Chapter 23
Red Adamson ~
I followed Gar with sealed lips. I wanted to speak but the words just wouldn't come out. I retorted to agreeing with Gar and just do the singing. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? It is not like I have a condition that prevents me from doing one of the things I love or anything? My mom for some reasons unknown to me just doesn't want me singing.
Ever since a time when we were driving past a construction site and I was singing the song 'Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus'. That day, almost like it was some sort of coincidence, a wrecking ball almost knocked down the car as we drove past the construction site. My mom forbade me from singing ever again. I wasn't even allowed to hum a tune. I couldn't even bring myself to disobey her. Well, until now I guess. Since then, my MP3 Player has been what supplies life to me musically. I was just eleven years old. Surprisingly, six years have passed and she still isn't over it.
"Your mom couldn't make it Red. She said something about wanting to do some renovations down at the café so she couldn't come pick you up herself." Mrs. West said with one of those smiles that makes me remember that she always has my mom's back whenever she was too busy to pick me up from school.
I returned the smile without a word and together, I entered the car with Gar. I took up my phone from when I detected a ringing sound coming out of it. It was a text from Charlie.
"So it is settled then?" the text read.
"Yes! Unfortunately for me, I have very persuasive friends." I texted back with an angry emoji.
"(Haha! emoji) Have any number of songs in mind yet? If you are able to put together a very catchy song, Ryan might just not mind picking you up on it." Charlie texted after a few minutes.
"None yet! That will have to be tomorrow. Right now, I'm planning on going to my mom's café and by the sound of things there, won't be back any time before the sun goes down." I replied before placing the chat on a hold.
"Mrs. West?"
"Red? What is it?" Mrs. West called out in a calm tone.
"Do you mind dropping me off at my mom's café I just want to lend her a hand with the whole 'work' and stuff?" "She must be really tired and probably with my help, we could put an end to it all sooner rather than later." I said in a persuading voice.
"Do you really think that best? I don't know if I can because your mom might not probably want you around the café for now during the whole renovation process plus, she specifically told me that I should take you home." Mrs. West said in such a way that I knew that she meant business.
"Come on mom. Red deserves to at least, help Mrs. Flora out with the time taking renovation. She probably feels that she has not been spending enough time with her mom ever since her day's work recently got amplified and this entire café blah blah blah begun last week." I heard Gar speak up to say.
It was a somewhat surprise to me because until then, I thought Gar would be on his phone or something but I was indeed grateful that he spoke up to my favor. I just hope that was going to be enough to push his mom to accept my request.
"Gar, when you put it that way….. I'll take you there Red." I caught Mrs. West say.
"I owe you one!" I whispered to Gar to his hearing.
"Now tell me. What is the main purpose of you wanting to go to your mom's café when you know pretty well that you are meant to be doing some rehearsal or doing some preparations for your big night tomorrow without her being around to hear you sing?" he whispered back with folded arms.
"You thought I had an interior motive for desiring that? Well, to pop your bubble, I don't! I just want to help my mom out." I replied trying to hold back my laughter.
I should have known. Gar didn't urge his mom to drive me to the café just because I said that I wanted to. He obviously thought that I had a ghost behind the curtain for desiring such from his mom.
"Well, best of luck with that. I, for one think that's actually sweet of you." Gar said shuffling my hair with his hand in an annoying but playful sort of way.
"Thanks. I just feel that the past days have been really tough on her." I said trying my best to pull his hand away from my already ruined hair.
Gar brought out his phone and began something on it. I didn't care what he was doing just that he leaves me and my hair in peace and in style. I brought back my attention to my phone and realized that for the past minutes, Charlie had sent a couple of messages.
"Thought of what costume to wear for the festivity yet? I'm thinking of going with the outfit of a pirate." "I have all that I needed to do the part of a pirate except the messed up accent. Arrghh! Still have some work to do there."
"I'm thinking of going as a witch. That's what Halloween is all about anyways right? – fictitious SUPERNATURAL CREATURES." I texted to Charlie. "I plan to go out tomorrow during the daytime to find the best Halloween witch costume in town." I sent this as a message in conjunction with the previous text.
I and Charlie kept on conversing through text messages until Gar's mom pulled over at my mom's café. I took a look at the time through my phone. It was just some hours before the eve of the day was to fall. As I got down from the car, I could see my mom walk beside some men that I assumed to be some of the handymen and domestic workers.
"I guess I will be seeing you tomorrow?" Gar said lifting his eyes up from his phone screen to me.
"Yup!" I replied with a bright smile holding on to my backpack with one hand by my shoulder and the other, I used to wave Gar bashfully before the car sped away.
"Mom!" I shouted capturing the attention of my mom. "I know, I know, I should've let Mrs. Grace drive me home but I couldn't just let you be here all by yourself, without me." I added as I walked up to her with beams.
"Red??" my mom called with a vague gaze. "You shouldn't have bothered yourself coming all the way from school just to help you know'." she added meeting up to me and I gave her a warm hug.
"I had to besides, the sooner you and I get this work done, the sooner I can get back to spending time with my mom." I said breaking the hug.
"Next time, I'll make sure to warn your aunt of how persuasive you can be." Mrs. Flora said making herself and Red give out a short laugh.
"Please don't!"