A humble request from Lia's mother

Having spoken from her heart about all that Luther did to bother Lia, the little girl was afraid that she didn't make an effort to neutralize the situation. Just as Lia sincerely apologized to her classmate, Giselle made an entrance, startling the kids.

Giselle had opened the door to a tense atmosphere. She knocked a few times before proclaiming her arrival, but only upon entering did she notice that Lia was standing far from Luther. It didn't look like they were on friendlier terms. Nevertheless, it also didn't look like they were bickering.

"I thought I'd check up on you kids!" Giselle said to ease the mood.

"Yeah… We're good, mom. Just chatting!" Lia spoke first to respond.

As soon as Lia admitted that they were simply chatting, Luther's gaze moved to his classmate, trying to throw invincible daggers at her.

'Just chatting...' he sneered to himself.

No matter how hard Luther tried to stare at Lia, the little girl didn't submit to him. She ignored him entirely to keep only looking at Giselle.

Seeing how the mood was getting worse, Giselle tried to rescue them by announcing that Luther's mom was making hot chocolate. Food always is a good distraction, especially for kids. She didn't have to lie because following their little chat Mary did announce to make hot cocoa for the guests.

"Why don't you go help her out. Meantime, I'll stay with Luther!" Giselle hinted.

"What?" Luther cranked in fear.

Lia got the signal from her mother and knew she had to leave at once. The little girl hesitated no more, and glanced at Luther once before retiring from the room.

Luther wanted Lia to stop and take away her mother, but he couldn't just muster the courage to ask for help easily.

As soon as Lia left, Luther sought refuge on the farther side of his batman bed. He clung to the wall and didn't dare look at Giselle or try to talk to her.

***

Giselle was in a pinch about whether to meet Luther or not. She didn't want to scare off the poor little boy, with him cornering himself as if he was going to get beaten up. At the same time, Giselle couldn't leave without taking a chance to try talking to him. She contemplated cautiously establishing a friendliness before choosing to confront Lia's classmate.

"Hi, Luther! You might know already, but I'm Giselle's mom! Nice- to meet you," Giselle greeted with a welcoming smile.

Despite her warm approach, all Giselle received was a muted retort. Luther simply glanced at Giselle but could never respond to her. It was obvious that the little guy was scared of what Lia's mother was going to say. Just recalling how he went as far as to call her by names, Luther grew worried, wondering if she might get angry at him for bullying her daughter.

While Luther ran with his loose apprehensions, Giselle had her own struggle to overcome. Since her attempt to establish a smooth sail between them failed, she now has no choice but to risk a chance for her visit. Giselle knew she had no time to spare as her intention to meet with Luther and his mother was still confidential.

"You know very well that I'm here to talk to you, right?" Giselle implied directly.

Having been put on the pedestal, Luther was no longer trying to hold his fort from getting attacked. He politely greeted after considering if he should continue to ignore as if he couldn't hear or not. Regardless, that excuse wouldn't work when they are the only ones present in the room at the moment.

There wasn't any alien noise to cancel each other out. So, Luther had to answer Giselle.

"Ahm... Perhaps, you don't like me, or how should I take this? Would you like to ignore me? You don't want to talk to me, or- I could leave right now if you don't want me to talk to you!" Giselle implored again.

"No, Mrs. Giselle. I don't ha- hate you!"

Giselle sighed in relief.

"Thank god!"

Since she received the green signal, Giselle was willing to speak out now rather than dillydallying her way by wasting time. She knew she couldn't take a stance by towering in front of the kid. Therefore, Giselle walked towards until she reached the bed and simply sat on the edge as she faced the away from meeting Luther. Luther was finally free from Giselle's gaze. Together with Luther stuck to the wall and Giselle sitting on the edge of the bed, the two faced the picture of Luther and his family in a large portrait hung outside Luther's room. Giselle left the door wide open as she invaded the kids before, and now it allowed looking at something and speaking freely.

Luther no longer clung to the wall as he finally sat down without feeling threatened by Giselle's presence. He saw the lady studying their family portrait with a delicate look on her face. Luther followed to spot the picture of a baby boy sitting in his little chair. It was Luther when he was just a child, and from studying his face, he was holding tears in this picture while his parents looked panicked, trying to calm him down. Luther recollected his mom telling him that they took this picture when they celebrated his first birthday.

Luther saw how his parents looked so disturbed in the picture. It was simply a family portrait, which Luther had always hated his mom for hanging out to display. Nevertheless, Mary refused to take it down since it was a memorable moment of celebrating him turning a year old. Their little boy had turned a year old, and it was the proudest moment for the parents. The joy of raising a child could only be deemed by those who raised them with undying love and devotion.

Giselle felt nostalgic from admiring the picture. It helped her calm down and acknowledge that Luther was also a child, just like Lia.

"Would you believe me if I told you that Lia had never fought with anyone?" Giselle spoke as she continued to admire the family portrait with a little smile.

Luther visibly smirked in sarcasm, "No chance in hell! She was like a real delinquent."

"Well, you pushed it too far as well. Why would you purposefully target someone you barely knew?" Giselle finally turned back to address the little fellow camping behind.

Luther got startled from suddenly being thrown on the spotlight. He sprang back to the wall again and remained mute without having a valid reason to justify his past actions.

"Also, I might have a solid reason why she went so far to hit you."

"And- What would that be?" Luther now questioned.

"I'm not sure what she told you earlier. But, it's Because I went to this same school when I was her age," Giselle disclosed.

"Oh- She- she told me... just a while ago."

"Did she? Well, Lia was upset that someone insulted her mother. Do you think you would let someone go if they call your mother with some bad names?"

