Chapter 16
In a heartbeat, Mirabella found hersell wrapped in Delilah’s arms. Mirabella blinked, caught off guard by Delilah’s embrace. “Oh, my sweet girl, you finally called me Mom!” Delilah’s voice quivered with excitement, almost on the verge of tears.
Mirabella sighed. It was as if they were on different wavelengths.
Ten minutes later, after a brisk shower, Mirabella descended the stairs in a laid–back, oversized tee paired with distressed jeans. Despite the casual clean look, she exuded a cool vibe.
“My daughter’s just so gorgeous,” Delilah mused, resting her chin in her hand as she admired Mirabella walking towards her. Even though she wasn’t wearing the clothes she had bought for her, it didn’t stop her from cheering on her daughter’s beauty.
Shawn chimed in with a proud nod. “She’s definitely got my good genes.”
Delilah gave him a playful roll of her eyes. “Get real, she obviously takes after me.”
“Whatever you say, dear.” Shawn quickly conceded, the picture of a doting husband.
As Mirabella drew closer, she overheard their banter, and felt bombarded by their public display of affection.
Soon, Mirabella took her seat at the dining table. She had always been a girl of few words, often maintaining her silence during the meal responding to Shawn and Delilah’s occasional conversation starters with monosyllabic ‘yeahs‘ and ‘uh–huhs.‘
Shawn and Delilah didn’t interpret their daughter’s reticence as arrogance. Instead, they felt a twinge of guilt. This poor child must’ve been so lonesome, so starved of affection, to develop such a solitary nature.
Unaware of their thoughts, Mirabella finished her breakfast. Noticing Delilah occasionally press her temples, she seemed to remember something and quickly went upstairs. She returned in a couple of minutes, holding two small bottles she had retrieved from her suitcase, and handed one to each of her parents.
“Here, I got these for you.” Mirabella said softly, her exquisite face wearing a casual expression.
Delilah examined the small bottle with curiosity as she unscrewed the cap. “What’s this? It’s quite a fancy little thing– As soon as the lid was off, a rich herbal scent wafted out. The aroma instantly made Delilah feel refreshed as if her spirit had been cleansed. She suffered from chronic migraines that flared up now and then. With no cure in sight, she relied on painkillers for relief. This morning, her head had started to hurt, but she didn’t want to show her pain in front of her daughter. This scent miraculously seemed to soothe her migraine in an instant.
“Mira, what is this?” Delilah asked, surprised and delighted, inhaling the scent, feeling the urge to bask in it forever. Mirabella saw Delilah visibly relax and nonchalantly replied, “They’re just herbal fragrance pills… kind of like incense. They help with focus, relaxation, and pain relief.”
She paused, then added, “Keep one by your bedside each night. It should help with your migraines.”
Delilah was astounded, “How did you know I suffer from migraines!”
Not just Delilah, even Shawn looked surprised.
“I noticed you pressing your temples at breakfast,” Mirabella said with clear eyes, offering no further explanation.
Delilah was taken aback, not expecting such attentiveness. But to deduce she had migraines just from that seemed almost magical.
