The Price of Sainthood
The sins of the past

Helena approached Narendra in the living room as Lara left the dining room. Coincidentally, at that time the guests in their house also paid to go home.

As he and Narendra drove the guest to the door and pulled off his return, a car known to belong to Dante appeared past the gate and stopped in the courtyard.

Helena frowned seeing Alisha get off the passenger seat. Instantly a question stuck in his mind. Could it be that the two people were going through this whole day together? Ah, if so, how are you feeling about her real daughter? Lara's heart will be broken to pieces.

Even so Helena breathed a little relieved because Lara was bathing and likely did not see what happened. Dante and Alisha came at the right time. He hurriedly greeted the two in order to cover up the discomfort in his heart.

"Alisha has returned. How can I be with Dante again? Dante–"

"No, Auntie." Dante hurriedly cut off Helena's words as he could guess what the woman was about to ask. However, even so he still spoke politely and kindly when explaining. "I went straight home after dropping Alisha off at Aunt Wanda's house. And it just so happened that I passed the road there, accidentally saw Alisha again order a taxi online. Because we are in line, I bargained Alisha for nebeng. It was also Alisha who refused the Aunty tablets." Dante chuckles.

Alisha frowned as she looked at Dante. Although not completely all wrong, but the young man changed the actual storyline. What does it mean try?

"Owh. That's very kind of you, Dante. Thanks for taking Alisha, yeah." Helena answered with a cheerful tone.

"Yes Dante. Om also thanks you," said Narendra anyway.

"Anything, Om, Auntie. Just a trivial thing," replied Dante lowly.

"So come on yuk. Lara's bathing upstairs." Helena used her hands as a gesture, but Dante hurriedly refused.

"Thank you very much, Auntie. It was late afternoon and I had to go home. Tomorrow morning I'll come to pick Lara up for college."

"Oh, so. Yes, you're careful."

"Sure, Aunt. Excuse me." Dante smiled and bowed politely. He looked at Alisha and smiled. "Well, Al," he said, raising his hand before it actually passed.

Helena saw that. He sees Dante's warm gaze on Alisha more than Lara's. What does this mean? He turned to Alisha and the girl only replied with a weak nod and a faint smile. A natural reaction to a person who is just giving help. Mercifully. Then her daughter's position is still safe.

When turning around and about to step in Helena saw the scene that immediately made her steps become blocked.

Lara. The girl stood glued to the doorway. With the current state and curved lips. Uh wait. Curving it not up but down. It means she is crying and not smiling. Reddened eyes and a wet face further strengthened Helena's suspicions.

Gosh darn. Could he not see everything?

Just about to say hello, the girl had already dashed away as fast as lightning. Helena looked back. Look at her husband and stepdaughter. It seems that they did not see Lara's whereabouts because they were busy chatting lightly about Alisha's return to her birth mother's house.

This is Helena's chance to catch up with Lara unbeknownst to the two. Do not let the girl despair and act recklessly. Although panicked, but Helena tried to be ordinary when saying goodbye to her husband.

"Pa, I went inside first, yeah."

Narendra nodded in allowing sign. Helena finally passed after giving a smile.

***

"North. Open the door, honey."

Helena knocks slowly on Lara's room door, but doesn't get a word from inside. He attached earlobes to the door, hoping to hear the sound of his daughter's activity. Unfortunately, the soundproof room didn't help at all. He tried to turn the knob and breathed a sigh of relief when he found the door unlocked.

Prasggs! A crystal vase of flowers struck the wall beside him after floating in the air. Helena tiptoed in surprise. His eyes glared with his hands silencing the gaped mouth. He almost fainted if the noun hit his head. Instantly the woman spread her gaze to the floor, staring at the debris strewn everywhere with a horrified face.

Helena's panic didn't get there. Lara's cry that sounded from within made the woman immediately walk carefully to approach her. The panicked face immediately turned sad to see his daughter sitting limp in the corner of the room with a face drenched in tears.

"Lara Darling, why are you, son?" He immediately approached and bent his knees to align their position. The finger was about to touch the princess and then embrace her. However, before that happened unfortunately Lara had already brusquely brushed it off.

"Don't touch me!" screech the girl.

Helena who was already on the verge of tears was made flabbergasted by Lara's treatment. He looked sadly at the princess and tried to persuade her.

"What are you doing, Lara? It's Mama."

"Mama, did you say?" Lara mentioned the call with a faint smile on her lips. "So this is how a mother treats her daughter? Stabbing from behind, huh?"

Helena shook her head as if she did not accept her son's accusation. "That's not true, dear."

Lara did not comment on Helena's objections. A thunderous void laughter colored the anger. He came back to express disappointment.

"Where does he say he'll help his son get Dante's love? Which one said would make Alisha's life in this house like hell? Where! You even made her a favorite princess. Shift my position and change my place in your heart. Is this the attitude of a mother to her child!" the girl was full of anger. As if already full of eating promises, Lara now charges to be kept.

Tears in the river flooded Helena's face. It was as if his sadness was so deep. He feels unable to do so anymore at this time. The situation has now been different.

Lara laughed again in tears. A strange sight was now presented in front of him. Helena who is usually always firm now looks weak and fragile. Her mother was helpless. Wh why? This change happened so fast. Could this be the power of love that works? When his mother decided to be loyal and serve the father, suddenly she became a weak woman?

"Sorry, Honey. Mama can't help much" said Helena, saddened by tears. "You have to learn to be an adult. Try yourself to draw Dante's sympathy with the charm you have. Don't use cheating."

Lara was silent for a moment and shook her head in disbelief. "Why? Why did Mama forbid it now? Didn't my mom teach me!"

Lara paused her words while taking a deep breath to neutralize the feelings. Tears that were dripping silently, he rubbed violently before then continuing the words.

"Ma, relax! Mama said Alisha is a pest in our house. Didn't Mama bring it here for us to destroy in a beautiful way?"

"Don't do that if you want to stay here, Lara! Follow the words of Mama." Helena's sad face turned fierce. He looked at Lara's face full of demands. The sins of the past instantly loomed in his mind.

Lara's heart aches are certainly more hurt as a parent. He wants Lara to live a decent life forever.

"Ma! Why!" Now change Lara who demands an explanation Helena. Making the woman who was drowning in that short daydream aghast.

"Be nice to Alisha if you don't want to be kicked by Papa, Lara. Here ... You're nobody." Helena spoke with great emphasis and then rose from her place. Without another word, without looking back, he left. Ignoring Lara's call of confusion.

Whatisthis? The mama, the only person on whom she had a backseat, was now not on her side anymore. Not just his mother, but the whole world.

Apparently, the pain obtained from Dante's cold attitude has been very incomparable to what his mother has incited this time.

Lara hugged her knees. Now he really feels alone.

"It's all because of Alisha. I won't let him be happy."