The car stops and Catherine opens the door. She pays the T- fare and walks down the street. The air feels cold on her fragile skin but she seems to enjoy it. She sees some shop owner closing the store for the day and some children playing football by the road side. She smiles and remembers the old times when she forces her mum to buy her a football which she later plays with her imaginary friends. Her mum volunteers sometimes to be her playing buddy whenever she looks helpless. How time flies and here she is wishing back those moment.
She gets to the house , opens the door and finds her mum reading a newspaper on the sofa.
'Welcome dear' she looks up with a bright face
'Hi mum' she greets and sinks into the chair next to her. She sighs and faces her smiling so as to hide how tired she is.
'She folds the newspaper and drops it on the table. ' How was today? I can see you're very tired' her mum observes
'No mum, just a little'
Her mum strokes her head lovingly ' Sorry love. Hope you were not given a hard time. Trust Bianca to treat you well but how was it with the sons especially...:
'Sebastien' Catherine cuts in. She adjusts her self to her mum 'is that how he is?'
Her mum laughs 'Guess he has shown you who he is. He doesn't really associate much with people, even his family', she explains
'Does that give him the right to trample on everyone?' She blurts out ' Just because he is reserved or what?'
' Not everyone considers that,' her mum replies.'How about Michael?'
'He's nice and friendly,' she admits, 'Everything would have been perfect if Sebastien was out of the picture. I can't believe I'll be going to his room everyday to clean at his presence,' she says irritatingly 'Mum he doesn't even want to move out while I clean'
Her mum smiles ' You've never been this angry about a guy before,' her mum points out, 'even when the neighbor's son spoilt your favourite toy when you were little' she teases
'No mum, Sebastien is different,' she explains, 'he carries this pride around him thinking it's something good'
Her mum is surprise 'He made you say all that about him just today?
' Of course would you believe I went..' she pauses and decides best not to finish her statement. 'Forget it mum,'
'Really?'
' Yes,' she looks at he mum in her teasing look and both chuckles 'What mum? Anyways have you eaten?' she asks
'Yes,' she replies, 'Should I serve your food?'
'No,' she objects 'Besides I'm not hungry yet and I can go serve myself when I feel like. I'm no longer that little girl that clutches to her mum's dress' she teases.
'oh yeah my baby is now a young adult' her mum adds.
Catherine stands up 'Right now, I need a shower'. She walks to the bedroom door and stops abruptly turning back 'Have you taken your drugs?'
'Not now' her mum replies and sees Catherine is not satisfied with the answer 'i mean I'm to take it in an hour'
Catherine sighs, relieve at the answer and walks in.
She opens her laptop to read after showering. She scrolls through her missing classes and settles in. Her eyes moves to the small portrait of her instructor at the left side of the chat group and her mind suddenly flashes to Sebastien — his appearance the last time she went to his room.
'oh my!' she slaps herself, 'what am I thinking?'. She shakes off the idea and tries hard to concentrate. Reading aloud the messages in the group but her mind keep drifting back to those thoughts. She closes her laptop suddenly ,stands up and decides ' I think I need to go for a jog'
She moves to the wadrope and changed to a tight crop top and joggers.
'Mum! I'm going for a jog' she informs her mum sitting at the backyard, receiving fresh air.
Catherine jogs down the street and up to the side of the road. She stops in front of an ice cream shop to catch some breath. She watches a couple holding each other affectionately, each with a cup of ice cream, smiling at each other .
She pictures herself and her mum doing that. She plans to do so much more with her if only she could live long till she gets a decent job and live happily together, forever. She instantly becomes sad at the thought and tears flow down her cheeks. She cleans them off and turns away from the couple facing the track back home.