Veiled Echoes

C H A P T E R 10

AIDEN

"How did your second match go?" My mum's voice echoed through the speaker as I placed my phone on the counter and opened my fridge.

"We lost, ma." I couldn't help but feel bitterness lace my tone as I brought out eggs and bread.

"Leave him alone, honey. Your son's still coping with a great loss," my dad's voice rang, humour edging his voice. "Are you on the tipping point?"

I shook my head as I cracked the eggs. "Yes, Dad. I feel like I'm going to suffocate to death right now."

He chuckled before hissing, with my mum smacking him following right after.

"Don't listen to him, Deny. How's college?"

I smiled at the familiar nickname, longing to build in my chest. "It's pretty good so far. I miss you guys though."

"A little birdie told me your new girlfriend has occupied your time," Mum said teasingly. "We thought you would forget about us."

My cheeks tinged with heat, and I whisked the eggs before pouring them into the pan. "I wonder who this little birdie is. Are you spying on me, Ma?"

Mum's laugh was followed by clanking spoons and another small hiss. "I was just curious why my son had not called in a while. Then I came to figure out that he had started dating the girl he hadn't stopped gushing about."

"Ma, let's not go there," I grunted out as I made scrambled eggs. "How are you guys doing?"

"Relaxing. Retirement just means spending more time with your father, which is quite hectic at times." I smiled upon hearing the glee in her voice. "But after working so hard to raise a law firm, I think I deserve this rest."

My mother's dream was to always be settled by fifty, ever since she had me. She had always worked hard to earn a lot of money so she could retire peacefully and enjoy her life afterwards. Now that she had a lot of free time, she was able to spend more time with my dad at the company and simply relax.

After building an empire for twenty-five years and handing it down to my cousin, I couldn't be any more proud of her.

"Despite being free, you have not visited your son once," I said, feigning disappointment.

I walked over to the table, placing my plate of breakfast and an apple juice.

"Don't blame me! Every time I ask you, you have something coming up."

Turning on my FaceTime, I leaned my phone against the glass of orange juice. Soon after, my mother's face appeared as she looked at me with a mischievous grin.

"I see my son is glowing this early in the morning." She raised her eyebrows, giggling. Then her mood dampened as she took off her apron and took her phone with her somewhere. "Maybe I should reside in your apartment. It can get boring here without your dad."

I sighed, tilted my head, and finished chewing my scrambled eggs. "You have my spare keys, ma. Crash here whenever you want. Anyway, I miss your food."

A smile was back on her face as she snuggled against my dad's arm as the sun perfectly rested on her face. A lightness filled my chest seeing my mother this content.

"You'll see your fridge stocked in two weeks. I'm making this new type of kimchi, but it has to ferment for a little while."

"I better see you and Dad in my house that day as well." My voice was edged with feigned sternness, and both their laughs echoed in the call.

We talked a bit for another hour or so as my mum filled me in on her new gardening tools and the fruits she had decided to grow. She did not fail to mention her competition with her neighbour, who was always challenging her with weekly to-do lists.