I needed to lose you to love me

Chapter Ten: No more🙅‍♀️

" You need to eat more to gain weight sweetheart. I don't like the way you looking now. If it's so hard combining studies with taking care of yourself at the hostel then I'd rather you return home. I can take better care of you that way."

The subject of the matter kept biting on her chocolate as if nothing was happening.
" So is this what you've been eating instead of food? No wonder you look this way. I don't like it at all!"
She exclaimed while she took the chocolate away from her , replacing it with the homemade food she came along with.
" mum could you please give it back? I'm not done yet."
" no honey! It's proper you eat food and not sweets. They're  not good for you. Consider your health first before anything."
" but mum who says I don't eat food. I do eat proper food everyday. The chocolates are for once in a while. I do eat them when I feel down"
The concerned mother stood in awe wondering what at all could be bothering her daughter.
" Is that why you're not growing any bigger? Tell me, what could possibly be bothering you my dear? You know you can tell mommy everything."
" it's nothing to worry about mommy. I'm doing just fine."
" No no no. Of course you're not. Look at you. Something is eating you up sweetheart. Mommy is worried about you. I want to help. If there is anything you're stressed about just let me know okay?"
" mommy I already said it's nothing to worry about. And by the way what are you even doing here this morning? You didn't even tell me beforehand that you would be coming."
" Don't change the topic Karen. I'm your mother and I'm worried something could be eating you up. And seeing you don't even remember me telling you I would come by today makes me even more worried."
" mommy it's just stress from school and at the hostel. It's nothing serious. I will fix this okay . I got this."

Her mother knew it was always hard trying to get Karen to talk about her problems. She was always tight lipped and normally wouldn't talk about her problems no matter how hard she tried to talk her into telling her what her problems are. But in the end, her daughter somehow managed to get through the problems all by herself of which of course,  she never liked. However, she could only complain and that was it.
" sweetheart, I want you to know that I love you no matter what. And whenever it gets too hard for you to handle, just let mommy help okay? I trust you are a strong girl. But never let whatever the problems are eat you up. Learn to face your problems head on and everything is going to be alright."
" Thank you mom. I love you."
" I love you too my big baby. Don't forget to warm the rest of the food before it gets spoiled. And oh I brought you some foodstuffs. They're in the fridge. Please make sure to eat enough food okay?"
She kissed her and headed out explaining she got some work to do in her office. Karen had no time to see her off. Her mother was used to it so she never complained.

She sat still in her chair with the food her mother put before her still on the table. Digging inside the food, she felt so sorry towards her mother. But then all she could tell herself was it's always better to keep the woman out of her problems. She felt her mother worried so much about her of which she didn't like. Telling her mother about her problems meant the woman abandoning her work in the office to stay with her for a couple of days. Or the worst could be dragging her along with her to the house with the explanation of getting her to have enough rest and to relieve her off the stress she was going through.
To Karen, leaving her mother in the dark was always the best option. Done with the food, she washed her plates and took a hot bath. She had some papers to finish before going for her afternoon lectures. On the days when she had lectures in the afternoons, it always felt better since she didn't have to wake up very early in the morning to prepare for class. Had it not been for her mother's early morning visit, she could still be in bed since it was now 9 in the morning. She sat down to finish her work when an intruder scared her with an entry into the room without knocking.
" what are you scared of girl?"  Anne laughed so hard as she saw her friend jump out of her seat in fright.
" Goodness Anne you scared the life out of me."
" I'm sorry girl but I realized the door was unlocked so I walked in. I didn't mean to scare you."
She continued to laugh as she realized her friend was still in the same position she had jumped into( one leg on the chair and the other hanging around the chair while the papers were all over the floor).
" Then my mother must have left the door that way. My heart literally jumped out of its place. You're so annoying."
Anne couldn't help but continue to laugh at how scared her friend could be.
" This isn't funny Anne. Seriously you're so naughty , girl." The room was filled with laughter as she herself couldn't help but laugh out as well.
" But in a more serious note girl, you need to make sure your doors are always locked. This guys in your hostel cannot be trusted. Imagine if it was a guy who had walked in seeing you half naked like this. It wouldn't have been a good sight to behold at all."
" You  are right dear. I'm so fortunate it had to be you. It would have been a nasty scene if it had been someone else. But don't scare me that way again."
" Alright dear I'm so sorry okay. By the way I'm hungry. If your mom came by then I'm sure she didn't come empty handed. Where is my own share of the food?"
" You sure know when is the right time time to come. Go to the kitchen and help yourself. "