A mother's love

Chapter 2

Brian was too polite to suggest to Brenda that perhaps she'd kept him at the front of the class talking about his book report for too long. He didn't like being the centre of attention, preferring to remain in the shadows as much as he could. It was after Brenda had arrived at the school and singled him out as her favourite that he acquired the target on his back. The other boys didn't like that he received so much attention from Brenda and the girls didn't like that the boys had eyes only for Brenda, so they took their frustration out on Brian, her favourite. This isn't to say that he didn't enjoy the attention that he received from her. She was incredibly beautiful and being the one that she had chosen as her favourite made him feel special.

At home Brian stayed in his room studying and reading and only left it when needs necessitated he did. He lived with his mother in public housing and they got by on food stamps. His father hadn't died, he'd run out on them. Brian took care of all the domestic responsibilities at home. He picked up their welfare cheques and food stamps himself and bought all the groceries they needed then turned whatever money remained over to his mother who bought drink with it. Brian had thought about running away but never seriously; he couldn't leave her all on her own, not when it was up to him to make sure she ate, bathed, and slept in her bed.

He stayed in his room to avoid his mother. She'd been diagnosed with bi-polar in her twenties and had refused to receive treatment for it fearing the stigma of mental illness. The mood swings that she went through were amplified by her drinking. When she was depressed she would cry and lament their fatherless situation; when she raged she would stand outside his door and yell that it was his fault that his father had left them. Brian had grown accustomed to his mother's abuse and most of the time he was unhurt by her words. Inevitably there were times when it became too much for him and he couldn't listen to another word or another sob. At those times he'd climb out of his window and walk around aimlessly, hoping his mother would be done by the time he got back home.

Hisprimary escape was books, as there wasn't the money for him to have his own TVin his room. He read enough to learn a great deal about important authors andtheir works. His knowledge impressed Brenda and that encouraged him to readmore. He didn't care about the unwanted attention that being Brenda's favouritebrought upon him. Brenda was the only person he gave any consideration to. Hewas in love with her, of that he had grown certain, and of late he had startedto wonder if there was more to her favouritism of him than just his status asher best student.