To a new beginning!

Part 3

" This is really good Hanna. I missed this." Susan said as she sat in the huge kitchen devouring her plate of Egusi and pounded yam. "I tried to make something like this with that recipe you sent last December . It was a disaster"

Hanna laughed " There is plenty of time to learn now that you're back." She dropped the cleaning rag and sighed "i do worry about you Susie,  i worry about what you re eating all the time, i dont like those oyibo foods. Those burgers and those leaves you people eat there. They aren't even real food." Hanna complained.

It was Susan's turn to laugh.

"Han, you do know we have African kitchens and Markets there right? Burgers and "leaves" arent the only things i eat there. Once in a while i help myself to a good semo and vegetable soup. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about."

"If you say so. But dont ask me not to worry. Its my job"

Susan raised her hands in compliance. "Okay okay." But she smiled fondly. "Where is Bee anyways? I texted her earlier, i haven't gotten any response yet"

"Ha! How could i have forgotten, she said to tell you she'ld be here as early as possible tomorrow. Something about an overbearing client who needs her dress done today for an event that's happening tomorrow. That's probably why she is yet to return your text."

"Oh" Susan glanced at the wall clock in the kitchen. Almost Eight. "its pretty late. Where is she going to sleep?"

"My guess would be her apartment"

"Huh?" Susan looked up again in surprise.

"She didn't mention it?" Susan shook her head. "Oh. Well, she got an apartment close to her Fashion shop a few months ago" Hanna pulled out a chair and sat across Susan, with her own plate of soup.

"Why did she get an apartment? There are about six bedrooms in this house, what's she getting an apartment for?"

Hanna shrugged "something about wanting her own privacy and space. But honestly? I think my daughter just wanted to get away from me."

Susan smiled "I wonder why"

Hanna narrowed her eyes "don't get smart with me young lady"

Susan cleared her throat to hide another smile "Sorry ma'am. Well, to be fair, she is twenty six, now that you mentioned it, i do think she is entitled to her space and privacy. I dont think it has anything to do with you Han."

"'Could have fooled me. Her father couldn't wait to get away from me either"

The pain that flashed across Hanna's face was so quick that Susan almost missed it, she dropped her spoon and reached out to squeeze Hanna's hand gently "C'mon Han, you know your daughter loves you. Sure, maybe you literally could drive a person crazy with all the fuss and concerns" Susan continued when she noticed Hanna's little smile "But that's just how you love and its admirable. As for Bee's father? He was just a loser who didnt know what to do with all that love. His loss."

"Thank you" Hanna squeezed her hand right back.

  "It still hasn't really hit me yet you know" Susan said after a while "the fact that my father is dead. I keep thinking he's going to walk in any second now." Susan smiled sadly as she stared into her soup. After a while she pushed it away, her appetite suddenly gone. "How Hanna? How is it that he is dead? Just like that" She whispered. "I thought i had more time, we had more time"

  "You know, the one thing we should all really be worshipping, is death, the power it holds, to unapologetically decide to take whomever it chooses is terrifying. But there is something you should know." Hanna said.

" What's that?"

"That wasn't Patrick's first heart attack" Hanna nodded when Susan looked up sharply. "The first one was two years ago, I found him on the floor in his study, struggling to breathe." Hanna stood and started clearing the table.

  "Jesus Han. Why didn't anybody say a goddamn thing to me!?"

  "Language." Hanna said sharply. And then her voice softened " when the ambulance got here and your father was a bit stable, he said "don't call Susan" he had the oxygen mask on so i decided to wait till he could talk without one, apparently you were trying to make partner at the time, and he didn't want anything distracting you. Your father can be quite ambitious, even for you"

"I'm sorry i didn't mean to interrupt" They both glanced up and saw Martha standing at the doorway.

  "Oh, nonsense Martha. Come on, i'll make you a hot cup of tea."

Susan kicked back her chair and stood up just as Martha sat down.

  "Oh, you re leaving?" She asked

"Dinner's done. Its going to be a long day tomorrow, we do have a funeral to plan" Susan answered stiffly.

"Yes, yes we do" Martha returned softly.

Susan stared at her mother incredulously, she counted to three in her head to keep her anger in and in the end she failed miserably.

"Oh cut it off Martha. We both know you dont give jack shit about Dad, so dont think you re fooling anybody."

"Susan!" Hanna started but came up shortly when Susan whirled on her.

"Not now Hanna! I am sorry but stay out of this, it has nothing to do with you!" Susan knew she was going to regret her tone later but right now she was too angry to care. She turned back to her mother. "I don't care why dad wanted you here, i really don't give a rat's ass, but I will let you make a fool out of yourself on Sunday at the funeral and then i want you out of here as soon as possible" with that she turned and headed upstairs.

Hanna and Martha stayed in the silence Susan left behind for a moment before Hanna spoke.

"When are you going to tell her Martha?"

"I doubt i will. Think she is going to care after what just happened?"

"Yes." Hanna reached out, holding Martha's hand "yes she will. You're her mother after all, her reaction simply means she is hurting, and if she is hurting then she cares and she deserves to know at least."

Martha sighed and stared at her's and Hanna's conjoined hands. She hadn't thought it was going to be easy to deal with her daughter and she'd expected this treatment and it didn't make her heart hurt any less but Martha wasn't going to let that deter her, she knew what she came back to do and she was going to do it even if it was the last thing she did.