Boat Against the Current

Lucille focused fully on her breakfast. She did not look up, nor did she pay attention to River’s replies.

She was about to leave after breakfast when she suddenly received a text on her phone. It came with a twenty thousand dollar transfer from Sophia.

Lucille looked up just in time to see Sophia’s provocative smirk. The text that came with the transfer read, [I really like the pictures you took yesterday, especially the one of the kiss! I’ll send them to River. I’m sure he’ll appreciate your handiwork!]

Lucille simply replied, [Received with thanks.]

She then clicked on her bank app. When she saw the three hundred thousand dollars in her account, she chuckled softly to herself.

While the rest of the family was still engrossed in their discussion, Lucille went upstairs, got changed, and then called a cab outside.

She had invited her besties out for a farewell luncheon. If she did not leave soon, she would be late.

In the end, Lucille arrived at the cafe at exactly twelve o’clock. Her besties crowded around her, looking lonely.

“Are you really going abroad, Lucy? For how long? Will you come back?”

“Yeah, I’ll be studying for three years. After that I plan to find a job in London and stay there, so I probably won’t be coming back.”

The other three girls were surprised. “Then what about your brother? He’ll stay here while you’ll move to London? Weren’t you planning to get married?”

She had told them all about their relationship. It was too big a secret to keep to herself, so she confided in her most trusted friends.

In response to their question, she just pursed her lips and said, “I’ve given up on him. I don’t like him anymore.”

She made it sound easy, but her friends knew how much she had struggled internally over the years. Although they did not know why she changed her mind so suddenly, they were still all on her side.

“Good, I’m glad you broke up! Now you don’t have to worry about breaking your mother’s heart if she finds out.”

“Yeah, and there are plenty of hot guys in England! You’re sure to find someone. You know, I’ve never been there before, so you gotta film a lot of videos when you get there. I want to feed pigeons in Trafalgar Square too!”

Their lively chatter gradually put a smile on Lucille’s face.

Yeah, she was starting a new phase of her life very soon. Why should she keep worrying over this dark part of her past?

River did not come home for the next few days, and Lucille did not care where he went.

She spent the rest of her time before her departure with her mother. They went shopping, took photos, and ate the food filled with her childhood memories. Victoria gave her a lot of advice about living alone.

Time ticked by peacefully. Five days before her flight, Victoria went outstation with Dan.

Just then, Lucille received a call from her paternal aunt, saying that her father’s cemetery was being regazetted for government use. As his next of kin, she and Victoria should take care of it.

Dan’s family had not been too happy with Victoria since they got married. Lucille did not want to cause her mother any more trouble with the in-laws, so she planned to handle everything on her own.

She quickly made some calls and bought an excellent plot in another cemetery. As she was heading out to collect the ashes, however, she bumped into River at the doorway. She had not seen him for a long time.

When she explained where she was going, he frowned and squeezed her hand. “Do you think of me as your boyfriend or not? Your father is mine, too. Why didn’t you ask me to help you with something this important?

“Get into the car. I’ll go with you!”

Lucille looked at his solemn expression. She really could not tell if his feelings for her were still an act.