In The Rain

Chapter 26

Leigh and her mum entered their home around seven that evening. Leigh was holding shopping bags and so was her mother for they had done a bit of shopping after Leigh's piano class.

"Just put them on the counter will you Leigh?" Her mom was setting the bags down where she had mentioned. "I'll start with dinner while you put these away."

"Yes Mum." Leigh started unpacking the bags.  She doesn't seem so upset. She watched her mother start to catch water in a pot. She'll feel  better once I show her my grades. She was still excited about that. She had tried to show her mother earlier but her mother had ended up busy on the phone.

"I don't even know why I try to be honest . . ." Her mother was mumbling to herself tiredly as she got dinner ready.

Leigh wondered what that was about. She probably had a bad day at work. She would ask about it but she was afraid. Okay tell her now. She was bringing meat to the fridge. "M-mum?"

"Yes Leigh-Anne?" Said the lady with her back to the child. She was washing vegetables at the sink.

"Can I tell you something?"

"What is it?"

Leigh got even more excited. "Do you remember how-"

Her mother's phone started ringing then. "Hold that thought darling." She got a towel to dry her hands then answered it. "What did you do now? If it's bad news then you should hold your tongue." She sounded livid.

Leigh was stunned. She actually stepped away.

Her mom's eyes darted at her and she decided to leave the room. "Fine tell me."

Leigh-Anne watched her go. "I got . . . I'll tell her once she gets back." She decided to finish putting away the bought items and then continue cooking dinner.

Dinner had been made and Leigh was sitting over hers. She started to eat greedily without waiting for her mother because she was hungry from not eating lunch. She had not eaten anything. She had asked her mom to buy her something to eat before class but the woman had said that she should not be hungry. As if she can feel what I feel. Leigh was still mad about that.

Leigh finished her dinner then drank her juice quickly. Her mother could still be heard in the living room, yelling at someone. Maybe she'll be done in a bit. Leigh got up and brought her plates to the sink. She then covered her mother's food and went to wash her dishes.

After that Leigh realized that her mom was still on the phone. She was getting frustrated. "I could just show her while she's speaking. She might be so proud that she'd hang up to hug me." She ran to where her bag hung at the chair and got her papers out of it. Leigh then skipped to the living room where her mother was.

"Yes I understand that but this is an emergency . . ." Her mother was pacing and frowning. "Exactly! Why can't you just . . . look I'm trying to be professional here . . ."

"Mum." Leigh tapped her back. She was following her as she paced. "Mum look at this."

Her mother was doing a shooing motion with her hand as she listened to the person on the phone.

Leigh-Ann frowned and then went to her mother's front. "Mum look." She showed her the papers but her mother was not looking at her. She was staring at a wall with knitted brows. Come on now. Just look for a second.

"Yes! That's it. Now please . . . hey I just told you . . . ugh!" Her mother continued to pace.

Leigh-Anne tried following her. "Mum I got two perfect scores. Doesn't it just make you proud? Hugs." She opened her arms though her mother did not hear. "Mum . . . Mum I'm speaking to you."