Chapter 6

The scene where Rhianne is crying while crouching on the floor is what Francis saw when he opened the door. He panicked a little while yelling loudly to call their parents to go to her room. Seeing her dearest daughter in that state, Carmie quickly approached Rhianne trying to calm her down. She did not know who held her body, but Rhianne wraps her slender arms on that person's body as she cried louder than before.

Her cries are very painful for them to hear. In their memories, Rhianne is a bubbly and energetic child. The youngest member of their family rarely cries unless her feelings are hurt.

It took them a whole hour before they managed to calm down the youngest member of their family. Her eyes are now a bit red and swollen while some of her tears are still hanging on her eyelashes. Her cheeks are also swollen and her pouty lips are slightly trembling.

Francis initiatively bring a glass of water, a straw, and a soft towel for his sister to drink. Carmie reached for the glass and helps Rhianne to take small sips of water. She also used the soft towel to gently wipe her daughter's face. After a few more minutes, Rhianne finally collected her emotions and stops from crying. Rhianne lowered her head, trying to hide her messy appearance from the people around her.

She suddenly feels ashamed crying like that in front of them. Rhianne thinks she probably disturbed them from her sudden outburst. Although they know her as their family, but they are still strangers to Rhianne.

"Talk to us, dear. What happened? Why are you crying?" Carmie asked in a hushed voice trying not to scare or surprised her daughter.

"It's nothing." Rhianne answered in a small voice. "I am sorry for disturbing you all."

"No, no. It's okay. Sweetie, you are not a bother to us."

"But..."

"I can promise that you did not disturb us." Carmie reassured her.

"...Okay."

"May I know what happened? Why are you crying?"

"...I'm sorry. I just feel...anxious and scared."

"You should not apologize for it, okay?" Carmie said in a soft voice.

Rhianne nodded her head as an answer.

"Do you want to lay on your bed?"

"Uhm... You are my mother, right?" Rhianne timidly asked in a small voice instead of answering her question. Then she looks at the two men standing behind Carmie. "And you two are my father and brother."

Due to her question, tears suddenly appeared again in Carmie's eyes. She blinked her eyes rapidly to stop herself from crying in front of her daughter. This is not the right time for her to cry. As her mother, she has to be strong.

Tim and Francis just gave her a quiet nod. It really breaks their heart to Rhianne like this. The way she talks to them is full of wariness. It feels like they are now walking on thin ice around them so they decided not to startle her and just quietly answer her question.

Seeing the reaction on their faces, Rhianne suddenly feels guilty in her heart. Although it was not intentional, she still hurt their feelings. They may be strangers to her, but she is a beloved member of their family in their perspective. It is not right for her to hurt them like this.

"You are right, my dear. I am your mother." Carmie said then she looks at Tim and Francis behind her. "And they are your father and brother."

Rhianne timidly nodded her head in understanding. Remembering that she just got discharged from the hospital, Tim told his wife to let their daughter rest and they will continue explaining everything to her tomorrow morning. Carmie asked Rhianne if she wants to eat anything, but she refused. Crying for an hour makes her want to go to bed early due to exhaustion.

Carmie did not try to force her daughter. Instead, she just helped Rhianne to find a comfortable sleeping clothes and asked her husband and son to leave the room. After helping Rhianne to lay on her bed, Carmie said she will just get her a pitcher of water. Before going downstairs, she reminds Francis to be alert and call them if something happened again since his room is just two doors away from Rhianne's room.

When Carmie comes back, she put a pitcher of fresh water on her side table and a clean glass in case she gets thirsty in the middle of the night. She also asked Rhianne if she wanted someone to stay with her, but her daughter politely refused the offer. Thinking that her daughter still needs more time for herself, Carmie tucks her in bed and the leaves lampshade on before getting out of the room and quietly closing the door.

Rhianne pretends to be sleeping until she can't feel their presence in her room anymore. After a few more minutes of pretending, Rhianne sit down on her bed and let out a long sigh. After letting out her frustrations and helplessness in her situation, Rhianne's mind finally gets clearer than earlier.

