for you

Part 86

The next day I woke up to the sun blinding me. My first instinct was to check my phone to see if Ruby called me back. 

But she didn't. 

For some reason this worried me. But that thought went away once I realised the time. 

12. Noon. Mom.

I jumped out of my bed and took a quick shower, got into some fresh and clean clothes before heading downstairs. I was planning to have a quick breakfast before she arrived but there stood at the door, the woman I've been awaiting for far too long. 

Our eyes met and I could see the shiny tears at the corner of her eyes. 

"Mama" I mumbled as if I couldn't believe it. I ran up to her and threw myself onto her, hugging her tight in fear of losing her again. 

"Ethan" she says as she caresses my hair. We finally pull away and she cups my face. 

"Oh how you changed over the years" she said through her tears. 

"Mama I was three" I chuckled. 

She smiled. "I waited too long to hear you say those words again. My god, it felt like hell in there. I thought I wouldn't make it through the years but I did, and I'm glad" she kisses my forehead and pulls me into her warm embrace. 

This woman felt like home, everything about her. Her embrace, her soothing words, the warmth of her body felt too familiar that I'd go crazy without it. 

"You've been gone for too long, mama. I hate it without you" I cried into her shoulders. 

"Shh, I'm here now hm? And I'm not going anywhere."

"Please don't." 

---

We bought takeout food from a Chinese restaurant and we ate our food on the living room, catching up on our lives over the past years. She was telling me her prisoner stories, and to be honest it was quite interesting. 

"I never thought police officers were that  kind" I said. 

"Me too, but I learned that life is beyond our expectations" she smiles.

That statement is more than true. 

"She was one of the kindest people there. I really do hope I get to meet her again, she's such a lovely lady" she sighs. 

"Anyway, tell me about yours. Anything going on that I don't know? My brother told me you're very introverted and you never come out of your room. I'm disappointed" she frowns playfully. 

"Well, I actually have a girlfriend" I blush. 

"What?? How can he leave such important information? Who is she?" she says excitedly. 

"Her name is Ruby Hansel. She dances and sings and is pretty good at it. Me and her actually made a cover and it blew up. Let me show you." I pulled out my phone and the realisation hit me. 

She still hasn't called back, and it's past 3.

This is actually worrying me. Did something happen to her? Is she mad at me? Is her manager mad at her? Is she-

"Ethan? Are you okay?" said mom and it snapped me back. 

"Oh, yeah I am. Sorry I zoned out" I said and unlocked my phone to search for the video. 

"Does it frequently happen?"

"Zoning out?"

"Yeah."

"Sometimes. It's nothing serious so don't worry about it" I smiled and showed her the video of our cover. 

Mom watched the whole video with a delighted expression. 

"Wow, her voice.. it's amazing. And she's very pretty too" she complimented. 

"Right? God I love her" I smile. 

"I didn't know you could sing! You really do keep things to yourself" she teased. 

"It's nothing. Anyway, I have to go to my piano class. It starts at four" I stood up and took mine and her containers to throw away.

"You attend piano classes?"

"Yeah, but just for a week. Ruby surprised me with it since she knew about my dream to learn piano" I smiled thinking back at the moment. 

"That sweet. She sounds like a nice girl."

"Oh mama she's more than a sweet girl. She's a goddamn angel. I'm gonna bring her to meet you one day." 

"S-She knows about me? In jail?" I turn to her and she was a bit surprised. 

"Yeah, but don't worry. She wasn't judgemental about it. Instead she was accepting and fine with it" I reassured her. 

She lets out a sigh of relief. "Alright then. You should head to your classes now. See you!"

"See you!" I gave her a kiss on the cheek and left the house to the studio.