Its Sunday again. And I'm in my room again. Alone. Or so I thought, I was writing my assignments sitting on my bed which was scattered with stationery and notes and different books when my momma knocked on my door. Her brown hair appeared as she tried to peek inside my room in a comical way and I gave her a hand signal. It was just a secret joke we had shared since as long as I could remember. Although my momma seems very timid and easy going, she could very strict at times. Her tall commanding presence goes well with her height.
"hey, you came home early from your vacation. You could have informed me?" I asked unsurprised as she came and sat in front me.
"ah yes, your father had some business so we had to cut short of our trip but…." She paused waiting for my reaction. When she failed to acquire one, she continued
"I'm afraid we will have to leave again soon, this time for work purpose but on the good side your cousin shelly and grandma will be here to look after you my cherry" she passes me a weak like that's supposed to make me feel better.
I have already given up on my dream of a cosy dinner or a family movie night after my brother demise it's as if my parents have all together forgotten about my existence. I have already lost so many people. Am I to lose my parents too? I wanted to take her hand and ask her to stay with me. I'm still here. But I have long realized it was all in vain.
So, putting up a fake practised smile I tell her "sure momm…mom don't worry about me. I will be fine with shelly and grandma, so when do you both leave. Again?"
"this evening my cherry" she says "and how is everything at your school any new friends or special friend …I ought to know about" momma tucks a hair strand behind my hair and I pretend to be busy with my homework and hearing only first half of her question.
"Its good mom I'm coping with my syllabus, taking part in quizzes, debates, just like how you like it."
"oh, that's wonderful I will leave you to your homework then" she stood up and started walking towards the door "so I'm off to the kitchen then to cook you three dinner since our guest will be arriving in sometime. Let me know if you have any special request for the dinner hmmm.. Verena."
"sure mom"
She shut my door and left.
And it was quiet again. Just like I have started to like it these days.
It was almost night time when a black SUV pulled up in the drive way. My grandmother was a woman with a lot of self-dignity and would never let anyone put her down one of the things I so much admired about her. I love that woman.
"hey cous" shelly came in and engulfed me in a hug. "mmmh gawwd I missed you"
"I missed you too shelly and your red hair" I replied and we laughed reminiscing the moments how she came to be a red head.
"Move aside and let me take a look at my beautiful granddaughter." Grandma was standing behind shelly with a golden crane in hand and an authoritative demeanour "it's not like every day I get an invitation." She made sure to throw a taunt in my mother's direction.
It's just how their relationship was playful, full of wits. It certainly did bring back some good memories.
We all four had dinner together and it went on so smoothly. Although it did upset grandma to not be able to see her son after so long but that tad bit of gloominess faded when she started to tell the stories of day. That always does the trick.
"I see you have changed the house a lot since our times" grandma exclaimed as we waited for the dessert.
"Yes, few parts needed renovation or this house would have come apart a long time ago." Momma replied to her duel.
"Wait!! your times …. What do you mean …? you used to live here too grandma?" and why I never knew of this.
"of course, cherry your father inherited this home from us" grandma said nodding her head.
"only because you both wanted to travel the world and then ran off to live in the countryside" momma interjected.
"like you said and I quote 'we want to live the dream life we have always wanted isolated from the noise and chaos …just the wo of us.' isn't it ma?"
"yes yes I remember clearly what we said and I must say you have done a good job so far"
"so exactly how old is this house?" this time it was shelly.
"it was built by my forefathers along when this town was first founded. This home has seen many wars, heard many cries, laughter, seen many friendships, love stories and what not." Grandma replied lost in her thoughts "I hope you have not touched the basement door" she asked laughingly.
"what basement…..we have a basement?" I spoke up shocked with the revelation. My momma looked like someone caught her stealing and grandma passed look apologetic to her like this was supposed to be kept secret from me forever.
"no we haven't touched it" they both just ignored my question and I turned to shelly for some answer who looked as clueless as me.
"I think its time for me to leave or I'll be late for our flight. You papa must have already reached the airport." She said and began to leave the dining room.
Shelly poked me and said "do you wanna maybe uncover the secret behind this secret basement"
I smiled and said "hell yeah, count me in."
And we both know how to know grandma's secret. If its anything that she loves doing is telling us bedtime stories.