Dare to Dream

5

(5)

The next morning she awoke to kisses from her two kids. They both knew it was mom’s day off, so Brandon had gotten up, prepared breakfast and packed lunches for himself and his sister. 

Now as they were getting ready to leave, they snuck in to kiss their mom good bye, trying their best not to wake her. 

But Gina would have it no other way. As she did every time, she would sit up in bed quickly as Melissa prepared to kiss her.

“Mommy,” Melissa screamed, as she did every time.

“You scared me.”

Gina grabbed her daughter in her arms and gave her a big hug.

“Do you know how much I love you?”

Melissa smiled and kissed her mother on the cheek.

“I love you too, Mommy.”

Melissa stood aside, so Gina could hug Brandon.

“Mom,” he argued. “I am 15 years old now.”

Gina threw aside the covers and sat on the edge of the bed quickly, grabbing Brandon and pulling him to her.

“I don't care if you are one hundred and fifteen. You are still my little man.”

Brandon hugged his mother.

“I love you Mom.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Love you too.”

Brandon gave Melissa a playful push.

“Come on, squirt.”

“I am not a squirt,” she snapped back at him, stopping suddenly and folding her arms.

She glared at her brother.

He bowed to her.

“I apologize Lady Melissa.”

He took her arm.

“May I escort you to school.”

“You may,” she replied, daintily.

Brandon looked back at Gina and rolled his eyes.

“Have a good day.”

She had just put on her housecoat when she heard the front door close and the distinctive click of the deadbolt locking.

She quickly used the bathroom, washed her face and hands and went to the kitchen. The smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted her.

She smiled, knowing that Brandon had prepared the coffee for her before leaving.

Gina poured a coffee, took her keys and headed out of the apartment to the mailboxes in the lobby, one floor down.

As always she took the stairs, as the elevator was, as usual, out of order.

She could hear, in her mind, Mr. Trang, the maintenance man explaining to her why it was down this time.

“Tooooo many peoples in elevator at once. You people all to fat. Break elevator. Now I have to fix again.”

He would walk off, still muttering to himself about how people in Canada should all go on diet.

She was smiling when she reached the lobby.

She bid good morning to one of the other tenants. She could not, for the life of her, remember his name.

She opened her mailbox and took out the stack of mail inside. As usual, it was an effort to get all the mail out.

“Stupid flyers,” she said aloud.

“Maybe if you emptied it more than once a week, it wouldn’t be stuffed to the gills.”

Gina turned slowly.

“You are a funny girl, Elaine.”

Elaine walked to her and kissed her on the cheek.

“That coffee smells good,” she said as she took the mug from her and sipped it.

“”You know I like milk in mine.”

Gina took the mug back.

“Believe it or not, this coffee is mine.”

“You greedy bitch,” Elaine said.

“Won’t share with your best friend?”

Gina walked away toward the stairs.

“I will leave the front door open.”