Luther couldn't reply to that assertion, and he knew he wouldn't stay quiet if someone were to humiliate his family.

***

"And, did you know that your father is trying to get Lia expelled?" Giselle finally informed.

Luther went muted again, not because he couldn't respond back, but because he was left speechless. He became aware of his deeds when they met Mrs. Beth immediately after his fight with Lia that afternoon. Since that day, Luther's dad had been angry at him to the point where he refused to talk to the child. No matter how much his mother tried to persuade, the father didn't react. When Luther believed he was reaping all of what he had sowed, hearing about his dad trying to get Lia to expel shook him up.

"I don't believe you!" Luther uttered in disbelief.

"It's true. Mrs. Beth- ah, the vice-principal just called us this morning to inform."

Not just did Mrs. Beth hear the hot tip from a reliable source, but she knew why Luther's father was trying his best to get Lia expelled. He couldn't take Lillian's word that afternoon at school, and that's why he wanted to get back at her.

"Why- Why would he do that?" Luther asked in dread.

"Because- he hates people like us, Luther. I- shouldn't say it like that, but I don't know any other way to put it for you."

Luther remained silent until he asked Giselle if he needed to do anything to prevent.

Since it came down to this, all of Giselle's nervousness suddenly cleared to let her be honest with this little boy. She promised to return Lia to school without getting her expelled. Even if Lia doesn't get expelled just like that, the fact that kids like Luther are willing to bully at any time made Giselle realize she needed to make sure that Luther never repeats his mistake.

"I've spoken to your mother already. She promised to convince your father. However-" Giselle hesitate for a moment before settling to continue, "I want you to leave my daughter alone. She is just a little kid like you and everyone else. And I wish for her to learn and grow up like you and every other kid. Honestly, it's not your place to comment or worry about our family situation. So, Lia has two moms. What's wrong with it? She also has a very caring father, loving grandparents, friends, and well-wishers. What makes you think she should deserve such treatment just because of her mother's sexuality? So, don't disturb Lia, and if you could- please ignore her and mind your own business?"

Giselle's long speech left Luther stunned.

"Is that a threat?" he reluctantly inquired.

Giselle chuckled out loud.

"It does sound like a threat, but it's not. It's a humble request from Lia's mother. I don't want my daughter to get expelled over this thing that has gotten out of hand. Lia is a strong girl, and I will be there to support her. So, don't think you could try and break her. You should know by now that she is a strong girl, right? Wasn't it your fault for taking your jokes too far, even for fun?"

Luther finally accepted his mistake by admitting that he went too far with his classmate Lia. He kept his teasing her like usual, but since he couldn't get a reaction from Lia that afternoon, he crossed the line by using foul language, which provoked Lia's running patience.

"That's all I wanted to say to you. I'll leave you then. Take care, Luther. Oh- Your mom made hot chocolate for both of you. So, come out and drink it before it gets cold," Giselle said to take her leave at once.

Just as she was about to pass the family portrait, Luther called her.

Giselle paused and turned back to look at him. The little boy at last climbed out of his bed. He formally stood with his hands clutched together respectfully. He knew he blew his chance to apologize earlier, and that was why he wanted to correct himself.

"I'm sorry for bullying your daughter. It was my mistake. I didn't know it would turn out to be this big."

"I'd like to say that I forgive you, but- unlike me, Lia is a brave girl. She did the right thing. I'm not saying about hitting you was right, but at least she chose to react to her bully rather than quietly enduring it. Only those who go through such mocking in life would understand how it feels to have others emotions affect you.

Luther couldn't fully understand, but he remained quiet as he listened to her. Once done talking, Giselle spoke no more and only sent her best wishes.

"Alright then, take care, Luther," she said to walk out.

Giselle left Luther's room to call Lia for getting ready to leave. Mary asked them to stay a bit longer, but since this was supposed to be a secret meeting, Giselle requested that they don't overstay their welcome. The two moms exchanged numbers to keep in contact without having to disturb Mrs. Beth anymore. Luther couldn't bear to look at Giselle or even Lia now. He simply stuck by his mother's side to send them off.

"She is such a sweet girl, Luther," Mary remarked.

Luther remained quiet even till the last. He couldn't go against them at all. All the times he had teased a classmate as she endured it silently, Luther anticipated that their reaction today should have been more violent. However, seeing the two be gentle, Luther felt guilty about himself. Every time he had mocked Lia with friends had returned to bite his confidence.

***

Lillian grew tired of waiting, and when she heard the doorbell, she jumped to answer it. She opened to door to find Giselle and Lia completely sapped.

"Oh my- How did it go?" Lillian hurriedly inquired.

"We.talked.a.lot! At least I did!" Giselle confessed.

"I talked a lot too!" Lia joined to add.

"So, you both talked a lot, huh!" Lillian remarked to welcome them inside. She asked if all their talking was going to resolve the problem at hand. Giselle and Lia marched to the couch and fell into its comfort. Lia leaned against her mother to recharge.

"I don't know, but I hope it does!" Giselle responded. It wasn't physically tiring to meet Luther and his mom, but having to be brave and take a step to fight for oneself takes a lot of courage. Being kind and gentle as they are, the mother and daughter had to tell Luther to mind his business. Lillian saw them being dramatic and let it happen. As easy as it might sound for her to confront someone directly, Giselle had never done that, especially when it involved people gossiping about her sexuality. She was just too afraid of others criticizing her.

Thus, Lillian volunteered to celebrate this feat rather than stirring their struggle for fun.

"Alright! I'm taking you guys out for dinner!" Lillian announced.

Giselle and Lia's faces finally returned to life as they cheered and thanked Lillian endlessly.