6 Unveiling the Truth

The cottage had a lot of hidden places that Ria and Layla were not allowed to visit. They were eager to know what was behind those closed doors. They wanted to know so much about this secrets but they couldn’t find courage to do so. It almost felt like a big information that their minds were not prepared for. Their mom on the other hand seemed to have lost interest in wanting to know what her husband was hiding in the study room. He was always careful to not let anyone inside the room. Ria used to think that her mom was the most eager to know what was so special about his study room, until she stopped showing interest in it anymore. To Layla and Ria, it was as if she had finally succeeded in knowing but didn’t want to spill it out, or maybe she got too busy trying to provide for the family that she didn’t have concerns for what her husband didn’t want to show her. The following evening, as the sun painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, Ria and Layla gathered their courage and made their way back to the house. They had been outside playing with each other. The house stood as a silent witness to their shared memories, its familiar walls holding the whispers of untold stories. Each time they looked at it from outside, they remembered how much the building had endured. With each step closer, their hearts beat faster, a mix of anticipation and trepidation filling the air. They reached the front door and exchanged a nervous glance before Ria walked into the house. Ria led the way while Layla followed from behind. The evening was the best time to convince their father to spill out an information they didn’t know about. They reached the study room and they both were nervous. They were at a place that was not allowed entry into. Layla took in a deep breath and then knocked gently on the old doors. There was no sound of footsteps from the inside, it was as if there was nobody present. She was about to knock again when she heard sound of locks being opened from the inside. Their father was in his second favorite place after all. Seconds turned into minutes as they waited on the threshold, their minds racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. Finally, the door creaked open, revealing their father standing before them, his eyes reflecting surprise. They were nervous but if they couldn’t talk to him now, they thought they’d never find a better chance to do it again. "Dad," Ria began, her voice steady but filled with warmth, "we've come to talk to you. We want to understand, to know you fully." Layla stepped forward, her voice gentle yet resolute. "We're not here to pry or judge, Dad. We're here because we love you, and we believe that deep down, you want us to know the truth." Their father's gaze softened, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his face. He motioned for them to follow him, and they followed him into the cozy sitting room, where countless family conversations had taken place over the years. He wondered why they were suddenly requesting to him to talk about himself. But even at that he wanted to also be connected with his daughters. They were the best thing that ever happened to him, it was only natural he would be excited to talk to them, but he wondered why they took this long to approach him. They settled into comfortable chairs, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken emotions. Ria took a deep breath and broke the silence. "Dad, we've always felt there was something hidden, something you've kept from us. We're ready to hear your story, to understand the reasons behind your secrecy. We want to bridge the gap that has kept us apart for far too long." Their father's gaze shifted from one daughter to the other, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and longing. He spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. He was surprised that was what they thought about him. He had his reasons for preventing people away from his study room, but he didn’t realize that it was going to be a problem for him. "My dear girls, I never meant to keep secrets from you. There are parts of my past that I've buried deep within me, painful memories that I thought would protect you from the darkness. But I see now that my silence has caused more harm than good." Ria reached out and squeezed her father's hand, a gesture mirroring the one she had shared with Layla just a day before. She’d often squeeze their hands if she wanted to Comfort them, "Dad, we're here for you. We're ready to face whatever comes, together." A weight seemed to lift from their father's shoulders as he began to unravel the tangled threads of his past. He spoke of his own childhood, the struggles he had faced, and the choices he had made. The sisters listened with empathy, their hearts open to the truth that was finally being shared. Sometime earlier they were so nervous about approaching their father for a conversation. But as time went on, the more they spent time with him, the less nervous they were. They found themselves being comfortable and asking him as many questions as they liked and he was very happy to attend to all their questions. Who knew that he could be as welcoming, they never knew until they tried. They realized that they loved having a conversation with their father, he was an interesting man who’s time was of great value. Their father finally told them about his reason for spending too much time in the study room. He believed that to have a rich mind meant that one must read books daily. He told them of a business man that he had met sometime ago, but he had not been able to speak freely with him due to language barriers. That was why he was always reading and buying books, learning multiple languages and their cultures. “I promise we would be out of this situation when I am done mastering the Languages.” Mr. Raymond said confidently. His daughters smiled, they could only trust in his words and watch as he worked towards making his promises happen.