Alex's face lit up with excitement as he welcomed Sunny home. He quickly took Sunny's bag from him, his hands grasping for the straps with an eager gesture. "Sunny, you're finally home!" Alex exclaimed, his voice trembling with emotion.
Without waiting for a response, Alex turned and dashed into the house, Sunny's bag slung over his shoulder. "I'm going to call Mommy!" he shouted back over his shoulder, his voice echoing through the empty hallway.
Sunny smiled at the familiar term. Alex had always called his mother "Mommy", a habit he had developed from childhood. Growing up, Alex had spent countless hours at Sunny's house, playing with him and being pampered by Sunny's mother. As a result, he had developed a deep affection for her, and the term "Mommy" had become a natural part of his vocabulary.
As Sunny followed Alex into the house, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over him. The familiar creak of the floorboards, the smell of his mother's cooking wafting from the kitchen, it all came flooding back to him.
He walked into the living room, his eyes scanning the space for any signs of change. And there it was the furniture was gone....
And then, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the kitchen. His heart skipped a beat as he turned to face the doorway, his eyes locking onto the figure emerging from the kitchen. It was his mother, a look of surprise and joy on her face as she caught sight of his son standing on the hall way
As soon as his mother saw him, she rushed towards him, her arms open wide. She enveloped him in a deep hug, holding him tightly against her. Sunny could smell the familiar scent of her cologne, a sweet and tangy tangerine flavor that brought back a flood of memories.
He felt a lump form in his throat as he hugged his mother back, holding her tightly against him. He was overjoyed to see her, to feel her warm and comforting presence. But as he looked over her shoulder, he felt a pang of sadness. He wanted to cry, to let out all the emotions that had been bottled up inside him for so long.
But the tears didn't come. Sunny had seen and experienced so much during the war that he felt like he had lost the ability to cry. He had been hardened by the constant violence and bloodshed, and he felt like he had lost touch with his emotions.
Despite this, Sunny held his mother tightly, feeling a deep sense of love and gratitude towards her. He was home, and he was safe. For the first time in years, he felt like he could finally relax, like he could finally let his guard down.
As they hugged, Sunny's mother whispered softly into his ear, "My son, my son, I'm so glad you're home." Sunny felt a surge of love and affection towards her, and he knew that he would do anything to protect her, to keep her safe.
As his mother finally released him from her grasp, he noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. Her eyelids were red and puffy, and her eyes seemed to be brimming with a mix of joy and sadness. Sunny's heart wavered at the sight, and he felt a pang of guilt for not being there for her sooner.
He took a quick look at his mom, and his heart sank. She was slim, almost frail, and her face was etched with lines of worry and fatigue. The loss of his father still seemed to be weighing heavily on her, and Sunny could see the pain and sadness etched on her face.
"I'm home now, Mom," Sunny said, trying to reassure her. He took a step closer, his arms open wide, and his mother leaned into him, letting out a soft sob.
Sunny held her tightly, feeling a surge of love and protectiveness towards her. He knew that he had to be strong for her, to be the rock that she needed.
She was a tall, statuesque woman who carried herself with confidence and poise. People often assumed that Sunny had inherited his height from her, and he couldn't disagree. She had a way of moving with sharp, quick strides that seemed to eat up the distance, her long legs devouring the ground with ease.
As she moved, her smile seemed to light up the room, illuminating even the darkest corners with its warmth and radiance. It was a smile that could disarm even the toughest of critics, and Sunny had seen it work its magic on countless occasions.
But as he looked at his mother now, Sunny couldn't help but notice the changes that time had wrought. Her long, red hair, which had always been her crowning glory, now had a sprinkling of grey strands that seemed to have appeared overnight. The grey hairs were concentrated at the temples, giving her a distinguished, almost regal look that suited her perfectly.
"Let's go inside, Sunny," his mother said, her voice warm and inviting. But as Sunny followed her into the house, he couldn't help but notice the change in her gait. Her former sharp, long, precise stride was now slow and labored, as if something was weighing her down.
Sunny's heart sank as he realized that the war had taken its toll on his mother. She had always been a strong and independent woman, but now she seemed fragile and vulnerable. The thought filled Sunny with a sense of anger and frustration.
This damn war, Sunny cursed silently. It had taken his father, destroyed his city, and now it seemed to be sucking the life out of his mother. Sunny felt a surge of hatred towards the enemy, towards the politicians who had started this senseless conflict, and towards the whole bloody war machine.
As Sunny walked into the house with his mother, he was struck by the emptiness that greeted him. Most of the furniture was gone, and the rooms seemed to echo with a hollow silence. Sunny's eyes scanned the space, taking in the bare walls and the vacant spaces where furniture used to be.
He guessed that they must have sold some of the furniture, which explained why the house felt so empty. The echo he had heard when he knocked on the door earlier now made sense. The house seemed to be a shadow of its former self, a reminder of the hardships and struggles that his family had faced during the war.
Sunny's mother seemed to sense his gaze, and she nodded quietly. "We had to sell some of the furniture to make ends meet," she said softly. "It was a difficult decision, but we had no choice."
Sunny nodded understandingly, feeling a pang of sadness and regret. He had always loved this house, with its warm and cozy atmosphere. Now, it seemed like a mere shell of its former self, a reminder of the sacrifices that his family had made during the war.