In Factorem - The Coming Winter

Chapter 3 - Mom, I'm coming home

It’s a little early for dinner, but I decide to drive over to my mom’s house now since I’m already out. Plus I think I’d like to have a little extra time to spend alone tonight, especially after all that has happened in the last day. Maybe Alex and I should go to the police and tell them what happened last night. I’m not sure we can tell them much about the shadowy figure, but Alex can at least explain the lightening strike. Besides, it sounds like they found both the shadowy guy and the homeless man in the remnants of the fire.

I pull into my mom’s driveway and send Alex a quick text before I head to the front door. “Got stuck at work longer than I meant. Be home in a bit. We need to talk about last night.”

I head up the sidewalk and stop for a moment to admire the flowers I helped my mom plant a couple weeks ago. It’s nice to know something I did turned out all right, and survived the spring showers last night. My mom meets me at the door before I can even knock and I give her a big hug.

Although I can never remember the name, she still smells of her favorite perfume. She has worn it for as long as I can remember and the scent always brings back memories. I can tell from her eyes she has been busy, and her hair is all rumpled as if she’s been running around all day. Most people say we look nothing alike, and it’s mostly due to my hair. I inherited her steel gray eyes, but I got my dad’s cheeks and coal black hair. My mom and all her family have blond hair, so when I was born I literally looked like the black sheep of the family.

“Hi mom, sorry I’m early for dinner.”

“Hi sweetie, come on inside. It’s not ready yet, but I can make a snack while we wait.”

She seems surprised and rushes off to the kitchen while I close the door behind me. The enticing smell of potatoes and pot roast has filled the house. I love it when my mom cooks for me, even though she can go a little overboard at times. I don’t get to visit as often as I’d like, which is unfortunate since she lives here alone. The news is still up on the television and she met me at the door, which makes me feel like she’s been waiting all day for me. I feel a little depressed for her loneliness now that I’ve moved out on my own. Sometimes I think I should move back in with her so we can keep each other company, but sometimes she drives me crazy with her overprotective mom-ness.

She calls from the kitchen, “So what brings you over early today?”

“I was done with work a little early and thought I’d stop by on the way home,” I shout back.

“Well I think I have some cakes here, or maybe a muffin.”

“Cakes sound good,” I say as I walk into the kitchen. I grab the plate of neatly stacked snacks and have a seat at the table.

Mom brings over some drinks. The thoughts of last night start bubbling forward in my mind. I want to tell her about the alley and the shadowy mugger. She always has a level head for these kinds of things. Always strong for as long as I can remember, but I’m not sure I know how to even bring it up.

She places a glass in front of me. “So how are you and Alex?” She asks abruptly.

“We’re fine,” I say a bit defensively. “We went to a work party last night,” I add, seeing my chance to discuss last night.

She looks me straight in the eyes. “You know you should be careful about getting to close to him.”

I roll my eyes, mostly so I don’t have to look directly at her. “Mom, you’re being a bit over dramatic. I’m not in high school anymore, and I don’t plan on moving any time soon.”

She eyes me closely then gets up from the table and returns to the kitchen. “You should consider it.”

I sigh. Dad was in special operations in the military and we moved all the time. After he died, I think she kept moving us every couple of years out of habit. She always brought up the subject abruptly and we usually moved within a couple weeks after she mentioned it.