{Private} A depressing comfort

'Yeah...' Andrea says quietly as she keeps walking towards the apartment once. Once they reach the door to the apartment complex, she knocks on it and steps back.

She giggles as Andrea knocks on the door.

"There is no need to knock Momma."

She opens the door up and walks in.

"Papa I'm back!"

'Sorry, I'm still not used to it!' Andrea lets out a small laugh before entering the house herself. 'Kurai?' she asks and looks around.

"It's okay Momma~"

She giggles and runs off to her room where she falls asleep on the bed.

Kurai walks out of his room with Riku in tow.

"A-Andrea? Is that you?"

He notices her and walks over and hugs her tightly.

"I missed you so much! Where were you?"

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you' Andrea responds and hugs him back. 'I just had... something to take care of'

"What did you have to do that took so long?"

He looks at her slightly confused and paranoid.

"You aren't seeing any of the clients from where you work are you?"

'Not really' she shakes her head. 'Just some personal stuff. It's all taken care of now, so don't worry about it!'

"You know you could have talked to me about it right? That is why I am here ya know...your brother and me were both worried sick about you."

He continues looking at her suspiciously.

'Yeah, he, uhm... Mentioned something like that...' she smiles nervously, trying not to pay too much attention to Kurai's "positive thinking". 'I'm sorry, I never intended to worry either of you, really!'

"I assume he told you about our...talk..."

He crosses his arms and sighs softly.

'More or less, yeah... He doesn't seem very fond of you' she laughs.

"Yeah...looking back at it I did make myself look like an asshole. I'm sorry."

He smiles softly and kisses her cheek.

"I'm glad you are back."

'You know, I'd really like it if you two could get along' Andrea smiles. 'I know he's a bit hard to deal with at times, but please give him another chance'

"I will...Like I said, I made myself look like an asshole. I am sure he told you what I was doing..."

'He didn't go into details, no. Why, were you doing something... inappropriate?' she smirks playfully.

"Totally...Eos came over and we 'made up' our differences."

He chuckles at her.

"But seriously though...me and her talked...she knew about Mike's kids not being mine..."

'Ah, I see... So that's why you decided to finally tell Hitomi?'

"Well...I kind of had to...things got heated and she overheard us discussing it. It was one of the most difficult things I have had to do."

He looks upset about having to tell her.

"I was more worried about her well being...I am sorry..."

'What are you sorry for? Of course you'd be worried about her, she's your daughter!' Andrea smiles. 'Besides, as I said, I really didn't want anyone to worry about me. I know it was... irresponsible of me to leave without saying a word, but now that everything's taken care of, I promise it won't happen again'

"Andrea...what exactly needed to be taken care of?"

He pets Riku softly and looks up at her.

'A girl is allowed to keep her little secrets, Kurai!' she smiles and winks at him.

"But it kept you from me for 4 days...does it involve us?"

He kisses the top of the old dog's head and hands him a bone to chew on.

Andrea shakes her head. 'Not really. As I said, it's personal business' she says, fully aware of the fact that she's lying.

"Alright...I believe you..."

He sighs softly and attempts to guilt it out of her.

"It's just...you were gone for so long...I thought you had left me. Now that you're back, you have these secrets...I mean...I would tell you..."