DAZED

Chapter 14: Welcome Home

The early morning of a foggy Saturday came in the blink of an eye, any spec of the blue skies could not be seen nor there were any rays of sun. It was a fine cloudy weather to set off, probably with the car windows down when the green pastures and farmlands would be seen. The beautiful sight made my worries fade away like the greens of grass that swayed by the passing misty winds of the late morning. We were already four hours out from the city, another two hours drive and we would be arriving to town.

I sighed thinking of what my sister said before our departure,

“Do you plan on telling mom?”, my sister asked, looking over at Alexis who stood a few meters away, puffing out a smoke of cigarette.

“Sis. I think I should”, I sighed gazing to where her eyes lingered and gave a disgruntled look at the cigarette between Alexis’ hand.

‘She said she’d quit’, I thought pouting in dissatisfaction.

“Yeah well, I don’t really mind but… I hope mom’s heart takes it well”, she shrugged and walked over to her car, resigned. Her eyes still staring towards Alexis, her face looking a bit bothered by the vice Alexis’ chose to indulge into. She looked at me then came a bit closer once again and leaned down to my left ear and whispered,

“Didn’t you say that she was once a doctor?”, she asked gesturing to Alexis, pointing out what she meant to say.

“Yep, a surgeon”, I answered smiling at how her disgusted face looked. Her brows scrunched, standing straight, she murmured,

“Well, she should quit if she plans to stick around you”, of which she meant as ‘she should stop smoking if she plans to receive my blessing’. I simply giggled and approached Alexis, throwing her a mint gum in the process.

“What are you thinking about?”, Alexis asked, slowing down a bit as her eyes ventured to look at my face that was too focused outside into the green empty pastures.

I didn’t look at her and answered,

“My sister said that you should quit smoking if you want to receive her approval”, I laughed and looked back at her.

“Well, I did say I’d quit. I was just a bit nervous so I habitually lit one up”, she explained nonchalantly.

“Oh~, so you do get nervous”, I teased, poking her arm. She looked down at me smiling before she slowly picked up speed again.

It was already lunchtime by the time we arrived, greeted by a table full of home-made dishes that made every mouth water. Its aroma tingling within my nose but before I could sit and delve into a meal, mother’s tight hug left me choking for life, pinching my meatless cheeks like a child.

Her eyes suddenly squinted past me, resting on the tall model-like figure standing obediently behind me. Mother’s fixed eyes suddenly looked puzzled as it shifted between us and my older sister.

“Uh-, mom, this is Alexis. You’ve met her before, she came here once too”,

Her face was left blank for a moment before it finally dawned to her,

“Oh~, it was you! Come in, come in. We were not properly introduced last time. Come, come and let’s eat and talk”, she pulled us down into the table while interrogating Alexis, asking her trivial questions non-stop. She was even quite touched when Alexis gave a present that even I was shocked that it existed. She did not mention ever buying a gift for my mother. My heart seemed to soften and quicken by that simple thoughtful action, I smiled stupidly.

The hearty lunch went by slowly, my sister and I who simply sat munching to our heart’s content while gazing towards mother and Alexis every now and then, listening to their laughs and talks.