Rhianne decided to be positive in her situation. Grieving over the things that cannot be changed is useless at this time. Crying once is already enough. This is her reality now. There is no other option left for her but to accept and embrace it. That is why she plans to talk to her new family first thing in the morning.

Rhianne can feel how worried her new family is towards her. It is obvious how this family truly cares for her with the way they act in front of her and the sound of their voices while talking to her. Having these people as their family is truly a blessing that someone should not trade with anything in this world.

The next day, Rhianne woke up very early and fixed herself. She takes a long bath and got surprised to see a lot of bathing products inside her shower room. In her past life, a small bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap is enough for her when taking a bath. There is also a huge bathtub that Rhianne can only see on televisions before.

After taking a warm bath, Rhianne wraps herself in a pink bathrobe she sees hanging inside the shower room. After drying and brushing her long hair, Rhianne can't help but admire her new appearance again in front of the mirror. Her original body just has an average face that does not leave any impression on other people. But staring at the young beauty in the mirror, Rhianne can't help but be a little narcissistic with her new face.

'What a beauty! I should take good care of this wonderful appearance. It would be a pity if I will just waste this beautiful face.'

After admiring her pretty face in the mirror, she chooses a simple-looking dress from her closet full of expensive clothes. Most of it still have their price tags. When Rhianne checked the prices on it, her eyes almost escape her socket. The price of a simple and shirt in her closet is triple the amount of her annual salary in the department store. She did not try to check the prices of the other dresses in her closet for fear that the prices of them will be more expensive.

Rhianne is about to step out of her room when someone knocks on the door and calls her name. She recognized that voice. It was Francis. Taking a deep breath, Rhianne opens the door to see him.

After leaving Rhianne in her room last night, Francis made a phone call to Dr. Calvin and told him what happened last night. The doctor told them that it is only natural for Rhianne to be anxious and frustrated since she can't remember anything. He also advised that it would be better if they will give her some space and do not force her to remember anything in the meantime. After telling Francis that he will visit them in the afternoon tomorrow, Dr. Calvin ended the call.

Looking at the glum faces of their parents, Francis feels great pity for them. He can only imagine how painful it is for their parents to see Rhianne like that. After all, Francis and their parents treated Rhianne like their treasure.

After giving birth to Francis, Carmie had a difficulty conceiving another child. They already tried a lot of different medical approaches, but none of them works on her case. Because of it, Carmie and Tim had already lost their hope to have another child. But years later, she surprisingly got pregnant again and gave birth to a baby girl and named it Rhianne. As Rhianne grows up, the whole family treated her as a blessing and a miracle. They all doted on her and treats her like a true princess.

"Hello..." Rhianne greets him awkwardly which wakes him up from his deep thoughts. "Good morning... brother."

"Good morning." Francis replied. "You do not have to force yourself to call me that. If you feel uncomfortable to call me brother like you used to, you can just call me by my name."

"No, it is okay." Rhianne said and shakes her head. "You are my brother, it is just I can't remember it for now. I'm sorry."

"You do not have to apologize."

Francis feels a little lost when he sees his little sister being timid with her actions and unsure of what to do next. It is very different from her usual cheerful and active personality. He is about to put his hand to ruffle her hair just like what he usually does but stops himself halfway. Thinking that his actions may frighten his little sister, Francis decided to stop acting like a close sibling to her for a while.

"Uhm...How old are you, brother?" Rhianne asked again.

"I just turned nineteen." Francis said. "And you are fourteen."

"Oh."

After that, Rhianne did not ask him another question again.

"Let us go downstairs and eat our breakfast. You must be hungry now."

Rhianne nodded her head and silently follows Francis from behind. When the husband and wife saw their children, they quickly approached them, especially their daughter. Rhianne greeted them awkwardly called them 'mom' and 'dad' which gave them a weird feeling in their chest. Rhianne's voice is too polite as if she is not speaking to her own family. But thinking of how much Rhianne is suffering right now, they become more understanding and considerate towards their daughter.