nice. Naming my brother Primo. How was that brother?” she asked her mother’s tummy as if it would answer her.

“Little Primo. That was a nice name.” her mother complimented. She smiled at her, a smile which her eyes are also smiling.

“Mother, would you promise us that you’ll not going to leave us. Promise us that you’ll stay on our side and love us with all your heart.”

Her mother shows her pinky fingers. “I promised. I promised to love and stay on your side as long as I can.”

Her father might be gone too early. Yeah, it was too painful… a painful battle she will forever fight with but she knew, somehow… she’s not alone on that battle. She still have her mother on her side, her loving and thoughtful mother that she ever had. And months from now, there will be little Primo on her side too.