"Grandma, where are you going?" Dave asked then jogged after the middle-aged woman.
As if she didn't hear anything, Seira continued on her step. Standing frozen in front of a photo featuring a husband and wife. Without realizing it, tears flowed, one hand rose and stroked the image of the woman in the photo.
Aaron who saw that immediately stood up, "What happened, madam?" he asked when he saw the middle-aged woman crying.
"Jennie..." Seira muttered, the woman was crying. It turns out that all this time her suspicions were correct. Since the first time she saw Claire at Devan's house, she looked very similar to her best friend and made her remember and miss her best friend.
"Yes, that's right, madam. This woman is Jennie, my brother's wife. Claire's mother," Aaron explained.
"Unfortunately, they had an accident a dozen years ago. At that time Claire was very young and didn't know anything," he added.
"So far I've never heard from you, it turns out that you were a victim of that accident," Seira muttered as she rubbed the woman's photo. Her memory flashed back to the times when Jennie and she were still young girls.
Aaron's brow furrowed at the words of the middle-aged woman in front of him.
"What is it, Sierra? Do you know that woman?" now Grandma is standing next to her daughter-in-law. Pay attention to the photo.
"She is.... she is my best friend. I knew her since childhood, at that time I was still living in Indonesia, we were friends until we graduated from high school. But since I continued my studies in Australia, we lost contact and never spoke to each other again," Seira explained.
"So you two already know each other," said Grandma, she never expected this either, nor did Aaron.
"You died at a very young age," Seira mumbled, her tears continuing to roll down her cheeks. The guilt in her came back. Had hurt and made her best friend's daughter cry. It felt like she couldn't even forgive herself. A tight feeling filled her chest.
Claire who came from the kitchen was confused when she saw everyone gathered in front of the photo of her parents.
"Put it down and arrange it neatly on the table," Claire said, glancing over at the few maids following behind her. Then she approached them.
"Why are you guys standing there?" she asked. And it managed to make everyone turn their heads.
Hearing the woman's voice, Mrs. Seira immediately wiped her tears and turned around, walked over to Claire, hugged her tightly. Makes the woman wonder and feel confused. Looked at everyone, as if she was asking for an explanation because everything seemed fine before she went into the kitchen earlier. 'Did something happen without me knowing?' Claire thought then hugged her future mother-in-law.
"What's wrong, Mom? Why are you suddenly crying like this? Did I wrong you?" asked Claire feeling a little doubtful.
"I am sorry, dear. I'm sorry," Mrs. Seira said, sounding sobbing.
Claire's brow furrowed, "I already forgave you that time, Mom. Why are you apologizing to me again? You are innocent, after all, you didn't do anything to me. You don't have to say sorry like this anymore," Claire replied as she rubbed the middle-aged woman's back, trying to calm her down.
Mrs. Seira shook her head. "Claire," she called, gently letting go of Claire's arms.
"What's wrong mom? Did something happen? You can tell me," the woman replied.
"May I visit your mother's grave?"
"My Mother's Grave?" Claire replied wanting to clarify her hearing.
Getting such a response, Claire looked at Aaron, Mr. Atmadja, and also Grandma as if asking for an explanation of what happened.
"Y-Your mother…Your mother is my friend. She's my best friend, honey. She and I have known each other since childhood," said Mrs. Seira explaining as if she knew the confused feelings experienced by her future daughter-in-law.
"Would you accompany me to visit her grave?" she added again.
Hearing that, Claire immediately looked at Aaron but only briefly and looked back at the middle-aged woman in front of her.
"Incidentally, I also wanted to visit there. Maybe next week, if you want, you can go with me, Mom," Claire offered.
"Next week? How about just today? You are free today, right? Atmadja and I are also free today."
"Erm…." Claire felt confused, didn't know how to answer. She then looked at Aaron. "Uncle…"
"Okay, we're going to visit your parents' grave today, honey. You don't need to ask for my approval, because I will comply with all your wishes as long as it's not something dangerous." Aaron interrupted his nephew's words as if he understood the meaning of her gaze.
Claire smiled happily then nodded, "Okay, Mom. My uncle will take us there today," Claire said to Seira.
"Now, let's sit down first. You guys just arrived, we'll go there in the afternoon," she added again, then gently tugged Mrs. Seira's arm slowly towards the sofa.
The middle-aged woman just nodded and followed Claire's words, and the others also returned to their previous seats.
"Please enjoy the drinks and food, sir, madam," the butler said to everyone.
Mrs. Seira smiled then grabbed the cold drink in front of her, drank it then put it back down.
"This is very delicious," she said praising.
"Ah, I almost forgot," she said again and grabbed a red box lying on the table, not far from where she was.
"What is it, Mom?" she asked.
"This is for you, honey. Open it," said Mrs. Seira as she handed the red box to Claire.
"It's a gift from me, you can't refuse it. Maybe this is not much in your eyes, honey. But I great to give it to you," she added and took her hand and placed the box on top of it.
"Thank you, Mom," said Claire. Slowly she opened the box, a necklace with a pendant in the shape of a white dove.
"That is my mother's necklace. She gave it to me when I wanted to marry him," said Mrs. Seira while glancing at Mr. Atmadja.
"It's a necklace that's been passed down from generation to generation, my dear. Soon you'll be the daughter-in-law in our family, so I'm giving you that necklace, honey. Hope you like it," she added with a smile on her lips.
Hearing that, Claire stroked the necklace. She felt he did not deserve such a precious thing. "But, Mom…"
"This is a hereditary legacy dear, accept it.. If later you and Devan have a daughter, give it to her when she gets married," said Seira interrupting Claire's words.