A Secret Kiss

  Chapter 44

  Sayonara, My Beautiful Family

  The old Toyota Corolla came to a halt a good distance from Princeton Mansion. Sakura, in jeans and a light sweater, got out of the car. Ned watched her as she walked up the pathway toward the house, his eyes dark with sorrow.

  Sakura entered the house via the back door and then took the back stairs up to the second floor. Once she was in her room, she took out her treasure box and took out the cards she had prepared a few days ago.

  Some moments later, she was standing outside once again, looking toward the house. There were lights in the drawing room, and from this distance, she could hear the family going about doing their things.

  At this very moment in the drawing room, James and Brenda were sitting by the lit fireplace while Tristan, Logan, and Hayden were working on a get-well poster for Sakura and Darcy. Nicolas and Sebastian were on their laptops, working on their card for the pair as well. Conrad was busy writing his get-well messages on the card that he had handmade for Sakura. He was rather pleased with the outcome and hoped Sakura would love it.

  As they went about doing their projects, engrossed, no one noticed Toby getting up from his cozy spot by the fireplace and trotting quietly to the door and then out of the house. The dog instinctively came to his master, who was standing by the pond, waiting for him.

  Sakura picked Toby up in her arms and kissed his nose. She gazed at the house a bit longer, her heart aching. She knew, however, that she couldn’t stay much longer. She had to go in search of her biological mother, to live her life, to experience her life.

  She closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks.

  Sayonara, my beautiful family. Mono no aware. You are like the sakura flower. Bloom vibrantly, just like this spring, so beautiful and full of life and color. You are here in my life for only a short time, enchanting me with your wonderful way of life and your everlasting kindness, and a brief moment later you are gone again, out of my life. I am sad, my beautiful family, to leave you behind. I am sad to never see you again, to feel your love, to hear you call me sweetheart. But I must go. Thus, sayonara, my beautiful family.

  Slowly, Sakura walked down the road, leaving her beloved, beautiful family behind. A few moments later, the car drove away from Princeton Mansion, away from Princeton Estate, away from the Princeton family.