Fiction

Day Fourteen: Someone you’ve drifted away from

Yo Habz,

It’s been a long minute. I don’t know how it happened and who stopped reaching out first. All I remember is that it’s been almost a year of no serious talk and well, I sorta kinda miss our goofy conversations. Writing this, I just realised that most of the people I could/can really connect with were brought to me by the Internet. You were gift-wrapped and sent to me by Mark Z and I remember getting a bit excited by the request from ‘one cute boy’, as I had explained to Mata.

A Mother's Plea

Dear Son,

I’ll tell you a story. I beg not for your pity, nor do I wish to see you angry after hearing it. See, I have watched you grow from a distance, turning into a fine young man. The apple surely does not fall far from the tree. I watched as you went through our traditional rites of passage, wishing I were near you, to provide the love and comfort only mothers are wont to give. I noticed your eyes grow cloudy and your heart heavy, as you watched your mates run into the safe arms of their mothers.

For Better or Worse (Part 4 - The End)

Inside the car, John had successfully escaped his airbag and was frantically ripping Isa's away from her face. Tears began to fall from her eyes, and he looked at her and muttered apologies, wiping them. He reached for her door handle, pushed it open and turned back to her. "I'll come get you out, just cover your face, OK? OK?"

She nodded. It took a little more effort to get his door open, and then John ran to the other side of the car and carried Isa out as carefully as he could.

"I'm alright. I can walk John, I'm alright." She said reaching for his face and feeling its features as if to make sure that they were all intact.

He set her down. "I'm... babe I'm so sorry..."

"Don't," she cut him off, "don't say anything.

For Better or Worse (Part 3)

That was when John began to sleep in Modou's old room. He sat on the bed looking at his son's old textbooks and sighed, missing him. He got out his cell phone and started to text him "I haven't heard from you in a while. Hope you're doing well in school. Stay away from those American women, you know Ma gets jealous!" He shut and locked the door and lay on the twin bed, listening to the noise of the springs. He remembered the days he could joke with his wife about her obsessive love for their son. He thought for the first time about divorce. He wished he could just be angry and beat her, but he knew better. He knew that something inside her had changed, that something had altered, and that his wife was in there somewhere. No matter how angry he was, he couldn't bring himself to let her down.

His phone vibrated, and he picked up his son's call in a low hoarse voice.

For Better or Worse (Part 2)

That night in bed, "I think we should keep the house, John" she said softly.

"I know, I agree, it doesn't make sense to ever sell property, but it's Pa's decision Isa" He moved close to her and laid an arm along her body.

 "So you didn't say anything then?"

"I told them what I thought and then I left it alone." He hoped she would get the hint without his having to tell her to mind her business. She was silent, he exhaled. "Since when did it matter so much to you what we did with Old Derelict anyway?" He moved a little closer.

She laughed. "I don't know, I guess it just doesn't make sense, his decision. So I don't get why we're sticking with it."

He reached for her shoulder, and watched the top of it glisten in the dimly lit room.