It Started with a Glance

Part 2

The outside world slowly started invading my peaceful sleep. The sound of people who had been up for hours going about their daily routine. Trying to block out the noise and force myself back into a sombre sleep was an impossible feat. Once my brain realised the sun was up it was pointless. My eyelids felt heavy from lack of sleep and the torturous dance I do in bed tossing and turning to get my mind to shut off. I laid staring at the wall listening to the familiar sounds inside the house. The vacuum was on making its way down the hallway. A clear indication that my door would be thrown open soon by my mother and God forbid if she found me still laying in bed and not up cleaning my room. Sighing I slowly sat up and peeked out my window to see my brother mowing the front yard with his ipod on. Checking the time it was going onto 9. Closing my eyes in silent resignation I waited for it.

Like clockwork on Saturday mornings, the mournful voice of Celine Dion pierced the air. My neighbor never disappointed and always at 9 a.m of a Saturday morning. His music would wake up the whole street. You could clearly hear the windows in his house shake from the vibrations off his speakers. My neighbor was a 50 something yr old Casanova divorcée, who always had a different lady over every weekend. I loved my neighbor because he was always kind to my kids and nephews and nieces and would be like Santa Claus walking out handing the kids in our street ice blocks.

Standing up to stretch out the kinks from a bad nights rest I made my bed and headed for a hot shower to wake myself up more.

I past my mother in the hallway vacuum one spot over and over again. I squinted to see what she was trying to clean and only saw a spotless carpet. I decided not to bother her and her manic cleaning and continued for the bathroom. Passing my older sister's door, I could hear her telling one of her sons off followed by my nephews crying. Frowning fiercely at her closed door, I knew she was probably high or drunk from sneaking out to party with her friends without so much as a heads up to watch her kids in case they woke up crying. My suspicions were confirmed when my younger sister threw her door open and sighed in annoyance and glared at the closed door that I knew she was stuck comforting the kids when they woke up wondering where their mother was.

I shook my head and walked into the bathroom wondering for the millionth time when the hell was she going to grow up and be a mother first.

The hot shower working wonders on the tension and stress I gathered from working a double shift. I checked the time to see how many more hours till my kids would be dropped off from spending the weekend with their father. A whole day. I had a day to myself and nothing to do. It was becoming the story of my life.

After helping with the housework I sat in front of the TV flicking through channels when I spotted my Father out of the corner of my eye putting his shoes on.

"You going somewhere dad?"

He mumbled his reply about wanting to check his lotto papers which had me smiling. My father always wanted to check his lotto and then he would find himself in the pub and not know how he ended up there. Which none of us ever believed. He finished tying his laces and paused only for a split second to see if I was going to ask another question before he made his way for the front door. His hand was on the handle when I said.

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes" Opening the screen door as his way to end the conversation. I asked,

"So you've taken your heart medication and your tablets for your blood pressure and sugar levels and your eye drops?"

He paused, grumbling impatiently that he took them already. I chuckled and told him to have a good day. He was so close to escaping when my younger sister Ria noticed him.

"Dad, are you going to the shops?"

"Se, Leai (no) " walking out before Ria could contain him any further. She scrunched her face up not happy she was dismissed. Ria plonked herself unceremoniously on the sofa beside me and stared. I ignored her and stared at the tv like Keeping up with the Kardashians was the most interesting thing in the world.

She begun making clucking noises with her tongue which she knew would play on my nerves. I mentally swore before giving her my full attention.

"What do you want?"

She smiled triumphantly.

"Do you want to go to the mall?"

"Nope." She pulled a face.

"You're so anti social. Come on Shaye, I'll shout you a feed"

I pretended to consider her offer. Blowing out a resigned breath. I stood up to grab my shoes and change leaving Ria running for her purse and my car keys.

We arrived at the mall and nearly walked in every clothing store . My mood turning sour by the minute waiting on Ria to decide whether she liked something or not. Ria knew shopping was not my favorite past time. We were total opposites when it came to shopping. While Ria enjoyed looking through every single rack in the store before deciding there wasn't anything she liked, I could walk in a store and know in a quick scan there wasn't anything I wanted before walking straight back out. An hour later Ria realised my patience was wearing thin. She linked her arm through mine.

"Come on Shaye, lets get a feed. Your facials are starting to scare people" she giggled at her little joke which had me smiling.

"You're incorrigible sometimes"

"I know, but you love me for it"

Indeed she spoke the truth. No matter how much I hated shopping with her, I wouldn't change the way she was for the world. Pulled out of my thoughts by Ria's not so gentle nudge and my brows nearly rose to my hairline at her strange behaviour. She leaned in and whispered urgently.

"That must be the new seki all the girls are talking about"

I turned to the direction her big eyes were staring towards and nearly tripped over my own feet. At first glance he didn't look like anything special. I was surrounded by pretty boys all day at work so why was he making me do a double take. He was tall and his black suit hid what was most likely an amazing build. He had such a serious look on his face and took all the gushing stares from girls in his stride. Most security guards here at the mall were all warm and friendly. This guy had an aura that brooked no nonsense. Indeed he scanned the food court as though he was FBI cracking a case. His eyes landed on Ria and I as we headed closer to him to get to the food court. I could feel Ria blushing at his inspection. My mind was already thinking about what I wanted to eat. Nearing the eatery, I glanced ahead to find the security guy, Nathaniel staring straight at me.