I noticed my mother from the kitchen. She had calmed down now. I can ask her what's going on after she. has had some tea. But where did Marc go? He couldn't have made the jump from the second floor. She would have heard something. Was he alright?
"Mom, will you tell me now what's happening with you? Yes. You told me not to work at SolTech but it's a great company. I am heading the research division. Tobias offered me the job himself."
"He did what?" the fearsome expression returned on her face. "You can't be working for that man." she told me.
"Do you know him? Why don't you want me working for him?"
"Do I have to answer every damn question? For once can't you just accept what I am saying! Leave with me now. We can speak when we get home." she kept going without caring for my feelings.
"Home? This is home. I am home. You don't meet me for five years. You call me once, maybe twice a year. And now suddenly, I have a home to get back to?" I was beginning to loose my patience.
No matter how many attempts I make my mother barely ever writes back. She is always on a trip to some country. With her constant travels it was begining to look like she didn't want to return at all. What is it she wanted from life anyway? Didn't she once think she could spend a christmas with me? Didn't she feel the motherly instict to call me for my birthdays? Here she was, after all these years just yelling.
I texted her two days ago that I was starting work at SolTech. I thought it would make her happy to see me in such a good position. My endless hours researching everyday had not been for nothing. I held a doctrate now, had a stable job. She didn't have to be so inconsiderate of my feelings all the time.
"Look, Lisa. I can't stay in the city for long." hearing those words made me look at her with caution. Was she okay?
"Mom,"
"Listen. We have to go. You shouldn't work for that man. He is a monster."
"You mean Tobias?But what happened mom? How do you know him?"
I looked at my mother who was quiet now. She looked smaller than when I had seen her last. The lines on her face had gotten prominent. She looked pretty now that she had let all her hair be grey. I always admired how she maintained such elegance given that she was always broke and on the road. She could give young models a run for her money.
I remember growing up, people telling me I look like my mother. I don't see the resemblence though. I have her eyes but I am no an image of her otherwise. It'd take little fairies dressing me every morning for me to look like that. But tonight that calm seemed lost.
How did she know Tobias anyways? Monster? What. did she mean by that? Tobias had been nothing but nice to her all these years. He often accompanied Erica and me for dinners and encouraged her throughout my doctoral years. He was like a father fugured to me. I liked having him around since I had never met my own father.
I sat with my mother for fiteen more minutes. Both of without words. She was hell bent on not saying another word.
"Mom. I want to keep working. This is a dream job for me. Please. Either tell me what's going on or let me be." I thought that will prompt her to speak.
"We need to meet. NOW." I read Marc's message on the phone and I didn't know what to make of it.
He wants to meet me at this hour? Shouldn't he be with Erica? We could speak about what happened the next day. Right now I had enough on my plate. I had to take care of my mother. I could tell him later what happened was a mistake and it'd be better if we never met in private again. For now, I couldn't see him.
"I am on my way to your house."
On his way to my house. What in the world is he thinking. What the fuck does he want from me? Don't I have enough to put up with already.
I looked at my mom whose phone beeped with a message as well.
"Marc is on his way here. He is an old friend. Starting getting your things. We don't have much time."
"Marc is an old friend?"
What was happening tonight? I thought I could faint from the shock of all that was happening. But in that second it occured to me how serious my mom is. I had never seen her this serious or scared. In an instant, I nodded in silence, got up and walked to my room to pack.