Opening her wardrobe, she grabbed her towel, dried up her hands gently. She then helped herself with a stool to safely return the towel on the metal rod above her head.
"Mom, I have finished doing the dishes" . The young girl shouted from her bedroom.
"Good honey, you are better than Chilop (their male dog). You can now do your own stuff." Her mom replied from the Master bedroom. "Okay mom, but at least stop comparing me with Chilop, am far better than such", Tammy replied, setting everything back to it's right position. As usual, it was Tammy's duty to help her mom do the dishes, especially when on holidays. "Sorry sweetie, I do not mean to do that you know, I'm just kidding" her mother replied.
"It's not the first time you are saying this mommy, next time I promise I will crush your nose" Tammy replied jokingly.
" Huhuh" her mom laughed at the joke. "Please spare my nose sweetheart" she continued
" I will if and only if you spare me too" Tammy replied as went to the study room. She got reach of her desk, opened the left drawer. She could not see her story book. She then opened the right drawer and rummaged her hands into it, searching for the book but she could not find it there too. Tammy then shouted loud enough; "I can't find my story book, mom! Have you seen it anywhere, please?"
Her mother assumed her.
"Mommy, did you hear me?" She shouted again.
"It's on my head", her mother replied jokingly.
" Alright mom, I guess you are busy reading it huhuh" Tammy replied laughing off. She then stood up and looked around. She was surprised to see the book she was searching for on the floor near the door. Hastily, she picked up the book and bunged the door behind her as she walk up to her mother.
"I've got it mom, I can't believe how I blindly passed it as I walked my way to my desk. It was just on the floor" She said to her mother joyfully.
"Oh yeah, you are always blind dear", she replied laughing. "Your big eyes have no sight at all, they were meant for external decoration of your body" her mother continued.
" Perhaps, you never knows "
"Come on, I will pinch you" she replied.
"Bye bye mom" Tammy siad a she walk downstairs
"Okay, I will catch up with you later" her mom replied in a moderate voice.
Sitting on the bench under the tall pine tree, Tammy leaned forward and placed both elbows against her knees to give support to her pectus. She opened the book and let her white eyes oscillate over the black and white pages. She then started flapping the pages one after the other as if she forgot the page she last read.
Finally she got to a page with some good pictures drawn on it. She stopped for a while, admiring an amazing picture. It was of a family; a mother, father and their three children, alike to Tammy's family build up. She looked at it with a lot of admirations. Perhaps it reminded her of the good but short time they shared together with her father. She lingered at the photo for more than enough time. Her eyes started dilating while her bright brown face was constantly turning pale. Her face was filled with a tangible grief. Tears of sorrows rolled down her chicks uncontrollably, before she started trembling like a scared goat.
Her whole body became weak . The book she was holiding on her hands fell on the ground, unaware. She closed her eyes with both hands and cried helplessly.
Her mother had finished cleaning up the room and was, leaning the parapet, taking a rest. She was astounded when she saw her daughter trembling on the bench under the tree. Something was absolutely wrong. She came downstairs to find out what the matter was.
"Taaam? Tammy?!" It was her mother calling. "Yes Maa'am", she replied trying to bury grief and sorrows within her. But her mother could still notice the degree of grief in her voice. Tammy's mother was loving and caring for her children. She could not bare to see any of her child in pain. She came close to her daughter. "What's up sweetie?" She asked with a gentle and caring voice. She then moved and stood in front of Tammy. "What's the matter dear, you know I never like to see you in tears. Now tell me Tammy, what's up darling?" She continued talking to her "Nothing mum, am okay! " Tammy replied. "Okay stop crying now." She said while holding Tammy tightly against her chest.
"Things will be okay, right?" Her mother said, kissing her on the forehead. They then stood there for a while before deciding what to do.
" Can I tell you something my beautiful baby?" She suddenly broke the silence with a warm and gentle voice "Yes," Tammy replied, still in tears. She sounded like there was a big flight within her. Tammy was going through hard time. Fighting within, trying to overcome the overwhelming sad nostalgic feeling of the lose of her father who happened to her best friend. Drawnick, her father, passed away three months ago, and the wound is still fresh in Tammy's heart. She finds it very hard to accept and move on, may be more than any other member of the family, because they seemed to be easily embracing the sudden change. "I've got a surprise for you" her mother continued, wiping Tammy's teary face with her white blouse, trying to get her daughter back in the moods once more. "What's that?" Tammy replied wiping traces of tears on her face with the back of her left hand. "Let's get to the house I show you what." Her mother replied smiling. Tammy let out a deep sigh before she forced out a smile to her mom and then reached out for her hands. Her mother let her right hand move around so as she hold Tammy on her left shoulder while Tammy wrapped her hand around her mom's hips. Like a complete mission, the two were ready to leave scene for the room.
