(Five Days Ago)...
"Ooh!" I exclaimed awkwardly, disappointed that Rema wasn't the one that saved me from an early grave. Disappointed didn't even explain the quick way the butterflies building in my stomach died down.
"Xena, how many times do I have to tell you that people don't just die falling off staircases?" He demanded sternly as he helped me straighten up. I could still see the faint ghost of a smile on his face, but he was working hard to cover it.
"I am sorry dad," I said, with a small smile of my own.
People did die falling off of – high places?
He gave my head a little pat, signifying the acceptance of my apology. "No, Xena, you can't die while I am here," he said, more to himself than to me.
Could he read my mind now or did he really just talk to himself?
He kissed the top of my head and then took my hand and directed me to the dining area, his ghost of a smile returning.
"By the way, why were you in a hurry? Didn't Kelvin tell you breakfast is running late?"
That jerk!
"He—" I began to say but mom's voice interrupted me.
"Breakfast is served," she announced in a low voice, as she placed the last of the pancakes on the tray.
Strange.
My mom was usually a very cheerful person in the morning. I could hear her mealtime announcements from my bathroom, even with the tap running. But today, she did it like she had a sore throat and breakfast was late.
"Mom, are you okay?" I asked, rushing to her with concern. She held my hands and kissed them. Mum was never one to show emotions often.
What was wrong?
She looked up to my dad briefly and wiped her face. "I am fine, Xena. Come on let's eat," she said ushering us to our seats.
Did she just wipe a tear?
"Finally, we eat!" Kelvin exclaimed happily.
I ignored him and focused on my mom who kept avoiding my eyes as she sat on her chair and gulped down milk.
Wait, did she just drink milk?
"Mom, you are taking milk?" She never took the milk. It gave her indigestion!
"Oh! I di— I didn't realize it," she stuttered and dropped the bottle of milk.
For all the time I had known my mom, which is literally all my life; she had never been the one to easily lose focus.
I think she was sick.
"Xena, eat your food," my dad interjected. He tried to make his voice firm, but he failed.
Looking up at him, I noticed that even he wasn't alright. His usually tanned skin was white like he was lacking enough blood in his system. He was sad too. That's why he only had a ghost smile this morning. His usually happy smile was not here today.
Did they fight?
What was wrong with everybody?
"If she won't eat, I'll be happy to help." Kelvin puts in, munching noisily on his pancake.
Well, maybe not everybody. Kelvin is in his usual mood.
"Mom?" I tried again.
"Xena, I am just having an awful headache," she said smiling weakly.
"But you took milk! They are bad for you, mom," I said slowly like I was talking to a child.
"It's the weather," she said, sniffing.
She has been crying! And the weather? Nothing is wrong with the weather!
I moved my bacon around my plate thinking it through. There had to be something awfully wrong for my dad's happy smile to be dead and for my mom to be sniffing and drinking milk.
Are they going to get divorced?
"Maybe, she's pregnant!" Kelvin announced, breaking me out of my absurd thoughts.
Could she be pregnant?
Kelvin suddenly dropped his food and frowned like he got a bad thought. "Mom are you pregnant?"
My dad choked on his food and turned to mom expectantly. His eyes wide opened in shock as he waited for her answer.
He had always wanted another female child, but mom said she already had a handful raising me. In my defense, I was an easier child to raise compared to Kelvin but of course, she wouldn't ever see that, since she blindly loved Kelvin.
"Honey, are you pregnant?" My dad asked his face a complex mixture of joy and sadness.
My dad never had mixed emotions on his face. Except something was awfully wrong.
"If I was pregnant, that would have been better," my mom whispered to her untouched plate of food.
"What do you mean 'would have been better,' what's wrong?" I questioned her.
Did she have a change of mind about having a baby girl –or was it more boys she wanted?
"Huh? Did I just say that out loud? Just ignore me. My thoughts are scattered here and there," she explained and confused me even more.
"Mom, what are you hiding?" Kelvin asked as if paying attention to both our parents' strange behavior for the first time.
My dad who had lost the little hint of joy he had gotten from Kelvin's question spoke up, "children, stop pestering your mother. She's told you both she's feeling a little under the weather. Eat your food and let her have some rest."
My dad's interjection was all we needed to remain quiet. I saw Mom give Dad a thank-you-eye out of the corner of my eye.
They really are hiding something and I won't rest until I find out what it is. Even if I have to make it my life's work.
After giving myself the internal speech, I noticed Kelvin staring at me weirdly, like I was going crazy. I must have been making weird faces while having my internal face.
"Everything alright, Dingbat?" He whispered across the table, wriggling his brows, hoping to look sexy.
I just shrugged at him and continued with my breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and a hot cup of super creamy coffee, before he irritated me further.
Having a brother was a nightmare sometimes, I wished I was an only child.
It would have been better to be alone.