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58

Still Pickering
I'm looking around curiously. We're in the suburb of Pickering, many same-looking houses with white painted wood verandas and little gardens in front of the entrance. Everything's powdered with a little layer of glittering ice. My mums new house is one of those. "See you two later", Karen says with a friendly wave and a warm smile, and then, she drives down the hill, passes a few houses, and then stops by a similiar white-painted-wooden house. We look pass her, and then my mum smiles at me. "You wanna go inside?"

"Yeah, of course." I follow her to the entrance, and she opens the door with strumming keys and a theatrically move. "Step in."

The first thing I recognize, is how friendly the whole atmosphere of the house is. We walk through a short hall with wooden floor and some painted pictures. Then we get into the living room. It is a simple partiated room with a sofa that looks quiete cozy, a big bookshelf and a commode, that is surely full with parlur-games. (At least, it was, when we lived in our old house. My mum alwys keeps saying, that you can't have a home without some parlor-games, because whenever you have guests, and they are annoying, you can propose, to play something. And otherwise, my mum and I love to play some games in the evening, even though, it's most of the time just us two.)
We make a little roomtour through the rest of the house, and I really love the little kitchen, and the fluffy carped in the dining room, that is by the way connected with the kitchen through a nice open door.

"I like it", I say to my mum. "Surprisingly, I have to say, I really like it. It looks like you made a real home for yourself."

My mum smiles. "Yes, I did. It's great, that you like it, too." She hems. "It's just that I didn't made it only for myself."

I frown. "Huh?" For a not so ridicculus second, I think, she's gonna ask me to move back in again. But then she says: "I've met someone."

.
.
.

I have hardly problems, to understand, what my mum is saying. Is there something with my ears? My mum didn't meet anyone after the divorce from my dad. She's always been saying: "I don't need another man to serve."

"His name's Garry, he's working at my office, too, he's...", "Mum", I interrupt her. "It's okay, you don't have to do this."

"Do what?"

"Explain me, why you like him. Explain me, why you two will move in together. It's your life."

"Yes, it is, but I really want you, to like him, too, I mean..."

"It's not, like I need a new father, mum", I say. "I am twenty-two, ya know?"

"Oh darling, I know. And I totally understand. I never wanted to suggest, something like that."

I laugh. "I mean, it isn't like you would marry him right now away from the spot."

My mum keeps silent.

"Mum?"

"He prpsd t me lst wk", my mother mumbles.
"Mum, what?" I didn't understand anything except the word "weak". But this can't be, what she said.

"He proposed to me last week", my mother repeats, and then looks at me very careful.

"Holy shit!", I can't hold myself back. For a second or two, I am just proceeding what my mother said.

My mother was gonna be married again. That was the message. "Okay, that's cool. Great. Really great for you." I try to smile, but it hurts a bit, and my cheeks feel a bit weird when doing it. "Do you mind, if I go on a walk? It's such a nice sunny winterday outside, and I really would like to take a look around as long as it's still lightened."

"Mandy", my mum tries to reach my hand, but I wave. "It's okay mum. It's really okay. I just need some time for myself, okay? I'm gonna be back in the evening for dinner." I stop. "Will G be here, too?"

"No, he's on a business-trip, for the next few days. Probably, he won't be back until monday. He was really disappointed, that he wouldn't meet you, but I told him, that this will be soon enough, and to be honest, I was happy to have some quality-time with you, too."

I smile again, and this time, it's a way more real smile. "Okay, great. Mum, please don't be angry, that I go now, it's just..." "You need some time. I totally understand." My mum smiles back at me, and I feel the deep connection between us again. We both went through so much together, and we understand each other without much words.
I go to the door, and I am halfway down to the hall, when my mother appears in the hallway of the second floor.

"Don't you wanna see your room first before you go?", she shouts.

"Thank you mum, but I will have a look at it, when I'm back."

"Okay, love you, darling."

"Love you, too, mum." I close the door behind me and take a deep breath. I wipe an away the tears, that suddenly appeared in my eyes and decide to walk down the street.