The Servant Boy

Chapter 10

Ray was sitting in a corner of his room, hugging his knees to his chest. His eyes was swollen because of so much crying. He can still feel the stinging feeling of his cheek. A tear rolled down from his eyes as he remembered how he was slapped.

Ray buried his face in his hands and sighed. A bitter and sad smile appeared on his face when the time he had spent with Martha came to his mind.

Flashback

"Maa.." The 4 year old boy said, lifting his face from the middle aged woman's chest. " Yes sweetheart?"  Martha asked and looked at the cute little boy on her lap, who was playing with a button of her blouse while looking at her with wide shiny eyes.

The little Boy's cheek which was pressed against Martha's chest has turned a little red. Martha noticed it and caressed his reddened cheek, earning a beautiful smile from the boy. She cooed at the little one, who was looking all innocent and pure.

"Can I shee mama again? " The 4 year old asked and then began to chew on the button of Martha's blouse, big eyes still locked with hers.

Martha stopped the soft caresses on the boy's cheek and cupped his cheek with one hand. It hurts her.  It hurts every time when little Ray says he want to see his mama.

Her eyes softened when she saw Ray's hopeful expression.

"Okay baby. Wait here. Maa will bring your mama's photo okay?"  Martha smiled fondly and said with a soft voice before standing up to fetch Diane's photo.

When Martha has returned, she was met with the 'cutest sight', in her words. Little Ray has stretched his legs on the couch and was swaying them from left to right with his little hands on his lap. Ray's eyes lit up at the moment he saw the photograph on Martha's hand and he stretched both of his arms, as if he was asking her to hand it over him.

Martha sat on the couch after giving the photo to Ray and made him sit on her lap again.

A few minutes have passed and Ray was silent through the whole time while looking at his 'mama'. "Mama no come to shee me. When mama come to shee me maa? " The little boy asked before moving his eyes from the photo to take a look at the woman.

"Mama no like Ray? But I'm good boy! I ate all vegies!" He kept babbling while pouting his lips and it broke Martha's heart. She smiled sadly at the boy.

"Your mama loves you baby. I'm sure she does. She asked me to -  keep you alive but away from her and her family." Martha didn't say the last words out loud. " -to keep you safe." She said instead.

"Some bad people tried to change your mama's mind baby." Martha sighed. "Good thing she asked me to take you. You were not safe there. She said and kissed the little boy's temple.

"Bad people? " The little boy asked tilting his head to the side. "Hm.." Martha hummed while nodding.

"Bad people tried to change mama's mind..? Like.. maa changes me into new clothes? They tried to give mama a new mind?"

Martha chuckled at this. " You don't understand yet baby. Just know that what your mama did, was for your own safety. okay?

"She even gave me a lot of money for your needs. Mama will come to see you okay? Let's wait. Keep being a good boy, your mama will come to see you if you keep being a good boy. hm? " Little Ray nodded his head and hugged the woman.

"Let's go put you into bed yeah? " Martha said while standing up to head towards their room with Ray on her hands. "Maa~wait until I give mama a kissie" The boy whined making Martha smile fondly at him.

End of the Flashback

Everything Ray has been known about his family so far was just what Martha had told him. Martha never tried to make Ray hate his mother for leaving him. No matter what Diane did, after all she didn't abort the baby. She didn't want to kill him.

So that Martha talked about only the good side of what has happened to him, and only the good side of Ray's mom. Ray was only a kid at that time after all. The kind maid didn't want to make hatred grow in an innocent mind of a child!

After Martha's death, Ray grew up believing what she had told him. He believed that if he behave like a good boy, then his mom will come to see him. So he always tried to be nice to the kids and the caretakers in the orphanage. He never threw tantrums like some other kids,never picked up fights. Even when other kids were being mean to him. Ray always tolerated the pain in his heart and smiled. He missed Martha dearly. But never cried thinking his mom would think he's a bad boy who always cries.

But when time flies, he began to doubt of his mother's arrival. Slowly, the hope has begun to flee away from him.

Years has passed and he was still at the orphanage. He was tired being a good boy. His mom was his only known family except Martha and Ray wanted her to come to meet him so badly. He didn't say out loud but he was afraid to be alone. He was afraid the thought of having nobody for him. So he tried to be a good person even in his worst days, so that he could meet his mom.

Some of the kids who he has been  growing up with were gone with their new parents. Ray watched the fellow kids getting adopted. But nobody wanted to adopt him. His mom also didn't appear.

With time, Ray began to believe that his mom doesn't want him, like some of the kids had already said to him. When he was at the age of when someone can understand things better, he didn't try to find where his mom was. He knew she doesn't love him anymore, he felt like that. So he stopped waiting for his mom to come.  His eyes held no hope, no life. Just loneliness and cold.

After spending 11 years at the orphanage, one day Ray got to know that his mom is coming to take him with her. First, he didn't believe what he has heard. His mom never wanted him after all!

But then, he remembered what Martha had said. She said Ray's mom asked her to take Ray away so that she could save Ray's life. His life was at risk back then.

So, Ray decided to believe on his mom and what Martha had said, again. It was difficult. He was full of doubts. But he decided to give his mom a chance. He thought his mom would be as desperate as him to be with each other. Ray decided to impress her, to make her happy and say how thankful he is towards her for fighting against his life threat and still wanting him at the end.

But now, Ray understands how wrong he was. How wrong he has been.

"I miss you maa. " Ray whispered before curling into a ball, hugging himself , on the floor.

~¬ Author ~¬
Thank you for reading!  :)