I still felt flashes of anger because of what Uncle Luis did. Frankly, seeing him was probably worse than being attacked by the Yowie.
But as soon as that thought flashed through my head, my knees wobbled. I suddenly remembered how intense Vere had been– how he'd made me promise that we'd go home together.
A cold sensation touched me spine, one that caused me to shiver all over. I felt like I wasn't alone anymore, like a pair of eyes was watching my every move.
Then I heard a warm voice. 'Abel?'
My mom opened the bedroom door, and I wasn't afraid anymore.
She was always able to do this; wash away all my worries with her slightly dimpled smile. Her warm brown eyes always sparkled whenever she saw me.
As usual, her curly cinnamon brown hair was braided cornrow style with gold ringlets. When she looks at me, it's like she's was seeing her most valuable possession.
Even when I acted as a brat, she was always kind and patient with me. She rarely ever grounded me or sent me up to my room.
And despite how much of a vitch life had been to her she showed everyone around her this kindness.
Even subhuman trash like Uncle Luis.
'Oh, Abel.' She gave me a giant bear hug. 'You've gotten so big and handsome! I bet you even have a girlfriend now!'
'Mom!' Red clouds blossomed on my cheek. I forgot how much of a tease she was.
Her light brown Cafe uniform smelled just like I remembered: warm, roasted coffee beans, pancakes, and vanilla.
She'd bought me a chocolate muffin the way she always did when she wanted to welcome me home.
She sat with me on the side of the bed and warmly watched while I inhaled the muffin, she laughed, tousled my hair and demanded to know absolutely everything about my school year.
If my expulsion bothered her, she definitely didn't show it. She didn't even bother mentioning it. Her only concern was how I was doing.
How was I holding up? I wasnt too sad about leaving Vida? Who was I going to miss?
I pretended to be annoyed and told her stop smothering me, but deep down, I really enjoyed the feeling of being with her again.
The weird emptiness I had felt at Vida was gone. I was content now, and all it took was her smile.
But then, Luis yelled from the couch. 'Sasha, I got Hughie to drop of the Cadillac.'
Again I got irritated just by hearing his voice. My mom gently rubbed my shoulder, saying "Be nice."
I ignored Luis and began to tell her about everything I had been through at Vida.
To worry her less, I tried to put a happy spin on just about everything that happened, even the bad parts.
I told her I was fine; That the expulsion didn't bother me that much. And the school wasnt nearly as much trouble as I was used to. I had a best friend at Vida, and I was a teachers favourite for the first time.
I didn't get into fights that often. Vida was fun and I would miss the place.
I tried to sound as happy as possible for my mom's sake, and at some point I almost convinced myself that the year wasnt so bad.
Then I started delving deeper into my memories. I remebered every fun class with Mr Kamau and my time with Vere. Now even Sansa didn't seem so bad.
My eyes became wet, thinking about Vere and Mr Kamau. Poor Vere, Sansa would terrorize him next year without me around. My nostalgia only increased until I remembered Ms. Weber… I abruptly stopped talking.
'What?' my mom asked, noticing my strangness. Her eyes peered into mine, trying to pull out whatever unable to say. 'Did something else happen?'
'No Mom, thats just about everything.'
I hated lying to her, but I was still trying to wrap my head around what had happened.
At the very least, I hoped Ms Weber was a nightmare.
Her brows creased slightly. She coult tell that something was bothering me; Something I was not saying.
'I have a surprise for you,' she said. 'We're going to Nebulae's.'
My eyes widened with excitement. 'The meadow?'
'Two nights booked at the hotel.'
'When?'
She smiled. 'As soon as you finish packing.'
I laughed like a child. I was so happy. We hadnt been to Nebulae's since I was eight, because we were always tight on money money.
Uncle Luis in the doorway and said, 'Sasha, I said I got Hughie to drop of the cadillac. Didnt you hear me?'
His tone was kind, it always was kind when he spoke to my mom. And I knew it was because he wanted something from her.
With one look at his ugly, greasy smile, I clenched my fist.
But my mom's eyes met mine and I saw her plea. It was as if she was trying to say: 'it's only for a little bit so he'll let us use his car. Please try to be nice to him.'
'Im sorry Luis,' she told Luis. 'We were just getting a little excited about the trip.'
Uncle Luis grimaced. 'The trip huh? You sure I cant come with?'
'No' I thought. 'Mom, please say no.'
'Oh I wish you could, but I promised Abel it would be a mother son outing,' my mom said warmly.
'Dont know if Im cool with that. Haven't reallt let someone else drive it before,' Uncle Luis frowned as he scratched bald spot at the back of his head.
