Randoms

Pasta

This is a though one. Enjoy.

"Tata! Come here!" Luka says hanging from the swing upside down, his face illuminated by a huge smile, seeing that alone makes me smile. I go to him and pick him up, walking back to my back pack with him in my arms ready to leave the park. "No! I want to stay!" He complains, stirring in my arms, trying to get down when he realizes where we're going.

"Mom is making pasta for lunch." I tell him, leaving him on the ground, knowing that word alone will get us home without complains. He looks at up me with a radiant smile and takes off running.

"Let's go! Why are you taking so long?" He says waiting for me at the entrance of the park. I chuckle, picking up my bag and following after him. He runs away from me while giggling and I chase after him, he is a real trouble maker, according to mom I was just like him.

"Luka, hand." I say when the streets start to get crowded, my chest tightens just at the thought of losing him, mom would kill me if I ever let go of the only light in our lives.

We reach the small apartment and I open the door to let us in. "Moma! Wendy said we have pasta!" He shouts letting go of my hand and disappearing into the kitchen. I smile when I see my mom pick him up in a playful manner. I couldn't ask for a better family.

After leaving my books in my room, I join them both in the kitchen to find my baby brother sitting on the counter and mom cooking besides him. Both laughing, both joyful, and, of course, Luka is already stuffing his face with food. His appetite is endless, just like mine.

As soon as he sees me he extends his arms at me, demanding me to pick him up, I oblige to him and how could I not, he is the cutest cutie I have ever seen.

I leave him on the floor when I see my mom's expression of worry, disguised by a smile, but still present. She can hide it from him but not from me. The spoiled child besides me pouts, demanding attention. "Go play in your room." I tell him. "I'll call you when the food is ready." He would usually complain more, but he can tell there is no arguing this time. Mom lets him do anything, but some lines have to be drawn.

"Hey, Wendy, how was your day?" Mom asks once the five year old leaves. Something is definitely wrong, her eyes are baggy, red and she's avoiding eye contact. I've seen this too many times, she has been crying.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, my arms crossed over my chest and frowning at her.

"Nothing, why?" She asks sweetly. I glare at her. How old does she think I am? We've been through hell together, she can't lie to me.

"Mom." I demand her to tell me what is bothering her. She sighs, more like a sob. I don't like this.

"I want you to leave." She tells me, finally being honest, and taking me back. I need her, she needs me. I can't leave.

"Why?" I ask, not really understanding her request. I misunderstood, right?

"It's better that you don't know. I've talked with your university, they will transfer you to another one a few hours from here. Take Luka and leave. You're still young, you still have a life to live." She tells me, avoiding my eyes. She is keeping something from me, something big.

"Why?" I insist. "Why not move the three of us?" I ask. It's not like I want to move but I'm not really attached to this place either, with my studies and Luka I don't really have time for anything else. I barely have time to sleep.

"Alan is out." She says, knocking the air out of my lungs. It'd been so long since I had heard my father's name. "They reduced his sentence. It's not safe for you here."

"No. Mom. They can't let him out." I say, my thoughts already drowned in panic.

"I know he hurt you sweetheart, that's why I'm asking you to leave." She says pulling me into a hug, but I refuse it.

"He hurt you too! You're not safe alone." I say fisting her sleeves. "We all move, Ok? We already changed our names, and he doesn't know about Luka. If we all move he won't be able to track us down. Mom, I'm not leaving you." I say, tears blurring my vision. They're all I have. They are all I need.

"It's safer if you transfer to a university dorm with Luka. You'll be able to take care of him." She says cupping my face, but I'm already shaking my head. "It's a mother's instinct to protect her child-"

"And you'll be able to do that besides me, not kilometers away." I cut her off, knowing where she's going with this.

"Do this for Luka!" She shouts at me, her checks wet with tears. "Do this for your son." She says pulling me into a hug. I hug her back, and this time neither of us bother to restrain our cries. The stress, the fear, the pain, so familiar yet so distant, coming back from the past.

I see my baby looking shyly at us from the door. I smile, he is the only good thing my father gave me. I let go of my mom and crouch down, opening my arms to him. He quickly comes to me and I hug him tightly, close to my chest, just how I used to hold him when he was a baby.

"We're moving, all of us." I state, looking at my mother, not even giving her a choice in this.

"I want pasta." My son whispers in my ear and inevitably making me smile.

Thoughts?