Winter Hearts

In Which Siana Has Breakfast With Jenny

Siana continued stretching, slowly bending and sinking into each position, as she thought about her upcoming trip. She had already packed, lightly as usual, since she already had winter clothes in Greece.

She had spent the last few weeks of college restless, unhappy. She was glad that, unlike most of her class mates, she had been brought up to look for work and business opportunities. She felt  lucky her mum worked from home as a copy editor and dabbled in writing here and there. It meant that there was always someone home for her, and it was a great comfort.

Her mum also sold handicraft which made her a surprising, if modest, amount of money. She herself taught dance part-time at the nearby ballet school, which offered street dance classes for kids on the weekends. Often she helped her mum tend to her booth at bazaars. She knew how to take care of herself, and how to keep busy.

Her dad lived in a tiny port town called Itea, which was situated south of Delphi, that tourist destination that kept the surrounding townships in business all year round. His family home was really an apartment building of four floors. The top was a penthouse that took up the whole floor. The next floor down was her small studio apartment and a slightly larger apartment for rent. The second floor had four apartments for rent on it, but most of those were long term rentals and, although paid less, were steady and provided her dad with part of his livelihood. The ground floor had four spaces: her father's apartment, his separate, now unused music studio, a retail space which faced the main road, and another apartment for rent.

She would be responsible for the guests' comfort, a concierge of sorts.

She sighed happily and jumped up. She tidied her bed and put away the book. Her mum called out to her from outside, and she went out for breakfast.

Her mum Jenny was sitting at the table with her espresso by her side. Before her, her laptop was open and she was typing furiously. Siana went over and kissed the top of her head.

"Love you, productive mother."

"Mmmhmm," Jenny smiled, never taking her eyes off the screen. Siana made her breakfast and sat down next to Jenny.

"Breakfast time, mother! Put the electronics away now."

Jenny sighed, typing the last few words and saving the document. She shut the laptop and rested her her chin in her hand, squinting at Siana as if she were a specimen.

"I love you too, management mary."

Siana cracked a smile through the toast she was biting.

"What will you do while I am gone, ma?"

"Sleep anytime of the day and party when I wake."

"Really? Party with your knitting wool and special scissors?"

"YAAAASS!"

"Ugh, ma stop."

"I have about a thousand tiny beanies to make for my christmas booth and this year i want to make me enough money to publish my trash novel."

Siana smiled, happy her mum would be busy while she was gone. Her eyes twinkled naughtily.

"Please don't ever ask me to read it," Siana said.

"Promise me you will never read it or recommend it to people we know."

They both held up their hands, munching thoughtfully.

Jenny smiled a little, then held out her hands to Siana. Siana looked at them suspiciously.

"You see these hands? These hands birthed you on their own."

"MA!"

"Ok, they changed your diapers. Anyway, they love you very much and want you to take care of yourself, and to give your dad a big hug, and that you forget about me for a while and that you find your husband soon." She placed her two hands on Siana's munching cheeks and patted them forcefully. Siana cringed.

"I don't want a husband."

"They want you to find anyone you want who is of a decent character, sexual orientation and fat paycheck to love soon."

"Ma, I barely made 20."

"Okay I take that bit back, I don't know, I was overcome. Anyway, someone real, not like those kpop idols you love."

"I don't just love them ma. I worship them." Siana stared blankly into the near distance, pausing for effect.

"That used to scare me, now I just worry you seriously think you should hold out for one of them to come sweep you off your feet."

"Ma, I know that will never happen, but let me compartmentalise my romantic fantasies. I swear I won't lose sight of reality."

Jenny's face crunches into a dramatic sigh.

"Awww, my baby, that makes me feel so much better."

"Do you need someone to stay with you, because I can ask Aunty Josie-"

"Ugh no, she's a neat freak."

Siana looked around at their spotless, minimalist house. She smiled.

They finished their breakfast, Siana listening to the steady pouring rain outside. Although she worried about leaving her mum alone, she could not wait to get on that plane and leave the hot tropics and school life behind.