My mom replied: 'Oh don't worry. You'll have it back with a full tank of gas'
Luis softened a bit. 'So this trip of yours...…'
'Is only for two nights' my mom supplied.
'And when you get back...'
'Yes Ill let you crash in Abel's room when he leaves for school.'
Uncle Luis shoulders slumped and his frown relaxed like he had gotten what he wanted. He let out a satisfied chuckle. 'Then yeah, I geuss if you bring it back with a full tank we're square.'
Then he looked at me triumphantly like he had won some sort of battle.
My knuckles cracked, but my mom's palm gently rubbed against my shoulder, cautioning restraint.
What had I just heard? This c*nt wanted to move in with my mom? Like I'd ever let that happen. I wanted to scream.
Why did she entertain this guy?
But I didn't want to mess this up for my mum. So I watched him leave while barely stopping myself from knocking that smug smile clean of his stupid face .
'Thank you,' my mom said. 'Once we get to Nebulae's, I'll have a few more pleasant suprises for you?' She was smiling with each word, but for a moment I thought I saw some other emotion in her eye– some kind of deep seated fear. The same emotion Vere showed on our trip home – as if my mom too sensed that something was very wrong.
But then it disappeared like it was never there. She ruffled my hair and went up to her room to change.
An hour later we begun loading our stuff into the car.
Uncle Luis came out to help my mom with her bags. He was determined, I'd give him that. My mom smiled politely, but I could tell that she was uncomfortable.
Then as she opened the car door I saw Luis stare at her improperly. I don't know my brain caught the detail, but also saw the tent in his pants rise.
Watching him waddle back towards the building, I felt a surge of pure hate and I did something I can't explain.
As Uncle Luis stepped through the door, Iifted my arm and abruptly made a fist towards him. The dead bolt on the door rattled and suddenly the door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him tumbling onto the carpet.
I was shocked and confused. Had I done that? No, that was crazy. Was it the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges?
I was too freaked out to stay and investigate anyway. I got into the Cardillac and told my mom to step on it.
Nubulae's garden was this three hundred acre botanical garden and hotel resort my mom loved so much. And I loved it too.
The hotel rooms were a string of huts at the periphery of the gardens. My mom had booked the one we'd always stayed at. Our little brick red hut, half sunken into a bed of sunflowers.
My mom had infected me with her love of the place.
She'd brought me here whenever she could for as long as I could remember.
When ever we came she would always tale me to the meadow in the center of the gardens.
She never said it outright, but I knew she loved the place because it made her feel closer to my dad. It was the place she had met him.
As we got closer the burdens she carried melted of her face and her smile became much more genuine, a decade of pain and struggle left her. Her warm brown eyes glowed with the light of the reflected sunset.
When we arrived, we pullied our room's curtains apart and unpacked. From the looks of it, the room was cleaned by the hotel staff quite frequently, but nothing had really changed since our last visit which was years ago.
After unpacking we took advabtage of the remaining daylight and explored the gardens like we used to.
We played with the butterflies, fed onion rings to the doves, and munched on the muffins my mom had brought home from work. You'd think as an adult my mum wouldn't enjoy like that, but she laughed with even more euphoria than me whenever a butterfly landed on her, orr when doves pecked at her crumbs.
Her free, childish laugh ws the most beautiful sound I had ever heard till date.
I for one, was enjoying my Uncle Luis free time. I had only seen him for a few hours and I was already sick of him.
When it night fell, we went back to our hotel room. My mom put a bunch of microwaveable pizzas into the fridge and put our star wars .
Mom told me about how her grand parents had fled from South Africa when there was violence. She told me about life as a kid in new york during the nineties.
She told me about the carrier in journalism she had wanted to pursue, when she had saved up enough money for a university degree.
Eventually, our conversation drifter until it touched upon a sensitive topic: My dad.
But maybe because we were at the place where they had once been happy together, Mom was finally willing to talk about him.
Mom's eyes went all misty. I figured she would tell me the same things she always did, but I never got tired of
hearing them.
'To some he was scary. And often he was cold to others. But he was just lonely.
He was noble and powerful but also kind. Kinder than anyone else.
When we met he tried to push me away but I didnt let him. I stubbornly stuck to his side until he became used to me. Then we became the best of friends,' she said.
'He was tall, handsome and
powerful. But also kind. You have his black hair, you know, and his dark eyes.'
My mom's gaze clouded with mist while she looked at me, like she could see a bit of my father in me.
'If he saw you now, he would be so happy.'
I was skeptical. What was so great
about me?
A hyperactive delinquent with learning disabilities.
'Why did he leave?' I asked. 'I mean… surely he didnt have to go when he already had a family here?'