22 I have work, Amma

"Oh, my baby V!" Eliza's mother responded over the phone.

"Amma!" She felt like crying. It had been so long since she spoke to her mother and they had been far apart.

"Don't tell me you want to cry, V. I thought I told you, crying is for the weak." Her mom pointed out.

"I know, it's just that I miss you so much." She sniffed. "But," Eliza paused, "... it's late. Why are you still up?" She asked.

"Well, I was missing you too much and wanted to hear my baby's voice, that's all." Her mom said.

"Amma?" Eliza shook her head, not buying the reason at all.

"Okay fine." She sighed. "It's about your father."

"Father? I don't understand. Which father?" Eliza asked, confused.

"Don't talk that way. You'll be able to understand it all when you get here tomorrow." Her mom said.

"But I need a clue or something." Eliza persisted.

"You always wanted to know your father, right?" She asked.

"That was years ago but now I think I'm better off without him. I only needed him as a child. I'm all grown up now, Amma."

"Don't say that, V. You need to know the whole story before you conclude." Her mom said.

"What's there to know? You said he abandoned us." Eliza said.

"That was what I thought but now it's all dawned on me that it was the other way round." She pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Eliza asked, confused.

"Just come home tomorrow and we'll sort it out." She said.

"I have work, Amma." Eliza complained.

"V, don't tell me you choose work over your own family."

"For you I would never choose work but for someone else, you should trust me that I won't move an inch." She said and they both laughed.

"I know." Her mom stopped laughing. "But this is not a joking matter. You need to be here." She said seriously.

"Alright! Alright! Can I bring Allison along?" Eliza asked.

"Of course. Allison's also family." She agreed delightfully.

"Goodnight, Amma." Eliza said.

"Goodnight, V." She cut the call and Eliza sighed. She wanted to call Felix and inform him that she wouldn't be at work but just decided to text him and call her manager instead.

Felix got the text and checked the sender.

"Vamp." He said and tapped on it to see the contents. "I won't be at work tomorrow, not that you care, just informing you as my superior." He read out. "Not accepted." He said out of anger. Another text came in. "It doesn't really bother me if you don't accept it. If I get fired, it's for the best. Goodnight." He read out. It convinced him to call her but when he did, her line was busy.

Eliza called Maggie and informed her that she wouldn't be at work the next day. It was surprising that Maggie was wide awake. You could imagine what she was busy with. Eliza also told her to help inform Allison's manager that she wouldn't be at work too due to some family issues.

Although it was a rough and unexpecting day, Eliza was able to scale through and have a peaceful sleep with the thought of her father in her mind.

(Now to answer some of your questions. Eliza's full name is Eliza Valestine Songue. She answers only Eliza Valestine for the reason of not knowing who her father was. Her mom was okay with it, so the Songue was only stated in her birth certificate, nowhere else.)

The next day, Eliza and Allison packed a few things and went straight to the villa.

Eliza used to live there with her mom and a few maids and guards. The house was huge and beautiful. No one would ever guess that Eliza was so rich and yet she lived in a rented house with Allison and owned no car. The cars offered to her by her mom, she rejected them all, and didn't want to live a luxurious and extravagant life. Just wanted to be normal like everyone else. (How's it working for ya?)

"Right this way, young mistress." Rodger (the driver) led them to the car and opened the door.

"Where are we going?" Eliza asked before getting in.

"The airport. Your presence is required in Stockholm and your flight is due in half an hour." Rodger reported.

"So Stockholm must be where your father is?" Allison asked.

"There's only one way to find out the answer to your question. Now, Stockholm, here we come!" From there, they went to the airport.

Allison was expecting to take a normal flight or at most first class but to her greatest surprise, they were going to use a private jet. Her mouth went wide at the sight. Eliza wasn't at all surprised. She knew the kind of mother she had.

"Try not to drool too much." Eliza advised and walked past her. Allison followed once she had regained herself.

On getting to Stockholm, they were driven to the main family Villa and there, her mom waited, as well as the 'others'.

"Oh my baby V, you're here!" Mrs Songue went over to hug her.

"Amma!" Eliza hugged her, relieving herself from all the worries.

"Hi, Mrs Songue!" Allison greeted

"Alli dear, how have you been?" Mrs Songue asked, drawing her cheek.

"Great, aunty." Allison answered over the dragged cheek.

"Well you two get dressed and ready." Mrs Songue said

"For what?" They both asked in unison.

"The reunion."