I stood up to face Hyacinth properly.
"What time will you go home?" she asked.
I was even more surprised since she never asked me that kind of question before.
I showed her my ten fingers.
"10 pm?"
I nodded.
"Don't leave food for my lunch and dinner. I'm planning to eat outside," she said, then walked away.
I just followed her with a look, then just shrugged as I watched her leave.
* * *
Time passed quickly, and at twelve o'clock in the evening, we were able to close the restaurant I worked in after the crowd of customers already left. That's not surprising because it's a holiday today.
I'm on my way home to the dome, and I'm famished. I didn't even get a good break earlier since we were short of staff in the dining area, so I needed to get back to serving even though I hadn't finished eating.
I'll just cook something to eat at home.
I was close to the resthouse when I saw Hyacinth. She's sitting on a chair in front of the table there near the tree. The light on the veranda of the resthouse was on, so I could clearly see her.
I immediately walked over to her and saw a red rose lying on the table in front of her. There were also two large bottles of wine, and one was already empty. The second is still halfway there, and she's pouring that into her wine glass. It was apparent from the way she filled in the wine glass that she was drunk.
Satisfied, she gulped down the liquor as tears rolled down her cheeks. Then she banged the glass down on the table.
"Mom... I miss you..." she said to the red rose she took from the table. "B-because of me... Because of my fucking fault!..." She couldn't continue what she was going to say with too much crying. Her face was already flushed red.
She poured wine again into the glass and swallowed it straight.
I clenched my fists as I could see her tears.
Suddenly my head hurt, and memories were flashing.
* * *"Lester, son... stay here for a few days. The nuns will take care of you here. Don't worry, I'll come back to get you right away. Mom will just look for a job, and when I earned money, I'll get you from here, and we'll be together again. "My mother said, weeping as she sat in front of me to match my height.
I shuddered as I bawled so much. "M-mom, I don't want to be here... Take me with you..." I hugged her tightly, and she shed tears even more, but she suddenly pulled me away from her.
"Lester! Stop being stubborn! You'll only be here for a few days. I'll be right back, so walk inside and tell the nuns I left you here." She stood up and guided me in the direction of the orphanage's door.
Since I didn't know much, all I could do was sob and walk inside as she wanted, but before I finally entered the orphanage, I turned to her.
She was wiping away her tears, and she no longer looked sad. As if she was no longer hurt that she would leave me here.
She turned around and walked away, so my eyes widened.
"Mom!" I chased her, but I stumbled while she was walking away. She didn't even turn around even though she heard me crying in pain. She immediately got into a jeepney, and there, she actually left me.
I bawled while feeling so lost without my mother. Then someone who saw what happened to us approached me. She helped me stand up. "Poor boy! Your mother just left you like that here." Her tongue clicked.
I glared at her while screaming in tears. "That's not true! She said she would get me back!" I defended my mother since that's what she promised.
She shook her head, and pity was written all over her face. "I've lived here for a long time, and a lot of this has happened here. Don't expect that your mother will come back. It's the same with the other mothers who left their children here. Supposedly, they will cry and promise that they will get their children back, but they have no real intention of doing so."
That marked in my young mind, and it lingered. I remembered my mother's face earlier when she wiped away her tears before she left. She no longer looked sad, leaving me behind.
"Hey, Lourdes! What are those things you're saying to the kid?!" An elderly nun approached us, alarmed by what she had said to me.
"Well, I'm just telling the truth, Sister. It's only right that I told this child the truth right away so he wouldn't have to hope anymore. I'm the kind one here."
The nun ignored her and sat down in front of me to match my height. "Poor little one." She caressed my face, and there were traces of genuine worry on her face. "What is your name?"
"L-Lester," I answered while sobbing.
She smiled, then took my hand and stood up. "Come inside, Lester, and don't cry anymore. The people at the orphanage are kind, so you'll be happy in this place."
That was the beginning of my life in that orphanage ... and that Lourdes was right.
My mother did really abandoned me.
That she just pretended to have a hard time leaving me in that place even though she must have really wanted to do that to me when I was just a deadweight to her. * * *
Suddenly the table rattled as Hyacinth's head banged on it in a state of intoxication, so I was able to come back to myself.
The two bottles of wine rattled but fortunately did not topple.
"It's Christmas... but you're not here..." sobbing, she said. "I miss you so much... but I don't think Dad does. He even replaced you right away." She let go of that glass, then took the bottle of wine and will gulp down the remaining wine.
I immediately snatched that bottle from her to stop her. She was surprised and eyed me. Now, she's aware of my presence here.
She glared at me for stopping her. "What the hell is your problem?! Give me that!" she yelled then she snatched back the bottle from me.
I just gave her a frosty look. "That's enough. You're already drunk." I said seriously, and I managed to get the bottle from her.
Suddenly, her forehead puckered while staring at me. "You can... talk?" She pointed at me while her eyebrows drew together.
It was only then that I realized the enormous stupidity I had done. My eyes rounded and I gasped then covered my mouth because of what I did.
Fuck! I spoke!
She stood up then both her hands banged on the table. Her chair even fell down. She brought her face closer to mine, and I feel intoxicated by just smelling the wine she drank from her.
She shut her eyes for a few seconds, then opened it up again, trying to clear her vision. She even shook her head and eyed me. "You... sounded like a man."
My eyes widened even more because of what she stated.
Busted!
To be continued...
Is this really the end of Lester's disguise?