Olifina: Love And Trouble

30. New Reality

Rodas closed the door and moved further into the room with the package in his hands. He had a huge smile on his face.

I stood up as Mum walked towards me and engulfed me in a hug. Oliver stood where he was as if in a spell. He couldn't get his eyes off me and he didn't mind the fact that his staring was obvious.

I looked back at Mum who had her eyes on me the whole time.

"How is your leg?" I asked her and she nodded, telling me that it had improved greatly. I could see that from the fact that she was able to move that fast and hug me.

"Oliver has been making sure I take my treatment so my leg would get better. He wanted to stop me from coming here since the doctor said I needed some rest but I just couldn't stay away from you any longer."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I've missed you too Mum," I said in a shaky voice.

Oliver continued to watch us quietly. "How is your arm?"

"Never been better," he replied with a small smile which I reciprocated.

"Please, sit. Make yourselves comfortable."

"You speak as if this is your home," Mum said, sitting on the bed.

"No, it's not. But what can I do?" I let out a light laugh.

He took the second chair in the room while Rodas opened up the packs of food he had bought.

"Have you guys eaten?" mum asked.

"No, I just went to get something for us."

"Oh! Oliver prepared something for you to eat. He has been such a gentleman. He didn't let me do anything." She let out a laugh which even after the years we spent apart, I could still detect as fake.

I diverted my gaze from Mum to Rodas who was behind her. He had been looking at me but he immediately diverted his gaze when our eyes met. Seems he had also noticed the pretence in my mother's actions.

She, on the other hand, noticed our reaction to her behaviour and her expression changed.

"Uh, Rodas why don't we eat what my mum and Oliver brought."

He looked down at the packages of food he had before him. "Okay, if you say so."

He went to get the bag from where Oliver had kept it on the table.

"So, how has it been at home without us?" Immediately I asked that question I wished I hadn't.
It reminded even me of my father's absence.

"Not fine, " mum replied. I looked up at her, trying to hold the tears in. It wasn't good for her to see me crying. It would only trigger pent-up emotions inside of her.

"When would you be discharged?"

"The nurse says this evening, or night, rather. It's already past evening hours."

I turned around to check the time on the wall clock. It was past eight.

"We're waiting for the drip to get exhausted before the doctor can give his final verdict," I said with a hint of sarcasm.

"We could stay until you're discharged."

Mum looked over at Oliver to see if he agreed to the plan. "Can't we? Oliver."

"Yeah, we can," he replied and looked at me.

My attention shifted to Rodas who was standing in front of me with my plate of food.

"You made ceviche," I said to Oliver as I took the plate from Rodas.

I ate a part of the food and looked at him. "This is great."