~Meet Alice and Henry.~
I had already got off the bus and I was walking to my building. It was autumn, but the weather was a bit colder than usually. All the trees in my neighbourhood had turned into their golden, green and red costume, but the sky couldn’t be more blue and the sun more bright even if he was on its way to go down. When I looked up, I saw from the other side of the road my mother’s car parching. I smiled and start running. I saw her getting out of the car and opening the back door, I was very close to see a little boy, only 5 feet from the ground coming out off the car. He had brown hair in a Mohawk hairstyle and a small, colourful backpack.
He looked up as my mother was guiding him towards the building. He smiled to me, he left my mother’s hand and run towards me with his arms open. I fell to my knees and hugged him tight.
”Moooooommyyyyyy!” He said happily as he crossed his arms around my neck.
”Baby!” I said kindly and kissed his forehead. ”How was your day with grandma?” I asked him as I got up and took him by the hand.
”It was fun! We went to the park!” He said and looked up to me. “Grandma took me an ice-cream!”
”Oh really?” I said and smiled to him.
”Hello baby.” My mother said to me as she was waiting us out of my building’s door. I took the keys out of my jacket’s pocket and opened.
”Hello mum.” I answered and kissed her on the cheek.
Our apartment was in the third floor, so we all got into the elevator. Some seconds later I opened the house and we got in. My place was small. Actually… ok, it was too small, but at least it was our little palace.
”Henry take your shoes into the bathroom and come to eat!” I shouted as he was running to his room.
My mother took off her coat and sat on a kitchen’s chair as I was getting of the fridge a saucepan. Henry came in the kitchen.
”What are we eating today?” He asked.
”Mac and cheese.” I told him and the oven stopped. I took the plate off and cut the pasta in little pieces.
”Here you go honey.” I said and I placed the plate in front of him. Henry started eating while my mother was looking at him.
”How is dad?” I asked her as I sat down.
”He is at work.” She answered and turned to look at me.
Some minutes later, after Henry had finished with his food he turned to look at me.
”Mommy can I bring my toys in the living room and see SpongeBob?” He asked me with his blue eyes sparkling.
”Of course baby but before you go to sleep the toys will go back in your room. Ok?” I said to him as he was getting off the chair.
”Promise!” He said smiley and run to his bedroom.
I followed him with my eyes and then I turned back to look at my mother. She was looking very sad.
”So, you took the tickets?” She asked me.
”Yes! Today.” I said to her and took off my bag an envelope.
She just looked at me.
”It’s the only way mom…” I told her and looked down.
”I know, I just wish you didn’t have to go.” She answered.
”It’s for me and my child’s future. And it’s the only way.” I answered. “It’s not like I’m going to Alaska to live forever, England is a beautiful country and I have many friends there to help me.”
”Yeah, but you won’t be here, here is your family, there, there are only friends. We want to see our grandson growing up and you are too young to travel all by yourself…”
”I was too young to have a child too, but here I am.” I said to her ironically as I was started getting angry. “I want to give to my son a future, a good education and I want to work so one day he can look at me and say that I am one of his favourite heroes.
My mother tried to interrupt me but with one jester of my hand I made her sit back and listen to me.
”I know what you want to tell me mum. I have heard those words from you million times but ‘ma, all my life I was holding back to what I haven’t got and I saw many of my dreams just passing by. Now, I’m too tired for just standing and waiting. This is maybe the only opportunity that I got…”
My mother took a deep breath and looked at me with her eyes ready to cry.
”I know baby… life was unfair with you.” She tried to say.
”No ‘ma, I chose to keep him, and I chose to finish school and study as I was a young mother. And I don’t regret any of these.” I continued.
”Your father and I know very well that you are not an ordinary kid, you have so much power inside you and you know very well what you want. We know that if we try to keep you here you will hate us and you will never let us see Henry ever again and we don’t want that. It’s just that… you are still our baby girl and we want only the best for you.” She told me as she was holding my hand.
”I want you in my child’s life but here I have nothing to give to him. There I can start again and this is my only way mother…” I said to her as she hugged me.
“We will support you in everyway baby, do whatever is best for you and your son.” She whispered to my ears as I couldn’t hold back my tears.
My mother left after Henry fell to sleep. And now I was all alone. I sat on the couch and closed the TV. Silence. I opened my eyes and looked at the tickets. On Sunday evening we were flying to England, at least I had 2 days to get all the things I wanted done.
I looked at the notebook I had left on the coffee table. THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. And below that I had so many things to do: Make our luggage, pay the last rent, talk to my friend that lives in England, pack some toys that Henry might want with him… But I was all alone... and when I realised that I placed my legs close to my chest and buried my head inside.
I was scared and I had no one to hug and comfort me. All by myself. I needed so badly to cry, but unfortunately I was too strong to do this. I wanted to feel tears streaming down my face but there was something deep inside me that was holding them back. I wanted to leave this town because I had seen all these things so many times. Slowly I got up, I made sure that I had locked the door and walked to Henry’s bedroom.
Without making any sound I opened the door a little bit. My sweet angel was sleeping, I smiled and closed the door again. I walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind me. As I was brushing my teeth I looked at myself in the mirror. Big, dark brown, velvety eyes, yes as you can understand the eyes that Henry had was from his father. The good thing is that Henry had taken my dad’s hair colour, the same that I had. A warm brown colour that in the sun was a little bit reddish. I remember when I gave birth to Henry my mother had told me that I should cut my hair short, because I wouldn’t have time for me, only for the baby. But I disagreed and that’s why I still have long wavy hair. Both I and Henry have plate skin and we both have oval faces.
The house was slowly getting colder so I changed quickly to my pyjamas and went to bed. I hadn’t understood how tired I was till my head rested to the pillow and fell to sleep.
