It had been a couple of weeks since Lina's emotional breakdown in the hospital corridor. The memories with Arnold this short while, still lingered vividly in her mind, and the thought of leaving him behind again was tearing her apart.
Arnold had been discharged and was bedridden, recovering from his injuries. Lina was busier than ever, packing up her belongings and making arrangements to leave the country.
The atmosphere in the house was tense, with each family member reacting differently to Lina's decision.
Catherine was devastated. Just when she thought she was getting close to her sister, she was leaving again, and the thought of it was so unbearable.
'Why do you have to go, Lina?' Catherine asked, her voice trembling as she watched Lina fold her clothes into a suitcase.
'Can't you just stay for a little while longer? We need you here with us.' She added.
Lina sighed and put down the clothes, her eyes welling up with tears.
'Catherine, I have to go. I've been here too long already. It's time for me to get back to my life.' She tried to sound firm, but her voice cracked with emotion.
'But, this is your life as well.' Catherine retorted.
'I don't want to do this right now Catherine.' Lina muttered and for some reason Catherine didn't persist further.
Natalie was worried, but not as much as her husband was.
Nathan knew that again he was losing his daughter and this time, he might never see her again.
He has failed, just like he failed her years ago.
What if he died without making up with his daughter?
He was running out of time, but he didn't know what he could possibly do to change things.
Nathan wept quickly as he staring outside his bedroom window, while every other person trooped in and out of Lina's room
'Are you sure this is what you want to do?' Natalie walked in the Lina's bedroom, joining her daughters.
'You've only just come back to us after all these years. Can't you stay and work things out?
Lina shook her head, feeling a lump form in her throat.
'There's nothing to work out here, mom.' Lina uttered.
'I've made up my mind. I need to get back to work.' She added.
'But, you were told to take some months of work.' Natalie chipped in, and Lina shot Catherine a short glare.
She knew it was only Catherine who knew about her call with her colleague the night she passed out.
'So, you told mom?' She whispered to Catherine, but her words were audible enough for to Natalie hear.
'Shouldn't she have?' Natalie queried .
'Lina, we are your family. How long will you keep treating us like strangers, when we did nothing wrong to you?' She rebutted.
'Speak for yourself.' Lina words spewed out before she gave it a proper thought.
'What is that supposed to mean?' Natalie shot back.
'What I am saying is that being here has been...hard for me.' Lina turned to her mother, her eyes cold.
'I can't do be here anymore' She whispered.
'Being here had been hard for you?' Natalie repeated, rhetorically.
'Lina, what is hurting you here?' She asked.
'We would love to help you, but we can not do that if you do not let us in.' Natalie proclaimed.
'You can not keep running away like a coward.' She spat.
'Well, a coward is what I want to be.' Lina fired back.
Christopher joined them in the room at that moment, in time to see Catherine trying to calm some sort of chaos between his mother and older sister.
He already had this conversation with Lina, and he had no other choice but to come to terms with the fact that she wanted to leave.
'Hey, sis,' he said, sensing the tension in the air.
'You know I'm going to miss you, right?' He added, trying to make light of the situation.
Lina smiled weakly, feeling a pang of sadness.
'I'll miss you too, Chrisy. But I have to do this.' She knew that she needed to get away from the memories that haunted her - and Arnold too.
Natalie left the room with Catherine, joining Nathan, who was now in the living room.
As Lina continued to pack, the rest of the family tried to come to terms with her decision. It was clear that she had made up her mind, and nothing was going to change it.
On the day she was supposed to leave, Lina sat in a taxi on her way to the airport, after refusing to be dropped off or accompanied by any member of her family.
She didn't want their "goodbyes" to be too difficult to say or even see herself changing her mind, and returning home with them.
Ever since Lina left the hospital on the day Arnold was discharged, she has avoided his calls and messages, not knowing what to say or how to face him.
But as she was starting to relax into the ride, her phone rang. It was Arnold.
'He deserves a goodbye from me at least.' She thought to herself, answering the call.
'I heard you're leaving.' Arnold stated, his tone husky.
'Yes.' Lina spoke firmly.
'So, you're just going to leaving without speaking to me?' Arnold uttered.
'You have been avoiding every form of contact with me, why?' He added
'I'm sorry.' Lina said quietly
'And you didn't visit since I left the hospital.' Arnold winced.
'I didn't want to bother you.' Lina uttered.
'How can you even say that?' Arnold said under his breath.
'You don't bother me. You can never bother me.' He chortled sadly.
'I need to see you, Lina.' He stated.
'I need someone to talk to.' He went on.
'Even if you're just coming to say goodbye. I really need to speak with you. One last time.' He rejoined.
Lina's heart twisted in her chest. She had been expecting him to be angry or hurt, but instead, he sounded vulnerable and in need.
She hesitated, feeling torn between her desire to leave and her feelings for Arnold.
'Arnold, I'm already on my way to the airport,' she said, trying to sound firm.
'I have a flight to catch, and I really need to get going.' She added.
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Lina thought she'd lost the connection. But then Arnold spoke up again, his voice barely above a whisper.
'Please, Lina. Just one last time.'
Lina's eyes welled up with tears as she listened to his plea.
He really needed to speak to someone, but Lina knew that Arnold was capable of making her stay back.
She needed to get away for her own sanity too.
'Arnold, I...' she started to say, but her voice trailed off as she looked out the window and saw the familiar streets passing by.
The taxi driver, sensing her hesitation, glanced at her in the rearview mirror.
'You okay, miss?' he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Lina nodded, though she wasn't okay. She was torn between her desire to escape and her feelings for Arnold. She looked at her watch, knowing that she was running out of time.
'Arnold, I'll think about it,' she said finally, though she knew she wasn't being completely honest to him or herself.
As she hung up the phone, she felt a sense of uncertainty wash over her.
'Am I really going to leave with saying goodbye to him?' She asked in her head.
'He has done a lot for me and he deserves that at least, right?' She went on pondering.
The decision seemed to hang precariously in the balance, and Lina's heart pounded in her chest as she weighed her options.
The taxi driver, sensing her turmoil, remained silent, letting her process her thoughts.
Lina gazed out the window, watching as the cityscape gave way to the outskirts of town. She was running out of time, and soon she'd have to make a decision that would change the course of her life forever.
As the airport came into view, Lina's anxiety spiked.
Her heart started racing, and her palms growing sweaty.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but her mind was a jumble of emotions.
The taxi pulled up to the airport terminal, and Lina's driver turned to her.
'We're here, miss,' he said gently.
Lina nodded, reaching for the door to get out.
The door opened and as she set he feet down to the ground, a wave of emotion washed over her and she started to doubt her entire decision all over again.
Was she really going to leave without seeing him?
But he is one of the major reasons she had to leave.
Her mind went on tormenting her.
'Miss?' The taxi driver called, bringing her thought back to the fact that she was supposed to alight his car.
'We are here.' He stated the obvious, and Lina nodded.
'Yeah. I...' she started.
'There is somewhere I need to get to first.' She proclaim eventually.
'Do you mind taking me?'