The Apple of My Eye

Isla was shaking in anger. She didn't care who Melissa was. "Why the hell are you doing this to Sheryl? Why can't you let her live in peace?"

"Sorry! I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to do it on purpose." Melissa's voice cracked and fresh tears were streaming down her face.

Sheryl was completely shattered. She didn't know what to do. Her heart was heaving with sorrow. What could she do now?

Isla turned to look at Sheryl.

Sheryl had frozen on the spot-her eyes fixed on the ground. She was in shock. Isla couldn't bear to see her best friend like this. She didn't know how to comfort her. Sheryl hadn't said a word, and her face had gone pale. Isla squatted down and touched her shoulder gently. "Don't worry, Sheryl. I've called the police."

Sheryl turned her head and looked at Isla. She blinked her eyes a couple of times and slowly nodded her head. Sheryl's lost expression bothered Isla even more, and she wished for her friend to cry her heart out. At least, that would reduce her pain to an extent.

Even Shirley felt that something was wrong with her mother. She walked to Sheryl and pulled her hands gently, and asked nervously, "Mom, what happened?"

"Sorry, Shirley. Mom lost Clark. I'm sorry, it's my fault-it's my fault-" she cried out. Shirley's voice had hit her like a wave, and all her emotions bubbled up in an instant.

Isla was completely helpless. She didn't know what to do or say. She knew that nothing would make her feel better.

Melissa couldn't face Sheryl, for the guilt was consuming her. She shook her head vigorously. "No! It's my fault. Clark's gone missing because of me."

"We all know that. Stop seeking sympathy," Isla said coldly.

Melissa didn't blame Isla for being hurtful. She felt that she deserved all of Isla's hatred because it was her fault. She couldn't find her grandson.

Sheryl pulled Shirley into her arms and began to weep. She was helpless. Although she'd been through a lot in the past, this was a huge blow to her. How would she find her son again? Would she find him at all?

Isla looked at the two of them nervously.

She prayed for the police to arrive soon. They hadn't found a clue about Clark's whereabouts yet.

They had already checked the camera of the amusement park to find out where Clark might have gone. They hadn't found anything unusual. Clark had last been standing near the merry-go-round, looking for his mother and grandmother.

Clark was smarter and more intelligent than most boys his age. He always knew how to take care of himself, so Sheryl had never needed to worry about him. Not even in her wildest nightmares had she thought that he'd go missing.

"Mom, don't worry about him. He, err, he is," Shirley stuttered, looking uncomfortable.

"What, Shirley, what do you mean?" Sheryl's head snapped up. "Do you know where he is?" Sheryl felt that her daughter was hiding something. She looked at Shirley intently and tried to read her face. Shirley couldn't withstand her mother's intense gaze. She tried to look away, but she couldn't help but tell the truth. "He's there, in the house." Shirley pointed at a small house.

"What?" Sheryl shuddered at her answer. She couldn't believe what her daughter had said. She'd been worrying about her son, and he'd been hiding all this time. But why? She felt betrayed. Without saying a word, she stormed directly to the house that Shirley had pointed out. Clark was standing there-looking in her direction as if he'd been waiting for someone. "Why? Why did you do this to me?" Sheryl didn't know whether to be happy that she had found her son, or be mad at him for playing with her emotions.

"Sorry, Mom. It's our fault. We shouldn't have done this." Clark was filled with regret when he saw his mother's face stained with tears. He was the reason why everyone was upset. "Tell me, what are you guys up to? What's going on?" Sheryl broke down, sobbing relentlessly.

"Sorry. I don't want to tell you," Clark said, hanging his head in shame.

Sheryl's anger hit another level when she heard Clark's words. She raised her hand to slap her son, but Isla thwarted her.

"Sheryl, stop. Let's go back first." Isla dragged Sheryl out of the amusement park.

Melissa felt it was better to keep quiet. So, she grabbed the kids and followed them silently.

Sheryl hadn't said a word on their way back. Isla kept glancing at her to see if she was okay.

"Aunt Melissa, you can go back home," Sheryl said. Her face was expressionless.

"Sheryl, it's all my fault. Please let me stay," Melissa pleaded.

"I'll manage. You go home, and please don't tell anyone about this." Sheryl didn't want the matter to reach Charles' ears.

Melissa knew that Sheryl had made up her mind and walked out of the apartment with a heavy heart.

Isla felt that Sheryl and the kids needed their time together and asked Joan to stay on the first floor.

"Mom, don't be mad at Clark. It was my idea," Shirley said, tugging on to Sheryl's clothes.

"Then tell me why. Why did you do it?" Sheryl knew that her kids wouldn't create an unnecessary commotion. Considering what had happened today, she felt that it must have been something important. "It's been so long since I saw daddy. So I asked Clark to hide and pretend that he was lost. Daddy would definitely come to find us," Shirley said in a shaky voice as she burst into tears. "And we would all get back together as a happy family like before." She couldn't stop crying.

Clark walked up to his mother, blinking his eyes as if trying to prevent the tears from flowing. His face reddened with guilt.

"Sorry, Mom. We made a mistake. Please forgive us." Finally, the tears that were brimming in his eyes began to flow.

Sheryl felt ashamed, and she felt that she was the villain-the one who had kept her kids away from their father. She felt that it was because of her that the kids had to desperately plot a plan, risking their own lives, to see their father.

She squatted down and pulled her children into her arms. Having her kids wrapped in her arms made all her anger, disappointment, and worries vanish in an instant.

Watching her kids cry made her ache, and she cried along with them. Isla felt bad for Sheryl and the kids. She felt that she needed to cheer them up. "Joan, I'd better go upstairs and see what they are up to." Isla rushed to their room.

Her heart melted in a puddle when she saw them.

All three were wrapped in a protective embrace as if nothing in the world could come in between them.

Isla sat down and patted Sheryl's shoulder. "It's okay. Stop crying, it makes me want to cry too," she said, wiping away a beady tear.

Sheryl sniffed as she turned towards Isla. She was grateful to have an incredible friend like her. "Thank you."

"Ah, don't be formal. Is everything ok?" Isla wondered why Sheryl wasn't mad at her children despite the ruckus they'd created. She had to make sure that everything was good.