Klink
Klink
The sound of the metallic spoon colliding with the ceramic plate could be heard as Dad struggled to get a filled spoon—to the brim.
We were currently having a meal known as rice. According to the data I collected, it was one of the most widely consumed foods. Racial boundaries do not affect it, only the way it is prepared.
"Eat with some dignity," Mom said, glaring at Dad.
"Come on, Maria! I'm famished." He replied, food spilling out of his mouth.
It has not been long after their fight, for me at least. We had a culture of eating together, something I enjoyed but pretended to hate.
"So Stiles, you got anything for Daddy?" Dad inquired with sparkling eyes.
"No!" I blatantly replied, causing Mom to release a low giggle.
Apart from our security issues, she found almost everything I did well; smiling and laughing. Though enjoyable, it became a fleeting experience as I grew older. Our time together was so short that I couldn't get satisfied… I wanted more.
"The drawings…" she paused for a moment, before extending her hand over the round table to meet mine. "There are good."
"Why should I believe that?" I inquired with a raised brow.
"Because I have no reason to lie."
"Or you just want to make me feel good." I rebuked.
"I… I just felt it was more than the lines on paper. It was more like a depiction of your feelings… in that drawing, we were happy, together…"
Mom seemed lost in thought as she squeezed my palm, gently.
"When is your next departure?" I asked, looking at Dad who had a stoic expression.
His dark-colored eyes took a darker hue, his red-colored hair rising as if to defy gravity. I could tell he couldn't tolerate my attitude toward Mom. Not like I loved doing it either. I just felt this was the only way to make them open up to me.
"Stiles!" He called out. "I told you right, don't treat your Mom in that manner."
His pressure bore down on my body, making my foot dig deep into the floor.
"Stop it, Liam!" Mom yelled, averting the pressure on my entire being.
Droplets of sweat trickled down my face as I stared at my father, determined to prove my will.
"I'm sorry, Stiles. But I'll be leaving soon." She said, rendering a tight and comfortable hug.
"Why?" I asked all the defenses I created shattering in a jiffy.
"Trust me… it will all be fine."
It was all the same, still hiding the problems from me; like I was a glass, a weak one at that.
"Please!" She whispered to my ears.
I couldn't refute her. I knew a 'no' would shatter her. Even though I wanted the truth… I couldn't go that far. "I trust you, Mom."
'don't break my trust.'
As I had that thought, I tightened my grip on her.
I didn't notice the time Dad left the room, only discovering his absence after the heartfelt hug.
"We will be leaving soon, but trust me, I will do my best to return faster… in short, I'll get this business over with."
She sounded determined, something I appreciated. "Alright… I'll be going to bed now. Stay safe."
Their departure didn't have any pattern as I have seen in the past few years. It was like a call to duty; any time, any day, I could wake up to the absence of my parents."
"Stay safe," she replied. "And don't forget to follow the procedure."
Planting a kiss on my forehead, she looked deep into my eyes. "I'll escort you."
Not giving me the space to react, she drew me toward a direction, her white-colored hair caressing my face. I could only look at her graceful yet domineering back as she led me to my room.
"I'm going to tell you a bedtime story today. I'm sure you'll enjoy it." She said, excitedly.
I'm not going to let my sorrows get in the way of my time with her. Right now, living in the present is all I can do.
***
Maria POV
Seeing Stiles smile brought comfort to my aching heart. It gave me the courage to fight harder. No, to win.
I have to do everything in my power to make things better. This way, we can live a better life; where we walk the streets of the world as a family without care.
Creak
The sound of the door opening brought me out of my reverie.
"Lost in thought?" Liam asked, looking at Stiles who had a serene expression on his face.
"Something like that," I answered, not bothering to dive deeper into the topic. "Is it time?"
"Yes. I received Intel from a trusted source." He replied.
Reading his expression was hard. Maybe he was tired or felt we should give up, I couldn't tell.
"You can spend time with him, I will check it out." Liam continued, not letting me reply to his first words.
"I would love to, but it is dangerous," I said with a smile, caressing Stiles' hair.
"I'll keep it quiet. A fast one. I just need to confirm, then we can both go in."
His proposal seemed genuine, but I was no fool to agree. We were strong but our enemies weren't weak. To make sure we survive, we had to move as a team, rendering support whenever it was required.
"It's final, I'm coming along."
"Stubborn as always," Liam said with a sigh. "I'll prepare, you should too."
Thud
He closed the door carefully, his footsteps growing further from our location as time passed by.
"I won't stay long, dear," I said, whispering to Stiles' ear. I knew he could not hear but I felt I had to say this. "I will be back."
Rising from my position, I walked out of the room, careful not to create any disturbance, strong enough to wake him up.
As always, it was hard to navigate the house. Not like I was disappointed. If it could not hinder my movements, then its existence would have been for nothing.
Breathing deeply, I looked toward a direction. "I will save him."