END OF THE BEGINNING

31: Dead End

So my friend got robbed on his way back home and because of how he felt losing a couple of important things, I was in a bad mood (and I still am) when I wrote this, so, I apologize beforehand if this chapter sucks.

"Mom, stop whining like a two-year old. We'll be fine."

I removed an empty carton from the dining table in my house and set it on the floor, hoping to dispose it later.

"How could I possibly drive to work from here? It's too far..."

I groaned as mom started talking about the disadvantages of staying at my house.

We moved in yesterday and have been trying to set up a few things in place. Like the kitchen and the bedrooms we'd be staying in. Other furniture had white cloth draped over them, so there was no dust to wipe off. Mom's room was directly next to mine, unlike at her house where my room was far away from hers, but not enough to be oblivious of Tamara's and I's heated arguments almost every time.

I really should stop thinking about her if I'd recover. As if that's possible. I scoffed at my own thoughts

"Florence."

I glanced at mom. "Hmm?"

"You seemed so faraway, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine..." I moved to get the bottle of disinfectant from mom. "Allow me."

She stepped to the corner beside the gas cooker and watched me wipe down every single surface in the kitchen with disinfectant.

"If not for everything going on, I would have suggested we go get lunch." I looked back at mom who was peering into an empty cabinet, probably deciding what things could fit in there.

"Or we can just order."

I smiled and set the detergent spray and the rag on the counter before reaching for my phone on the kitchen table.

I made a phone call to a nearby chinese restaurant and they said someone would be here in five minutes. When I ended the call, mom was no longer in the kitchen.

I shrugged and resumed cleaning till the door bell rang.

I guess food's here.

After I had paid the delivery lady, I set some plates on the kitchen table for me and mom. We haven't really gone grocery shopping so I knew we'd live on takeouts for some time.

"Smells good..."

I looked back at mom who was smiling at the plates before her.

"I was wondering where you went off to."

Mom pulled out a chair and sat in it. "I had to speak with Mr Adam, you know work and stuff like that."

I gave her a look. "I haven't really seen you two together in awhile, all good?"

Mom nodded and pushed some strands of ramen noodles into her mouth with a pair of chopsticks. "Yeah. We good." She chewed slowly.

I nodded and then silence took over as we relished our food.

Philip stopped over later in the evening to check how we were faring. He said a couple of words to mom who was watching a TV show previously and motioned me to follow him upstairs. After I stood up to catch up with Philip, I looked back to see the smug smile on mom's face. I knew what she was thinking but it was totally the opposite of what Philip and I intended doing. We only wanted to have a conversation away from mom's ears and so to prevent her from getting suspicious, I let her think what she wanted.