August Reveries (FreenBecky)

Chapter 2: The Day We First Met

- ABBY -

Seven years ago [Bangkok, Thailand]

My Mum and I did not get along well.

Both my parents were mostly absent during my formative years, but at least my Dad was trying to establish some sort of bond with me whenever he was in town.

My Mum, on the other hand, had always been distant—physically and emotionally. Like, there's this huge invisible line drawn between us.

Because I was the only child, most of the time left to my own devices in a spacious mansion, I grew up with my Nanay Eve as practically my guardian and role model.

The elderly woman has been with us since long before I was born, having worked as my mother's nanny when she was younger.

One day, Nanay told me that before my mother became Doctor Patchara Samak or Pattie—as she would affectionately refer to her—my Mum used to dream of becoming a singer.

Aside from being impressed by Nanay Eve's incredible voice, my interest in music was piqued by the thought that it could become a common ground for my mother and me. That, finally, I will have a bridge to reach out to the woman I yearn to get to know and get close to since she was always away and distant, even when she was at home.

But instead, my mother was furious. She did not appreciate that I talked about her childhood dream—that I like to sing because she loved to sing.

Doctor Pattie did not like that and was quick to shut that dream down, saying I should pursue a more practical career that is stable and private, that pays good money, that would give me honor and dignity—the whole nine yards, you name it.

And I was heartbroken, to say the least.

She may have stayed for more than a month after that, but it was only to make sure that I wasn't doing anything she disapproved of. And because I was too young and naive to understand how big of a deal that was for my mother, I missed the rippling undertones, the silent glares she was throwing at Nanay Eve—on how she detested the older woman because she introduced me to singing and for encouraging me to continue doing so secretly.

Looking back, my Mum was simply ridiculous. More so when she fired her former Nanny, my Nanny—the only constant person I had growing up—because of it.

My Dad even supported me, glad I had these interests and that I was growing up quite nicely, considering they weren't home often. It was only my mother who was against it.

She didn't only remove someone who's been loyal to our family; she also took away the only companion and reliable guardian I had.

Nanay Eve was my solid rock. She was my number one fan, my constant supporter. She taught me a lot of things my mother should have. Also, she encouraged me to do whatever my heart desired—to strive for what I wanted and chase after my passion.

After Nanay was fired, I stopped trying to reach out to my Mum and build a relationship with her. I became a real headache, too, at least to her. I rebelled by continuing to sing, joining the theatre club, and pursuing more right-brained hobbies while not taking my academics as seriously as she had hoped.

I was 14 when my parents filed for divorce, and as sad as it was, I had been anticipating it for a while. I was old enough by then to realize that the separation was inevitable. They weren't acting like lovers or partners, for one. They were rather strangers sharing a child they left to live alone in a large mansion in the heart of Bangkok that they would occasionally visit.

But it doesn't mean it hurts less.

Despite being frequently absent from my life due to work overseas—my father with his dairy business in Melbourne, while my mother was stationed in the far-flung region of Thailand, sometimes in neighboring countries—the fact that they were still bound by marriage provided me with some sense of stability.