Buena Mano Book 1 (Unedited/Unrevised)

I'm O-Ok... Chapter 4.2 Seeds

I arrived home at about 5 p.m. bringing with me the terrifying memories back at school and the package the man left. The memory was still fresh as I opened the front door of my house. Waiting inside was the living room and my mom. She was startled. My mother was in her usual deeds while I'm away for school. Poor woman, I thought as I went up to pay my respects and kiss her cheeks. I guess it can't be helped. Any woman would go as far as she had if they had been divorced at such a young age of 28. I was about 10 years old at that time.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked as she fumbled across the living room table hiding her effects. She noticed something was bothering me. Well, any mother would.

"It's nothing. Just tired from school I guess." I replied.

An awkward silence befell upon us while a syringe rolled out from the couch. I was disappointed and placed my right hand on my face. I looked at her and saw her remorseful blue eyes looking down on the rough cement floor. It was as if I was looking at a mirror. Well, we looked alike and our age isn't that far apart in the society's standards at the least.

The fan hummed as it swept the air to tussle her raven hair and brought the scent of green tea and medicine. It was an overwhelming aroma; gentle, sweet, and mildly intoxicating if only she hadn't been up to her vices.

"Whatever am I going to do to you?" I gave out a sigh and she just smiled. She went to me and gave me a hug. The warmest hug that made me forget what happened. It felt like I wasn't alone.

"You know, if you keep this up. People would mistake you for the mother and me for the daughter." She said.

"So stop it already. Ok mom? Anyway. Are you hungry?" I asked her. Breaking free from her gentle grasp, I wasn't careful enough to hide the wound I made with my hand.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked startled, as any mother would when they see their child wounded. She gently grasped and inspected my hand for a second. She wanted to look at it more but I backed off.

"It's nothing. An accident in the chemistry room. I broke the Erlenmeyer flask and got cut up." I quickly said. I think she bought it. Though, every mother has the tendency to know whether or not a child is lying. Even if that child was me.

I excused myself to change clothes and prepare dinner. The kitchen was at the back portion of the house, right past the stairs and the bathroom next to it. Our apartment was relatively small. But it has all the amenities a mother and child would need. The living room is where my mother always hangs around because of the cool breeze. Our rooms are located at the top floor.

I went directly to my room and hung my bag in its place. Put on my regular clothes and went straight to the kitchen. I was always the designated cook in this house after my mother relied on the substances.

Being married at such a young age, she did not have the time to mature and learn everything that was needed of her to be the foundation of the home. To speak plainly, her cooking skills are crappy and she didn't know how to manage the house. As for jobs, she had some for a time. A great deal of low class jobs. But she always had the habit of getting fired on her fifth month on it. Heck, she holds the record for being the most fired employee of all time.

Blame it on her lack of foresight I guess. Which brings me to the subject of me being a mistake. She never treated me as such, but I would be lying if I never thought about it.

I washed the peeled potatoes on the sink only to find out halfway done that there's no water coming out of the faucet. I guess my mom forgot to pay the bills again. Or rather, used the money to buy her effects.