A Cup of Coffee

c h a p t e r 1 9

Elizabeth

"Want to get ice cream before we go home?" I asked as we packed up the remains of our picnic date.

"Sure, do you know where you wanna go?"

"Yes! I know the right place,"

"So is this our second date?"

"Ad, we only have two weeks, might as well spend it as wisely as we can." I looked at him pointedly as he started to agree with my words.

"That's true. Let's hurry up then, we can't keep our third date waiting."

"Who says there will be a third date?" I joked as I folded the blanket we laid out earlier.

"I think the fact that we're going to get ice cream is a good sign,"

"That's true but it's all dependent on what flavour your getting!"

"Hmmm what's your favourite flavour?" Adam asked, as we descended the hill, he offered his hand to assist me.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out. We'll see if you're really my soul mate,"

"I'm pretty sure," we reached the bottom of the hill, hand in hand. I didn't want to let go of his warm hands just yet but I needed to stand my ground and not let myself fall so easily. I pretended to adjust my bag strap on my shoulder and let go of his hand.

"I like mango flavoured ice cream," he told me once we reached the parking lot. The walk back to the car was pretty silent after we stopped holding hands.

"You're messing with me,"

"I'm not, I tasted mango ice cream from way back and it was heaven. My dad used to bring me to this shop back in our hometown every end of the year and they started selling this mango flavoured ice cream. My dad gave me a scoop and I don't remember ordering other flavours ever since."

"Wow, I love mangoes but not ice cream flavoured ones. I like chocolate ice cream. Anyway, question time!"

"Go for it!" We were driving to a hidden ice cream parlour, a couple towns away from Penguinne.

"Do you remember your mom much?"

"I do, I do." He paused as we listened to the GPS. We were still half an hour away.

"All I know was she left when I was only 2 years old. She barely took care of me though. But at the same time, she was a teenager. What do I expect? Till now, I'm still confused as to who I am. She was only 15, still figuring out who she was and to have me was... she probably thought I ruined her life.

"I was way too young to remember a lot of things but, I remember her snorting this powder thing in the bathroom whenever dad wasn't around. I wasn't very sure what she was doing but she had all sorts of drug paraphernalia. She would get mad whenever I tried to go to her. Now I know why but back then, I was oblivious to the things she did.

"A little part of me wished you asked about my dad instead. I have more stories to tell you. My mom, however, was gone most of my life. The only time she turned up, through phone calss may I add, was to ask for help from her parents - Phoebe and Xavier - because she got in trouble with some drug dealers and it was some chaotic mess. She didn't even ask about me. What I know now is that she's still the same Hannah my dad met. She chose drugs over everything. But she's married too, to this other guy who pays her debts but hurts her. And she's letting him.

"I still call her mom for my dad, but she doesn't deserve that title. Moms are the most precious people supposedly. Hannah, Hannah... Hannah, mom.. she didn't even come see dad on his deathbed. I don't know what happened and to be honest, I don't know if it matters if I know." We were walking in to the ice cream parlour now. After giving our orders, I took out my wallet before he had the chance to and paid for our ice cream.