Agile

A Mother's Love

After taking a bath, Syahmi went down while wearing his T- shirt. He approaches the TV and switched it on. The smell of his mother's cooking can be smelled from the living room. Syahmi can't wait. It has been a long time since he ate his favourite meal. Mushroom soup!

Not like there's no mushroom soup being sold at the university, but everything that his mother cooks always tastes better than any other meal. He always eats there, but the taste is different. Really different.

"Syahmi! Dinner's ready! Hurry up before it gets co-" called his mum before realizing Syahmi is already at the dining table. She chuckled and gave Syahmi a hug from behind. Syahmi took a bowl and took some soup for his mom first, then for him.

"Syahmi! Syahmi! Look at this drawing! It's beautiful right?" Syahmi's little sister ran towards him. That nine year old girl really likes to run around the house.

"Haha. Wow! It looks great! You're really good at drawing , Ema." praised Syahmi while rubbing her head. I'm very impressed. She's so good at drawing! Even I didn't drew as good as her when I was nine. Ema sat at the dining table. She sang happily while looking at her drawing. She's proud after being praised. Kids...

Syahmi's mother took a sip of the soup she made. Then looked at Syahmi. She's shocked that he already finished a bowl. "Wow! You eat so fast, Syahmi! So how's the soup?"

"It's taste great! Just like when I was younger, mum!" grinned Syahmi.

His mum grinned back. "So Syahmi, how's life there at Australia?" his mum starts a conversation.

"Syahmi has a girlfriend there!!" said Ema

"Ohhh you're small but you already know a lot of stuff.. em.." Syahmi pinched his little sister's cheeks while laughing. Ema laughed.

"It's fine, Mum. There are many Malaysians there too. It is also not hard to find food there. Halal restaurants are available everywhere!" Syahmi replied his mum's questions about his life at Australia. "How about mum and Ema?"

"I'm still healthy as ever, Syahmi. I can still do house chores. You don't have to worry. Ema is also doing great. She got first in her mid term examination." explained her.

"Now this is my lil sis. Now here's your present!" Syahmi tickled Ema while she's eating. Some soup spilled on her shirt.

"Syahmi! I'm eating!" sighed Ema. Syahmi and his mum laughed.

"Emm.. mum.. how's dad?" He doesn't know why that question suddenly appears on his mind. He really wants to know about his dad whereabouts. His mum stayed quiet for a while. Then she sighed. "I don't know, Syahmi. Since.. he went missing four years ago, I never heard anything about him." said Syahmi's mum. Her eyes seem red. Tears accumulating in her eyes.

"Uhh.. the police didn't said anything?"

"No.. not even a single information about him."

I'm sorry mum. I want to know. I really need to know. "I can't even contact him." She continued. Tears roll down her cheeks. Syahmi hurries wipes it. Her sad face is immediately hidden with a smile. A fake one. "It's okay, Syahmi. If we still can live normally, we don't have to depend on anybody else. You don't have too worry about dad." she said again.

"Mum, this is my dream." said Syahmi in a comforting voice. He hugged his mum. "I will try my best to find dad. Okay? No matter what. He's my dad. We don't have to give excuses. I believe in him, he's a good man. He taught me what's good. You don't have to worry, okay?" Syahmi looked into her mother's eyes. Her mum smiled and rubber his son's head.

The disappearance of his father gives many questions left unsolved. Maybe he's still alive. Maybe barely surviving. Maybe dead. Or maybe he ran with other girls. Which doesn't make sense. Dad won't do that.

But maybe Syahmi's mum lose hope. Girls are usually like this. They are easy to give up. This is where Syahmi plays his role. Being the only man in his family.

For now.

"Okay Syahmi. Go on and finish the soup. It will not taste good when it's cold."