Their Treasure

1. I'm Not Mama's Daughter?

"All Those debt collectors who showed up at your front door dressed like that? Perhaps your mom borrowed money not from regular creditor, but mafioso," said Melisha, or what I usually called her, Big Sis Mel. Today was Sunday, and we were in her room.

Mama was such a hard worker. She worked day and night. Yet it all was still not enough to defray our lives. She had to borrow from others to make ends meet.

But what did she actually do? Why did she work day and night, yet it's still not enough?

9 PM sharp, mama came home. "Oh My God! What happened to you?!" I was shocked at her appearance. Bruises was visible on her left cheek; her eyes were puffy and red. There was a huge shade of blue on her arm. "What happened to you?" I screamed while helping her walk. We arrived at the dining room, I immediately pull one of chair for her to sit. I took rubbing alcohol, iodine, and cotton and began to clean her wounds and treat them.

"What happened, mama? who did this to you?" I asked, my lips trembled. I tried to hold back tears of anger but to no avail. "They are bad guys. I'm sorry I can't tell you who," she said weakly. My eyes examined her whole appearance. Her hair was tangled, puffy eyes, not to mention wounds and bruises on part of her face and arm. Compared to her pain, my suffering is not much.

"What can I do for you ma? I don't want you to keep being treated like this continuously." Yes. This is not the first time. On another day, She came home with some wounds and bruises on different side of her face, arms. There was scars of whip wound on her back. Every time I asked questions, she always ignored them by saying things like this is job risk and other made up nonsense to stop me asking further.

"Oi! Are you even listening?!" Mel brought me to reality. I was lost in reminiscence of what happened days ago. "What were you saying? I'm sorry for zoning out and didn't pay attention to what you said." She gave me concerned look. "Is something bothering you? Please tell me." She took a sheet of tissue on her desk and wipe my tears. Unwittingly, I was crying.

Melisha was my best friend since childhood, she was my neighbor too. I first knew her when I was in kindergarten. She was three years older than me and she's always there for me. Her father was a cop. I often stay overnight at her place. Despite her being my best friend, I never told her about Mama and my family problem. I didn't want anyone to know about this. Moreover, I despised being the center of attention.

"It's okay, Mel. I  just remembered this very heartbreaking book I read. By the way, thank you for this. What were you saying?"

She shot me unbelievable look, then her expression turned flat and continued, "Perhaps, they are mafioso." This is what I like about her: She never demands me to reveal something I can't tell others, she truly respected my privacy. 

"What's Mafioso...?" I asked, confused.

 "You don't know?" she raised her eyebrows. 

"Nggghh... No," I shook my head.

"You rarely watch movies, don't you?" ouch that hurts.

"When it comes to watching, I often stream movies via my potato cell phone, using neighbor's wifi that reaches my home. They are really nice people, they even gave me the password, hehe." It's true though. The neighbor who lived next door are the nicest married couple ever. They are retired civil servants. They knew that I can't afford to install internet in my house. Hence, they let me use theirs. Moreover, they lend me their laptop to do homework! Bless them.

"Mafioso is Italian word, which means mafia member. In short, they are criminal organization. All their works are illegal," she explained.

"Hoooo I see, I often saw them in many movies but never pay attention to their name," I replied flat.