Thaddeus, with a stern fatherly demeanor, rebuked his daughter. âHow could you speak in that kind of tone to your old man? And who are you calling a geezer?â
Lea, hiding behind her mother, stuck out her tongue at him. âThat would be you, you geezer!â
âYouâ¦â Thaddeusâ face changed colors. His daughterâs rebellious attitude left him speechless.
Bertha, defending her daughter, interjected. âThatâs enough now. Iâll handle disciplining my daughter.
You should go keep Sophia company.â
Thaddeus reached out to touch Berthaâs hand. âBertha, if weâre going back, letâs go together.â
Bertha avoided his touch. âIâll stick to what I said. If you agree to my conditions, Iâll consider going back with you.â
Thaddeus was agitated. âI donât understand! Why are you siding with an outsider? Isnât it nice to see Sophia happy?â
Bertha frowned. âHappy? Do you really think Sophia has been happy these past few years? Sheâs just fooling herself. Marcus, who doesnât even remember her, has no love for her. Keeping someone by your side out of obligation doesnât mean happiness. And Iâm not siding with an outsider!â
Thaddeus didnât want to comment on Sophiaâs situation, but he had a lot to say about Berthaâs last remark.
âYouâre not siding with an outsider? Marcusâ former family has nothing to do with us. Why are you fighting for them?â
Bertha shook her head. âWho said Marcusâ former family has nothing to do with us?
Do you remember the car accident four years ago when we had a fight and I took Lea and left home? I needed a blood transfusion, and a pregnant woman, who was a complete stranger to me, donated her blood to save me. That woman was none other than Marcusâ former wife, Ellinor!
She saved my life once, and I owe her. How could I help you and Sophia take away the man she loves? I canât do that!â
Thaddeus was shocked. âWhat? It was her?â
Lea intervened. âYes! It was her! The hospital had a blood shortage, and Mom was on the brink of death. Ellinor donated blood and even brought a friend with the same blood type to donate as well.
Thatâs how Mom was saved.
Dad, if it werenât for Ellinor, you wouldnât have seen Mom again. You always taught me to be grateful and to repay the kindness given to me. But our family not only didnât repay her kindness; we also ruined her family. How is that fair?â
Thaddeus was too shocked to speak.
How could this happen?
Was God playing tricks on him?
With a heavy heart, Bertha sighed. âThaddeus, I know you still care for me, but our standpoints are too different. I canât look at things from Sophiaâs perspective, and you canât see them from mine. Maybe we should just let it be.â