HIM

CHAPTER 9

I am so sad and mad. Why didn't Mum come and watch me present? She made a promise,why didn't she keep it? I so much felt like crying as I left the stage. I was expecting I'd see her walk in minutes later after I had started my presentation. But no, that only happens in movies. I don't even think I did my best up there, and at this moment I really cared less about how I'd turned out up there.

"Hey dear, congratulations! "  I turn around to see May and my other four friends. May pulls me in for a hug. The others join in each after another.
"Thank you, was it really worth it? " I ask so innocently.
"It really was wonderful. Linn, you have a great voice, " that was Frances.  And it was a nice comment.
"Well, thank you. Am sorry I have to leave now. Hope you don't mind."
"Sure, it must have been a long day getting ready for this. Going home? " May asked.
She guessed right, I just needed to see one person right now.
"Yeah."
"Well then, bye for now. See you in the night."
The girls night!
"See you then. "

I walked away feeling bad still. Just then someone came behind me.
"Linn, congratulations! That was a nice one." Flen said.
"Thank you. "
"Why the sad face? "
Is it so obvious then? Bad enough.
"Mum failed to show up. "
"Maybe she got overworked or something, don't be that way. "
Sweet Flen again, wow!
"Am going to get home now actually, I think I want to find out why. "
"Want me to tag along? "
"Sure, let's go. "
That was too easy. I mean, I was starting to enjoy Flen's company.

Well, it was only 4 o'clock in the evening, so that was still early enough. Maybe I was angry at Mum not showing up, but the walk with Flen calmed me down. He's a cool person really. He talks not so much, but has a sense of humor. I wondered why though I'd never seen him with anyone else but me!
"Flen, do you have a girlfriend?" I shot up unexpectedly.
"Oh, what do you think? "
"I think you should answer my question silly boy," I replied.
He looked at me smiling before answering back, "Do you want to be my girlfriend Linn? "
"Flen, I only asked you if you had a girlfriend and here you are asking me such a question. Wow! That was funny! " I commented sarcastically.
"Fine then, I don't have one and I'd be happy to have you as one, " he said with a smirk.
Maybe it was a joke, but I kind of felt flattered.
We talked on and on about anything and it was in that particular evening that I knew he was a silly boy; my favorite silly boy.
We parted ways right outside our house.

It was still early, so that meant she was at work. Why not go check her out there for once? I changed quickly and rushed out of the house. The evening breeze was starting to fill the air, so I opted to walk. Besides, it wasn't like it was a far place.  I tend to believe my life rotated so simply: school wasn't far, my friends stayed near, Mum's place wasn't any different either. Just a small radius my world rotated in.

Just outside the shop and I realized it had been long since I came here. There was a large imprint on the entrance : Sweet Café.
There was a real crowd inside. The place looked busier, and better maybe.Now this was the reason Mum came home late at times, or even failed to show up. Am not angry at her anymore, but at me now.
The smell of coffee was strong inside, everyone ordering their preference. My Mum has always been a coffee maniac, if there's anything of the sort.
She brewed the best of them, and my favorite has always been cappuccino; I love the milk froth.

"Hey Linn, it's been long," Mary, one of the workers and mum's friend said approaching me.
"Hey, it's school keeping me so busy you know. "
Listen to the liar speak.
"And you've grown into a beautiful girl already, you're really flying."
"Thank you, " I smiled at that.
"Anyway, how's your mum right now? "
"Wait, I think she should be here. I mean, she works with you, doesn't she? " I asked so shockingly.
I don't want to think that I've been so distant with my mum so that I didn't even know her workplace.
"She does yes, but she was unwell in the morning so we called a taxi for her to the hospital. I thought you knew maybe. "
"Not until now. What was wrong with her, was it so serious? " I inquired so helplessly.
Mum rarely visited hospitals, so that had to be serious I know.
"I really don't know Linn, I only remember seeing her struggling with the coffee maker and she looked weak, that's all I know."
"Please take me to her. " I pleaded.
"But it's still working hours, why not wait up for some few minutes then we'll go together. "
"No, just close the shop saying there's an emergency and we'll go. "
"You know your mum won't be happy if she hears I did that. "
"You'll tell her it's me, please let's just go, please. "
I can be good in pleading if I want to. But this wasn't a joke either, it was mum's health. In the next ten minutes or so, the shop was all closed, and we took a taxi to the hospital.