CHAPTER 7

Mia felt like someone was inside and when she turned the light on that person she was able to drop her phone.

Tom's voice interrupted Me's thoughts as he called out her name from within the storage room.

“Mia!” He exclaimed, his tone tinged with surprise.

“Dad?” Mia's confusion turned to relieve as she recognised her father's voice.

“What are you doing here?” Tom inquired, stepping out from the shadows.

“you were the one that I was hearing some noises then.” she asked in curiousity.

“Who else do you think?”Tom replied with a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“I don't know,”she admitted like a good child, feeling a wave of embarrassment.

As her father's presence reassured,Mia felt a sense of easy wash over her. Perhaps she wasn't losing her mind after all. 

“Are you OK?” Tom asked, he was concerned.Was it evident in his voice?

“I'm fine.”Mia reassures him with a small smile. 

“Good, Then.” Tom nodded in satisfaction. 

“Why are you in here,Dad?” Mia couldn't help but wonder, and asked him.

“Because you were anyhow, I followed you,” Tom explained simply, a smile playing on his lips.

“What?”Mia's surprise was evident as she processed her father's unexpected answer.. 

“I have seen you walking through the corridors.I thought you were gonna see sneak out.With that boy, you met in your class,” Tom explained in his serious tone acting as strict father.

“What?Are you kidding me. Dad?” Mia exclaimed, disbelief colouring her voice

“.No, when I saw you walking through the corridors, I immediately followed you because I thought you would gonna go out because you usually don't go out like this late from your room.” Tom clarified, though his concern was evident yet he tries to give his daughter clarification.

“That is insane, Dad! I would never sneak out,” Mia protested, shaking her head in disbelief.

“I'm just making sure you are the only family I have. The only living thing that you mother left to me. You are the only thing that reminded me of her,” Tom admitted softly, his case filled with emotions.

“I know, Dad,” Mia replied.her own eyes glistening with tears as she reached out to squeeze his father’s hand a silent reassurance.

Tom was surprised that Mia visited the storage room since she didn't usually visit it because of her childhood trauma. Mia could not even remember how her mother died in front of her.

“Why are you in here anyway?” Tom asked, breaking the silence.

“I heard some noises,” Mia replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

“Nonsense!” Tom dismissed her explanation with a wave of his hand.

“I don't know, Dad!” Mia trailed of, unable to  explain her presence in the room.

“I'm surprised that you come in hearing after 10 years of being locked away from this room,” Tom remarked his sadness.

“What are you talking about?” Mia question confused with her father’s word.

“Since your mom died, you have been avoiding this room all your life because it was too painful for you to even step foot in this room,” Tom explained gently, his eyes reflecting the weight of the loss.

“Until now, Dad, it is very painful for me. But looking at this room right now, now where mom was last seen alive, it was bringing me some happy childhood memories that I spent with her. I just loved her so much I missed her…I just missed her,” Mia admitted, her voice cracking with emotions.

I know,Mia. but you need it to be strong. I'm sorry if I can't give you the mother love that you have been wanting for so long. It was just hard for me. Just the two of us. I hope you understand,”Tom apologised, his voice filled with remorse.

“Even mom is gone. I know that you are doing your best to support me and give me everything I need and thankful that Mom choose you a wonderful person to be my father,” mia reassured him with gratitude and love. 

 Tom was touched by the words of his daughter which is why he hugged her. Tom knew that Mia can't remember how her mother died, and for him, it was best that way. The trauma that Mia gets from his childhood is why she forgets it.

“I know that it has been traumatising for you,” Tom acknowledged gently.

“ I don't know. I can't remember much when that happened. I was just a kid. But I know that wherever mom is right now, I'm sure that she is happy with how our life turned out because it was great having a father like you,” Mia expressed sincerely.

“I would always be here for you,Mia, to support you,” Tom reassure with a warm smile. 

“I know,Dad”,MiaI replied, returning his smile with gratitude.

 Later, the morning conversation resurfaced in Tom’s mind, prompting him to seek clarification. 

“I wanna ask you something,” Tom began tentatively.

“What is it, Dad?” Mia responded, turning her attention to him.

“ Why did you ask me earlier if this room is clean or not?” Tom inquired, his curiosity evident in his tone. 

Mia hesitated on sure how to explain her actions.

“Come on, tell me,” Tom urged gently, his eyes searching hers for answers.

“I just think that it was clean affter all, this is the last memory of her that we have.This is the last place that she was in when she died,” Mia admitted, her voice tinged with emotions. 

“It was never clean, Mia.Since your mother death was too painful for both of us,” Tom explained softly, his gazed filled with sadness.

“I know, Dad,” replied quietly, her heart with the heavy of the shared grief.

“Do you plan on cleaning this?” Tom asked, changing the subject. 

“What? No,” Mia replied, taken aback by the question. 

“Then why are you in here asking me if earlier this place has not?” Tom pressed his borrow, pouring with confusion.  Tom wanted to know what is the motive for her daughter asking random questions.

“You can tell me, Mia, we don't hide secrets from each other, right?” Tom encouraged gently. “Right, Dad!” Mia said performed with a nod.

 with a heavy heart, Mia decided to confide in her father, even it meant admitting to falsehood. 

“Well, look at the place, Dad.It is clean already, but you keep telling me that it’s not. Since It's not been clean for almost 10 years, but look at it, it's so clean,” Mia insisted, her voice tinged with desperation. 

Mia switched on a flashlight, and attempted to show her father the suppose cleanliness of the room.

“What are you talking about?” Tom questioned his brow furrowing in confusion. 

“Look dad, The whole place is clean!Mia exclaimed, her voice filled with conviction. 

“No, no, honey, you must have been mistaken. This place has not been clean for so long,” Tom replied, gentle of his tone tinged with concern,

 Tom glanced around the room, expecting to see evidence of dust and neglect, but all he could see was Mia unwavering insistence of cleanliness.

“ Look, Mia, it's dusty,” Tom pointed out, gesturing towards the cobweb covered corners of the room. 

“What?”  She exclaimed, her confusion mounting as she observed these sudden change in the rooms appearance. She looked around, between what she had seen moments ago and what she was now before her.

“What are you talking about?” Tom repeated, his voice filled with worry. 

“But… I just saw it,” mia murmured, her mind reading with confusion.

“You must have been hallucinating,” Tom reassured her, his voice gently but firm. 

Mia gripped the reality of this.Position begin to sink in. Tom, sensing his daughters distress, reach out a comforting hand and help her to walk out of the room.

  Mia gulped at the sudden changes in the room. Tom his father, help her walk through the chat room to calm her down.

“But I….It was clean earlier…”Mia persisted, her voice trembling with uneasiness. 

“Take a deep breath,” Tom urged gently, his voice soothing. 

“But you have to believe me,” Mia pleaded, desperation evident in her tone. 

“I believe you,” Tom reassured her with a reassuring smile. 

“But why did it change all of a sudden?” Mia questioned her confusion deepening.

“Just breathe, Mia! You need to calm down first,” Tom advised, his voice firmly but gentle. 

As Mia struggle to make sense of conflicting emotions. She disclosed what she had felt to her. 

“I feel like something is calling me,” Mia confessed, her voice filled with apprehension.

“Maybe it was just because you were afraid,” Tom suggested his stone, attempting to rationalise Mia’s experience. 

“No, it was like something is saying me to go in there,” Mia insisted, her voice trembled with fear. 

“Come on, I know you were afraid and you just need to calm down. It's normal, it's just plain fear,” Tom reassured her, his voice filled with but paternal concern. 

  Tom was being cautious in his mind, after all, he is been having some weird dreams also these past few nights.