You Started It, Selene

1

I knew my mother well, and she wasn't a runner that's for sure. She always faced things head-on; whether that was getting a raise at her job or cussing out anybody that crossed her or her family. But when it comes to talking about her childhood or her life before coming here, our hometown, her face grows dark, she avoids eye contact, and she purses her lips. And so I would move on from the conversation and talk about something else. We lived like that. I'd ask her questions, she'd answer some and she'd answer none. Outside of that, while I wasn't studying for my college exams and she wasn't at the company, we'd spend the weekends having movie marathons, visiting different national parks, and just hanging out. I loved her, but unfortunately, life doesn't give you a heads-up when shit hits the fan. And so what was once movie marathons and hikes turned into doctor visits and surgeries. Eventually, her body couldn't take it anymore. Before her last breath, her eyes and voice were the clearest they'd ever been in months. She gripped my hands and said to me in her powerful voice, "Namora, before I leave, I need you to understand that I have loved you ever since you came to me. Everything that I have done thus far has been for your protection. Protection from something that I can no longer hold at bay. When I'm gone, she will find you and do everything to bring you back to them. Remember, you are powerful, you get to decide who you are, and you have a choice." Her eyes grew blurry and just like that, she left me. The funeral wasn't much, mom didn't want anything fancy and she didn't care for ceremonies. She just wanted her body cremated and her ashes thrown down at the beach. But as I was leaving the cremation services, a strange man was waiting for me outside. If it's one thing mom taught, always be on guard and trust your gut. And my gut was telling me to not engage with this man at all. So I kept my head down, mom's urn tight to my chest and quickened my pace toward my vehicle. There were a few people crying in the parking lot so I wasn't too worried; if need be, I'd cause a scene, scream and claim the man was stealing my mom's ashes. As I passed the man and got a few feet from him, he called for me, "Namora?" I kept walking. "Namora Fuku? Malerie Fuku's daughter?" I walked even faster. "I'm your mom's brother, your uncle Vince."

"I think you have the wrong person, my last family member died today you insensitive twat." Raising up her urn, I turn around to glare at the man. However, upon further inspection, I saw he held the same eyes and nose as my mom.

"I'm not here to hurt or do anything to you. I heard news that your mom had died and came as fast as I could. I know how hard mourning is alone and I wanted you to be with another family member at least." He stood there.

"My mom never told me she had a brother, nor a family at that. Just leave me alone." turning around, I grabbed my keys and got into my car. As I was pulling out, the same man got in front of my car.

"Your mom had the same nose and eyes as me. She had a mole on her left foot and she has a burn mark at the back of her neck. She hasn't told you about me or any of the rest of her family because she ran away when she was younger. Our father had forbidden her from marrying the man she loved and thus, she retaliated." I began accelerating the car–he'd move out of the way eventually. He didn't. He just pulled out a bunch of photos instead and placed them on my windshield. It was her, it was my mom. Even if she was 5, 13, or 26, I could recognize her anywhere. She was the love of my life. I stopped the car and sighed. Turning off the engine, I stepped out of the car and grabbed the photos. "Okay and now what 'uncle' Vince? You're here and you have me trapped in a crematorium services parking lot while my mom's urn sits in the passenger seat."

"As I said, I just thought you would need someone to be here with you."

"How'd you find me in the first place huh? Mom's been trying her damnedest to hide from her entire family including you and all of a sudden, only a few days after she dies, you show up claiming you're my uncle and want to be here for me. Explain that."

"Your mom and I were very close before she left. I was the one who helped her find this town. I was the one who kept the entire family from finding you guys. That job at Lakers Co. I got her that. She didn't tell you about me for fear that something would happen. Please, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I was still weary.

"Fine, if you're really as close as you say, what was her favorite movie?"

"Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde. But she's too embarrassed to admit it because she doesn't wanna come off as weak." He got me there. I ended up inviting him to coffee at a popular and often bustling café. We sat down to talk about mom and then the topic of where they grew up had come up. "There were mountains everywhere, streams that connected to each other, and soft moss to lay on. Your mom was free-spirited. She loved the outdoors." this explains why she loved taking me hiking every weekend–reminded her of the place she grew up in. "I don't wanna rush things too quickly, but I would love to take you back to our hometown and show you around. The family wouldn't know as they isolated me when your mother left because I helped her escape. But I think it would be nice for you to connect back with your roots and possibly have your mother's ashes spread there. I'm sure she would love to be back in her hometown." He smiled at me, but I didn't.

"No, that's not what she wanted." She wanted it down at the beach, and if that's what she asked, that's what I'm doing. And uncle Vince couldn't tell me otherwise. Slightly raising his hands in the air, he says, "Apologies, didn't mean to offend you or anything, it was just a suggestion."

"You didn't, I'm just saying she didn't want that so I'm not going to do that."

We finished up our coffees as he went to pay for the check. "I can pay for myself," I said.

"Your mom would have my head if I let you pay for a simple cup of coffee. Anyways, I wanted to do something nice for my niece whom I haven't even been able to meet in 21 years. A cup of coffee is nothing." I smiled a bit.

"Fine, I won't say no to free stuff." Although mom would have my head for that–" never accept anything free from a man you barely know, they always expect something in return." After he finished paying the check, we both got up to leave the cafe. We had parked our cars next to each other and so we stopped outside to stand and talk for a bit. "Here's my number Namora, call me anytime if you need anything. I'll be staying in town for the next two nights to sort some business out." He handed me a crumpled piece of paper with his number jotted on it. I took it and got in my car. I gave him a quick wave and drove off. I had contemplated all night and finally called him the next morning. The phone line was ringing, and after three rings he picked up. "Hello?"

"Uncle Vince, this is Namora, about mom's hometown. I'd like to go back with you and see what it was like."