Where The Wind Takes Me

FIVE

I walk into the kitchen where Makio's mother was cooking breakfast. She was wearing a  stained, off white, torn up apron with duct tape all over it. She turned around with the biggest smile on her face and a bandage on her cheek, "Hello there."

"H-hello" I responded shyly.

She places stage tip of her hand lightly on her cheek, "Oh, you are so cute!" She said cheerfully.

"Uh-um, thank you." I didn't know how to respond to what she had just said. 'I'm cute?' I thought to myself. I know that I'm small for my age, but I didn't think of myself as cute.

"Oh, no. I-I'm sorry, I did not mean it like that." She looked back at her food, "I'm just so lonely, I say the weirdest things."

"I-it's okay." She's a strange woman, but I get it. She's been working nonstop and in an abusive relationship, as Makio had told me prior to. I would be trying to be happy as well. I wouldn't want anyone to see me break into tears.

"Please have a seat. Breakfast will be served in just one minute." She gestured her whole hand towards the table.

I sat down there at the table waiting for the breakfast. A newly looking, cheap teal cloth was covering the top. 'I wonder what the underneath looks like.' I looked all around me, the walls were chipping yellow paint and wallpaper was half off. Duct tape half covering the holes that were in the walls and stains all over the tan colored floors. On one wall peeking around the corner from where I sat, I slightly saw an area of a wall that was covered with red tape.

Makio's mother appeared in front of me blocking my view, food in her hand and a smile. "Here you go" she said as she placed the food in front of me, "I hope you like it."

I looked down and saw fried eggs on top of pancakes, with some berries onto the side. I tried to smell it, but I could not smell a thing.

"Thank you," I said, "this looks delicious."

I've took a few bites into the delicious looking food, and looked up to Makio's mother who has seemed to be worried some. As she looked back at me, a fake looking smile formed on her face, and acted as if she was happy.

"Um..." I tried to start to speak, but Makio's mother interrupted.

"So, when did u dye your hair?"

"Dye?" I questioned softly, "oh, no no. This is my natural hair color." I said as pulled some of my hair to my eyes so I could see the color.

Her face looked shocked, "oh really? I have never seen that color naturally on a person before. Are you sure? Is that even scientifically possible?"

"I don't know. Maybe some gene mutilation, or something to do with me being premature?"

"Premature? You don't say? You were premature?" She said with wide eyes. Her expression calmed down and a smile formed on her face. "No wonder why are are so cute."

I felt my face get red when she said that. "Uh, yes. I was born too early, they were shocked that I survived that night. My health is poor, too, due to that."

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry to hear."

Not long after, Makio comes down the stairs slowly, "sorry I took so long".

"It's fine" I said, "your mother just served the food."

"It smells good." He said.

His mother's smile... it looked fake. "I'm glad" she responded softly.

It was silent the rest of the time. Food was delicious, but the awkwardness of sitting in a house that I am not familiar to, was slightly frightening. this vibe between them two was not happy. The air chilled coldly and tensely as I started to shiver slightly. I started to space out into the distance towards a sliding glass door that was to the right of us, and my head was becoming fogged. I was trying to get my concentration back but my sight was blurring. I tried to finish my breakfast, but my breathing became heavy. I felt that Makio and his mother were looking at me. My body felt shakey.