Apollo

two.

When I woke up this morning, I feel like something is missing, a dream from last night or a memory from yesterday. Whatever it is, I can't seem to remember. I have felt this way ever since I went home from the Pontheugh Art Museum last Saturday. That certain hollow only grew the moment I woke up on Sunday and this morning, it just got worse.

"Do you ever feel like you're missing something, Mom?" I asked her during breakfast.

"Always." she answered as she took a sip of hot chocolate. "Money. I'm definitely missing that." She said with a light chuckle.

I laughed heartily and took a bite from my omelette. "Yeah sure, Mom. Don't we all?" I said in agreement. "But I mean like literally a part of who you are is missing and you feel incomplete but you don't know what to look for or where." I said meaningfully while chomping on some more omelette.

"Well yeah, at some point." She paused to take a bite from her plate. "Some are lucky enough to find it, some just learn to live with it."

"Were you lucky?" I asked with sincere curiosity.

"Fortunately." She nodded with a smile.

"How did you find it?" I probbed.

"I didn't." She placed some more omelette on my plate. "He found me." She finished.

"Are you talking about Dad? He's the one that made you feel complete?" I exlaimed with a hint of frustration. "He left you."

"Yeah, I know." She laughed. "But he gave me you."

I was a miracle baby. My mother got in an accident when she was young. They told her that there was a ninety percent possibility she couldn't be able to bear a child. They held unto that ten percent of hope but eventually they let go after my mom got her third boyfriend and nothing happened.

Until my dad came. He was just visiting the town of Pontheugh when my mom met him outside the Pontheugh Art Museum. Anyway, that's her love story, not mine. But you get it. I was born, eventually.

"Aww, you're so sweet, Mom." I stood up to hug her. "But don't expect me later. I'm gonna go on a soul search. At least for a week. You wouldn't mind, would you?" I kissed her cheek and proceeded to the kitchen to wash my plate and mug.

"Of course. Be back not later than Saturday." She said as she followed me to the kitchen.

It was ten in the morning when I decided to head out in my bronze pedal shorts and white polo cropped shirt. I put on my white chunky sneakers and bid my mom goodbye.

I packed the dress I found in my bag when I went home last Saturday which I had no idea how I got it or where I got it. I also brought the coche hat and shoes that were with it. I brought some of my paintbrushes with me just in case. Lastly, I pocketed the piece of paper which is the only possible lead I got.

"I told my mom I was staying with you, so if she calls, and for some reason I'm not here, just say I am." I told Marg while I was pouring some chicken stock on the pot and she was sauteeing some garlic on a pan. Ria was busy chopping some carrots and green onions.

"Sure, whatever." She assured me. "Where are you even going?"

"To soul search." Ria answered for me as she was getting the can of corn which was beside me. "Find her soulmate." She continued.

Marg chuckled. "To find her star, her sun, her compass, her missing piece, the love of her life." She mused mockingly.

I rolled my eyes and feigned a laugh. "I'm going to Apollo." I said seriously.

"The god of the sun?" Ria asked with confusion in her voice and apparently in her face. "This just gets crazier."

"No. The painting." I answered. "I'm going to the Pontheugh Art Museum today."