  &quot;I need to pick something from my car,&quot; he said and left.
  Rebecca stood up and headed towards Leah s room. She knocked but no response. She tried the handle to open it but it was locked from behind. She knocked again. 
  Still no response.
  &quot;Leah?&quot; She called. Tapping gently on the door
  &quot;What do you want?&quot; She asked
  &quot;To talk.&quot; 
  &quot;Don t you think it s too late for that?&quot;
  &quot;Maybe. But I won t leave until you open this door for me and let me explain.&quot; 
  The door opened. But she didn t wait for her to come inside before she walked back into the room, taking her seat on her bed. She had her back turned to her.
  &quot;I m sorry,&quot; she said, in a broken voice.
   It was then that Leah turned to face her.
  &quot;For which part?&quot; She asked in a steady voice reflecting, she was hurt. 
  &quot;Every part&quot; Her mo

  &quot;Come in,&quot; He called.
  Leah popped her head in
  &quot;If you d care for a bath, I will show you the bathroom,&quot; she said 
  &quot;Right on time,&quot; he said to himself.
  &quot;Pardon?&quot;
  &quot;I will be glad.&quot; he answered. Standing up and moving to where his overnight bag was to bring out some toiletries and a towel
  &quot;I will be outside waiting.&quot; She said and was gone.
  &quot;Tha...&quot; He heard the door close after her.
  He met her outside, not exactly waiting for him. The house was such that the kitchen, toilet, and bathroom were situated outside. He walked towards her; she was bent down over the fireplace trying to blow air into the fire. When she was done, she stood up dusting her hand, she turned and saw him standing there, watching her.
  &quot;I will show you to the bathroom,&quot; she said trying to hide her fright of seeing him standi

  'Why did you do it?&quot; He asked gently
  &quot;I was young and foolish. I was only eighteen years old when I had you. 
  Michael nodded. Stopping himself from adding &quot;selfish&quot; to the list she just made of herself. And he knew more than being young and foolish, she had been selfish. 
  He looked at her. Head bowed down. In regret or shame. Perhaps both. He doesn t feel a thing towards her but amazingly he was no longer mad at her. She had said she was eighteen, a frightened scared girl, she must have been. But it s still no justification for having left. But he was going to understand from that perspective, that she was young, foolish, selfish, and scared. And let his bitterness and anger towards her go away.
  They remained in silence for a long while. Both lost in their thoughts. Michael continued to look at her with her head still bowed down, he was no longer sure why he

&quot;I need to pick something from my car,&quot; he said and left.
  Rebecca stood up and headed towards Leah s room. She knocked but no response. She tried the handle to open it but it was locked from behind. She knocked again. 
  Still no response.
  &quot;Leah?&quot; She called. Tapping gently on the door
  &quot;What do you want?&quot; She asked
  &quot;To talk.&quot; 
  &quot;Don t you think it s too late for that?&quot;
  &quot;Maybe. But I won t leave until you open this door for me and let me explain.&quot; 
  The door opened. But she didn t wait for her to come inside before she walked back into the room, taking her seat on her bed. She had her back turned to her.
  &quot;I m sorry,&quot; she said, in a broken voice.
   It was then that Leah turned to face her.
  &quot;For which part?&quot; She asked in a steady voice reflecting, she was hurt. 
  &quot;Every part&quot; Her mother replied, not meeting her eyes. 
  &quot;Why didn t you tell me? Scared, I was going 

Chapter 72