The One Who Listens

Step 4: Reconnect

Hua Janelle was sitting at her office desk, in her royal blue suit, legs up the top, dangerous pencil heels adorn ankle upon ankle. It was the end of the day, pitch darkness pressed against the entire wall glass, dotted below with the lights of traffic and neighbouring buildings. The end of the week was finally here. No more nagging of clients and customers, no more hours of back to back meetings with spoilt men, no more keeping up a people pleasing facade(she raises a middle finger to that). Two days, just two days of quiet and solace. Well, only if her husband doesn't stir up something, back at their residence. If he does, she will just hop on the immediate flight out of the country. Weekends were the only time she had for herself, and she would not have anyone, or anything to disturb it. It was the time to think back... to reflect...to regret...

If Clair wasn't an old acquaintance, a dear friend, she would have stabbed her with her heel for breaking the awaited quiet.

And if the voice on the other end of the line wasn't so unfamiliarly familiar, the mobile phone would have flown out of the window like a frisbee.

'Hi Mom...'

Her entire figure twitched and she lost her voice. She was instantly on her two feet. And pacing like a madman, polished fingers gripping the mobile phone hard, as though, if she doesn't clutch it for dear life, the line would slip away, her mind reeled.

'Is my boy in trouble?'

Throughout the years, a filter had been setted up between her mind and mouth. None of her giddiness surfaced as she spoke, just like she speaks to her clients.

"Right, It was me who signed your admission papers. Of course you'd call me." Hua Janelle huffed haughtily.

"Huh?"

"Keep it brief. Even though I should have gotten to know, but anyway. Girl, booze or weed? Or did you finally kill someone?" She didn't even let Hua Cheng process.

"Ah, mom, what-?"

"My god. Why else will you call me? A college student getting in trouble. No big deal. Though I will cut short your next monthly allowance."

"Mom-"

"Of course, that man doesn't need to know-"

"Mom-"

"So, which one?"

"N-none. I just wanted to talk." Hua Cheng murmured, glancing at his caller screen. Eight minutes more.

"Do I look like some jobless piece of muck to you?" Hua Janelle's voice flashed with annoyance.

"N-no, I just-" Whatever courage Hua Cheng had gathered to call, ebbed away so fast that it made him weak at the knees.

"I am busy. Email me whatever you wish to talk about." Hua Janelle just seemed to be in a hurry to end this conversation. Like she had always ended all their conversations...

"Ma'am, it is true though, you do not have anything on schedule anymore." Clair confirmed, loud enough for Hua Cheng to hear it from the other end of the line. He held back a snort. Clair has always been a dense cut-lip, saying things she shouldn't be at that point of time. He could literally see his mother stare daggers at the poor PA.

"What is it?" His mother gave in, or so Hua Cheng hoped. She must be tired or something because as far as he remembers, she never gives in. Mr Yin had once said, when he had come over to meet the boys during the Christmas holiday last year, "You get your stubbornness from your mother." Or rather, he was stubborn but his mother had something more than just that, she had grit.

"Mom, what did you do with my paintings?" He asked. A part of him was really curious about their fate.

"Oh- I fed them to a bonfire to roast marshmallows." There was no moment of hesitation. It was as if the answer was ready at the tip of her tongue.