She stepped into the house and found it very quiet, almost devoid of human presence.
Her eyes widened, the basket of clothes in her arms ,dropped to the floor .
Her brows furrowed and her pulse quickened .Gloria's rocking chair wasn't in the living room . She immediately went to check in the bedroom but nothing.
To the kitchen, nothing .Estadey hurriedly left to check the backdoor but found the door locked from inside ."This means Aunt hasn't gone out, but the muddy sandals?" She asked herself while recalling earlier.
"Aunt !" Estadey shouted out .
Rushing back through the small corridor, she gasped from the sight of the figure before her eyes.
Gloria was peacefully sleeping in her rocking chair.
She was neatly tucked in her fully half knitted blanket which almost touched the floor. "Aunt, b...but how ?"doubt fogged Estadey's mind .Her feet were rooted to the floor, mortified by her imagination.
Her body didn't move. With all the noise she made in that small house,of course anyone asleep would wake up ,but why not Gloria ?
A thought washed out her doubt which was worry over reality of her current situation.
"What if I didn't see her ,or she had already passed out ?" she thought.
As conclusions raced in her mind,her trembling body stayed in place unable to move. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
She snapped out of her thoughts. The fear of approaching Gloria was inevitable to weigh her doubts.
There was a wax stained metallic plate on a small table near her. Without hesitation, she threw it on the floor.
The loud clatter of the metallic plate let out enough sound to wake Gloria up.
Gloria lazily blinked at Estadey as if the noise was casual to disturb .
"What's wrong child, you look troubled. " She slowly asked. "I...aunt,I searched for you every where in the house and you definitely weren't in the sitting room. " She fearfully said .
"My dear,don't stress me, alright?" she told Estadey.
Gloria grinned at her, but Estadey only saw a humble smile spreading across her face which settled down her fear a little.
Then the smile disappeared, Gloria's face was serious, her eyes stared dead at her.
Estadey saw the change in her look and blinked several times to separate her doubtful imagination from reality.
And saw the humble and loving look on her face once again.
"Now,what ?"Gloria asked .
Her face was calm but her eyes showed disinterest as if the facade being put on was wearing off.
Estadey slipped out of her imagination as soon as Gloria called out to her.
Glancing to the direction being pointed to.
Towards the door where the pile of clothes were scattered on the floor.
"My clothes are on the floor, pick them up." She urged Estadey with a serious face.
"I...I'm sorry, let me pick them up quickly. "She apologized and rushed to the door.