Waiting for Never - Post Malone

Africa

Marli is at her parent's breakfast table. Her dad is sitting across from her and her mother is shuffling around the kitchen pretending to be busy. She is trying to enjoy her breakfast, fried egg on top of a layer of putu with tomato and onion sauce - a South African classic. It's the last time she will have this in a while and she is trying to savor it. But then suddenly her mother is talking, her Afrikaans accent thicker than normal. Marli knows it's because she is upset. "I just don't understand Marlize! Why do you have to go all the way to LA? When you could do the same thing here in New York! You are ridiculous. This whole thing is just ridiculous! Tell her please, Jerry!" Jerry, Marli's Dad opens his mouth to talk, but Marli's mother continues "You are whimsical! It's irresponsible Marlize! Jy maak my kop raas, Marlize!"

Marli drops her fork and pushes away her plate. It irritates her that her mother insists on using her full name. "Stop being dramatic, ma. You have no room to talk. I am moving to LA for a job. You moved from South Africa to America for a man. Now that's whimsical!" she says. Marli's mom slams her hand on the kitchen countertop. "HOUDING! Jerry?!" She practically screeches. Marli's dad goes to speak, but again Marli's mother talks over him. "I just don't understand why you feel the need to abandon me. You are only 19. You are still a child. This job can be done right here in New York. You hate your mother so much that you have to move across the world?" Marli wants to chuckle at her mother's dramatics but knows better than that. "I am not a child. Ma, you raised me well. You are the best mother in the world. I promise I will be ok and if it all goes wrong I will come home," she says. Her mother shakes her head and looks out the kitchen window. Marli knows it's fear that's driving her mother's actions.

"Ek is lief vir ma," Marli says, hoping that it will pacify her mom. "You should! After I have given my whole life away to raise you. One would expect you to love me," her mother says then pulls her into a tight hug, Marli can feel her hot wet years on her neck. "Drive carefully and don't forget your mother," with that her mom walks away toward her bedroom. "Give her time, Marli. She just loves you so much. You are our only daughter. Come on I will walk you down, you don't want to get stuck in New York traffic" her father says. Marli and her Dad walk down to her car that he and her brother packed for her yesterday, checking the oil and water too. "Go on your adventures, Marli. Your family will always be here. Now, I put extra cash in your bank account, drive carefully and I love you," he says and Marli can't help pulling him in for a hug trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

Leaving New York is a slow process, busy roads, people and just the business of the city only hit her fully once she is finally out of the city the silence has a sound of its own, almost louder than New York traffic she flicks on her stereo and the car fulls with her mother's favorite song. She suspects her mother has set her music in her car, it's a ploy to get her to miss her mother and it works. She is just past the city limits and she misses her mother. But she does not turn around she continues towards LA.

LA is amazing and also it sucks. A lot. She rents a room in an apartment that she shares with four other people. They don't talk much as they are all busy with their respective jobs. One is a model, one is a director's assistant, one is a barista and the other she thinks is an artist. The company she works for is a PR company, it's a new company and they are still trying to establish themselves. She is a runner, getting stuff for people going into meetings - coffee, pens, paper, whatever. She is to just be there at everyone's beck and call. The first few weeks are tough. She misses her parents and when she does phone home her mother just cries, she is lonely and is battling to make new friends. It may be because she turns most invites to parties down. The two times she did give in and go she left the parties early. She knows she needs to give LA a chance and she is trying, but it's a little harder than she thought. The people are nice, even friendlier than in New York, but she kind of misses the New York atmosphere. She is contemplating going home. Maybe she will start her law studies.