53: C53 Chapter 53

C53 Chapter 53

My mother might suspect that we used body language to communicate with each other regarding the content of the letter. Her glance drifted from me to Vera and vice versa. Regardless of what she was thinking of, I strived to relax before her. It was not easy to pretend that this object in my hold delivered good news while it acquainted the opposite.

"So, what does it notify about?" She could not wait to know the information in the letter.

"I have been through a hard day and so weary and thirsty. I need something to quench my thirst." I made an excuse. My mother did not complain. She understood my situation. I just came back home from working a long day. That would be the thing in her thought.

I picked a glass of water and sat back on the floor where I was. Woefully, I carelessly spilled the water on the letter which still stayed where it was. It was too late to spare it from the water.

"Be careful! You'll ruin the letter." My mother soon initiated to retrieve the wet letter. "The ink has faded away. It might be unreadable." My mother could not conceal her regret and disappointment.

"I am sorry, Mom." I sincerely begged her pardon.

"Can you still read this?" She exhibited that almost crumbled object to Vera who just shook her head indicating that the words were impossible to be read. "Well, I hope it won't cause any trouble with your study."

"It won't. Trust me."

"I got the letter as well. It is just a notification that we will have a final exam next week. The school reminds us to prepare for that. That's all, nothing more." Vera erased the distress on my mother's face. I thanked her in my heart.

"That's a relief." My mother shrugged her shoulder.

"I think I have to go," Vera said a farewell.

"You won't go home before dinner. I have cooked something special." Cooking? When did she have time to do that meanwhile she got home late? She surprisingly unboxed a parcel that I was not aware she put on the table. The clear plastic showed what was inside it. It was few packages of food. I was not interested in counting them.

"Mom, where did you get them from?" I could not help questioning her.

"I assisted Mrs. Ali for her family gathering today. I cooked the menu with the help of her assistants. Mrs. Ali is someone whom I work for." Her last sentence was addressed to Vera.

"It looks delicious. You must be a very good cook." Vera praised my mother. The food has been served and the aroma was yummy.

"I am not that good at cooking. I hope you will like it. Eat a lot." She added more rice and fried chicken to Vera's plate."

"Thank you. You are very kind."

"Don't mention it." My mother then filled my plate with a lot of rice, chicken, and vegetable soup."

"Mom, it's too much." I protested.

"Look at your small thin body! You must eat a lot to gain weight. Besides, I want to see you grow taller." She lowered her voice for the last word.

"I can't be taller than I am now. Let alone I am going to be eighteen soon. It was useless to talk about height at my age."

"Can't you put your argument on hold until the dinner is over?" I said no more.

We, my mother and I, did not normally engage in a conversation during dinner, lunch, or breakfast. We simply just did not have something in common to discuss. It was surely caused by the age and generation gap. I did not know if Vera experienced the same thing when she was with her aunt. Yet the way her aunt acted during her visit to Vera's apartment ascertained that she was a frigid person.

Vera was the first one who was done. She excitedly admitted that she felt grateful to have been offered such a great dinner. My mother did not let her touch the dirty dishes and left me with the washing.

I accompanied Vera to get to the mouth of the alley. She had ordered a taxi.

"I owe you for hiding the bad news from my mother."

"How many times should I warn you not to thank me? You don't deserve to do that."

"Whatever. I won't obey that ridiculous rule." We laughed together in a short time.

"I heard that the school principal punished you. That's not fair he didn't even want to see the evidence I revealed. I’m sorry I can't help you this time."

"Hey! You are always helpful. Don't say stupid things!"

"Did you hear the news about Reno?" I could not avoid expressing that her question jerked me.2

"No." I honestly answered her.

"He might not come back."

"Yeah..." Then a moment dragged us to silence. Vera said goodbye as soon as the taxi came. That taxi drove away in a short while.

On my way back home, I pondered about the incident I had undergone today that I decided to keep from Vera or anyone. It was not seemingly necessary to report it to Vera. Her life was full of burden. It would only pile more hardship in her life.

I yawned yet I had not finished studying. Not going to school did not mean I did not do anything. The final exam would be in a week. And during that time I was not even allowed to go to school. So, I had to be able to learn independently with all my limitations. Vera brought me books from the library. It helped me.

I did not know what time it was. It had probably been at midnight. Resting my body on the mattress, I dozed off. Dark changed into light. Morning switched the night.

Getting ready with everything, I parted my mother to go to school. It was not the school I was heading to though it was located in the same direction.

Just after I got to the main road, about thirty minutes from school, I witnessed Kevin's motorcycle was being marked with him standing next to it. What did he stay there? The class would begin soon.

"Hey, the late girl!" he mocked me. I was deceived by his fake statement that he repented.

"You seem to know my nickname. I wonder how long you have been stalking me."

"It does sound annoying in my ears. I am not a stalker, after all."

"Why don't you just go away?"

"I offer you a ride to go to school."

"Thanks. But, we go in a different direction."

"What do you mean? You are going to school, right?"

I did not respond to him. He did not give up on me. With his motorcycle, he made it to get my way. The horn kept blaring. I did not care until I heard screaming from people around. When I turned around, I could see Kevin's motorcycle upside down. That boy was in an unconscious state.

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