One With My Rival

chapter ten

This is a joke.

This has to be a joke because there's no way that that woman up on stage with a huge smile is someone I know.

I feel dread. Nothing but dread- maybe a tad bit of irritation because I'm facing my mother sooner than I wanted, but other than that, it's just dread. I watch her enthusiastically wave her arms to the crowd, gold accessories glimmering against the spotlight, one nearly blinding me when the light hits just right and angles the reflected light in my eyes.

"Thank you! Thank you!" I stiffly found my way back to the main area, this time up front so I can see if that woman is actually her and not some made up image my mind's trying to fuck me up with.

"I have to say, I'm a bit nervous since this is my first time auctioning something of mine"

Okay that.

.

.

.

That does not sound good.

At all.

I blink up at her mentally fighting over whether or not to urge her to continue so I can deem whether or not this is worth my time here or pray that stage fright will happen to someone like my mother and have her back out.

"But the year's coming to an end soon so why the fuck not" She laughs, high in pitch and I find myself flinching away as usual. It doesn't help that the crowd laughs along with her and some screechy giggle of a woman in the front row harmonizes with her.

I pinched my nose, head throbbing already. This is probably some bullshit I don't wanna see nor experience and I'm probably just wasting my time here.

Then my mother pulls at the white curtain behind her.

And suddenly it's not nothing anymore.

It's a clothing rack with one article of clothing hanging on it and a necklace. The crowd erupts into "oohs" and "aahs" as they all curiously watch my mother while some wrinkle their nose in disgust at the sight.

I on the other hand, was stunned to silence. A heavy weight drops in the pit of my stomach and something nasty is gnawing at my heart as my eyes falls on the worn out pink onesie that's obviously been used and washed too many times.

"I know! I know it looks old and worn out but what stands before you is a very, very special onesie" Nothing's going through my brain right now. It's just staring blankly at my mother as she runs a hand through the sleeves with a distant and almost fond look on her face. 

"It was my daughters'. She died a year ago" The crowd gasps, a bit too dramatic for a bunch of strangers listening but who am I kidding. They're wired like this. My mom nods solemnly and for a minute, she actually looks genuinely sad.

"Bidding starts at 50k" But then the sincerity's gone.

My mouth falls open partly in shock but mostly in disbelief.

I... I'm actually speechless right now.

This woman has rendered me speechless a lot of times and normally I just play along with it, only settling on mentally praying for the onslaught torture to end.

This however, isn't it.

That's my sisters' belongings she's auctioning off. I wouldn't have batted an eye if it was her own clothes or her one in a hundred cars.

Sadly for her, she's doing that with me present in that.

And like hell is she auctioning off something my sister owned.