Same as every summer, the sun rose slowly on the horizon with an orange and gold paint on the sky. In a creamy two piece suit with creamy high heels on her feet, Ishtar, dressed to impress, she inhaled sharply and exhaled, abruptly banged the car roof with excitement as soon as she took that mobile phone off her ear and sank it back into her precious creamy hand bag.
"Five hundred million dollars? Wow...!"
Amidst having a brief rejoice, expressions of victory raining all over her while standing next to her pricey yellow Bentley, Ishtar opened its door and sat inside. With a joyous smile, she put the hand bag right on the passenger sit of this massaging seats ride and grabbed the wheel with both hands. Still in a jolly mood, Ishtar had her voice sank to a great delightful whisper.
"How best it is to prove my worth by making a profit of five hundred million dollars! Now that the worth of the stocks has increased, I'm yet to enter the billionaires club."
Wondering, with unwavering excitement, she added:
"In just a period of three months! Quite unbelievable."
Then, she pressed the ignition button next to the stirring wheel and slowly accelerated her way out of a splendid beach home automatic gates. Car tires ran on the smooth road for a while. Sooner than later, after six hours drive, the yellow eye catching drop top approached the final destination. It was remote and exotic accordingly. Turning the stirring wheel, Ishtar branches off to the property.
After all, she had a very important person to meet here.
The map on the dashboard proved that she was right where she needed to be on a quick glance at it. Slowing down the engine, with a continuous inquisitive gaze outside the car windows, she slid gently to the parking area and put to stop, the growling engine.
"The property looks ancient and modern!"
She stretched a hand and picked up her bag, opened the door and carefully stepped out. Head high, eyes moving around the area which was designed with antiques that made the compound place appear exotic, up, at the penthouse, Ishtar's arrival was noticed.
"She's here mom!"
The nervous energy was palpable as Bob Lee's mother adjusted her scarf, giving her last glance at the clock up on the wall. Today was the day she would finally meet Ishtar, her long-lost daughter-in-law. Ishtar had drove a very long journey for this moment.
With a desperate but nervous look, Bob Lee's mother closed the book she was reading and stood up from the chair. On quick steps, she hurried foward to feed her eyes with the long wait. Starring down in a distance, she set her eyes on Ishtar and suddenly, an audible gasp of emotion covered her as she put a hand on her mouth, holding her breathe.
"Oh Ishtar! My long lost daughter in law....!"
In another sigh, Bob Lee's mother added:
"Thought I was never gonna see her again!"
Then, desperately in panic, she asked her son:
"Do you think my grandson could be inside that beautiful car? Tell me she brought him to see his grandmother!"
Nervously, with a wary look in his eyes, Bob Lee shrugged:
"I think we need to go slow on her mom! Why don't we just go downstairs and give her a warm welcome?"
However, Ishtar was still caught up with the beauty of the antiques which made attractive designs, planted in most of the areas of the property. As the two started walking their way down the stairs, the grown-up woman turned at her son again with a wary gaze.
"Am scared... and guilty at the same time."
Bob Lee replied:
"Same here mom!"
Then she said:
"I failed her five years ago. It's haunting me to death like a ghost. Do you think I have what it takes to face her?"
With a burning desire, Bob Lee replied:
"It's alright mom... be thankful she has come. Just put yourself together. Let's not spoil the only chance we have to correct all that went wrong."
The grown-up woman uttered a deep sigh:
"It's been a while praying for this day to come."
As the door swung open, Bob Lee's mother's heart skipped a bit. There she was _ Ishtar, with black hair arranged in cascading shiny curls over her shoulders, and eyes wide with curiosity. Bob Lee's mother, with a mixture of excitement and anxiety, she stood as Ishtar approached, her hand trembling slightly at her side.
Ishtar's voice came in soft yet assured, with emotions.
"Ma'am?"
Bob Lee's mother nodded with an emotional smile, her voice coming out with a slight trembling motion.
"Thank you for coming."
The moment of silence between them filled with memories. Ishtar took a step closer. Bob Lee's mother's lips curved into a tentative smile. She admitted, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I... I've been looking forward to this."
Her worries began to dissipate. She reached out, gently taking Ishtar's hand, as the past and present intertwined.
Ishtar whispered:
"So, how have you been?"
"Missing you my darling daughter-in-law."
"I've missed you more mother-in-law."
The smiles on their faces could tell how deep their bond was and how truthfully they meant their words.
Ishtar asked curiously:
"What is this place here? I mean, it's a very rich rural home."
Bob Lee's mother curved her mouth with an indifferent smile.
"I know. A lot has happened in the past five years. It's not a story worthy telling someone like you, more so, you need to settle down for a meal from a long journey."
Ishtar stopped walking, with a desperate gaze she spoke:
"Am family. The meal can wait!"
The grown-up woman glanced repeatedly at her son Bob Lee and then said to Ishtar:
"How can I started telling you that the empire you sacrificed your effort and wisdom to stand collapsed to ashes with nothing left?"
Ishtar gazed curiously at her mother-in-law.
After taking a deep breath, Bob Lee's mother had no choice except to narrate the misery her son got her into.
"Our company went bankrupt. That was just a year after you had left us. I had to sell of the mansion to cover some debts and push more but still, my son lacked a strong brain around him to put us back on our feet."
Inquisitively, Ishtar asked:
"How about Sonia? I trusted her capability. She was a perfect replacement. That's why I put her in my position during my pregnancy days!"
But the grown-up woman disappointedly answered:
"That poor young lady...? She ideed tried. But my son here was too stubborn and stupid. He couldn't listen to her for all the times she tried to warn him. Sonia did her level best but she was all alone in the battle field with no one by her side and with no powers. My son was with that snake of a girl called Nadia Browne, chasing the next party. I got to know when we had already lost it all."
With a calm tone of appreciation she added:
"Thanks to the heavens that my husband had secured this property as our vacation home before I lost him."
Overwhelmed with anxiety she added:
"On bank orders, a billion dollars company ceased to operate due to a heavy debt. Three months ago, my son managed to get money that was required to rescue the company out of bank hands. But unfortunately, by the time he reached out to the bank, it had already got a tycoon who bought it twice the money we had to pay in debt."
Sorrowfully, the grown-up woman concluded:
"That's how my husband's legacy washed out in the wind."
...
Hesitantly stepping forward in a slow motion with his face looking so remorseful, Bob Lee nervously stood closer to Ishtar.
"I spent the past three months being hurt. Feeling betrayed after hearing that you're the one that bought my family company... but the truth is, I betrayed you way more that I can even imagine. You carried my child... alone. You built a future for that company. You covered for me when I didn't deserve it. I don't deserve forgiveness... to be honest."
On wetting eyes he added:
"But I want to spend the rest of my life, trying to earn it. I know everything you did Ishtar! I was never around. But I wasn't blind. I knew everything. I was just... stupid, young, reckless, chasing the next party, thinking that life would always erase... all my mistakes. And cut me a clean slate. The truth is.... you always stayed. You always.... sorted my mistakes. And how did I repay you? I chased you away. Left you alone... when you needed me the most. I know everything you did Ishtar, everything single thing. I just didn't value you enough."
Sighing with a strong feel of regret, he added:
"I'm so sorry."
Ishtar, with ears fully open upto the end of his remorseful words, she sighed and turned her face away madly from him.
Calmly she said to him:
"It's too late.... too late."
But, while she took a step to leave his sight, Bob Lee grabbed her hand persistently.
"It's never too late Ishtar.... never too late as long as you and I are still breathing."