He Taught Me How To Find Myself

10: Awkward First Time📮

"You've got to find yourself first. Everything else'll follow"
-Charles de Lint

"Honey, we need to talk" my mother said sitting down on my bed. Her face was make-up free and she was wearing a silk nightgown. Her face was wrinkle-free and she had a small smile plastered on it.

I placed my newest read on my nightstand: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

"I don't think I did anything wrong..."

"Oh no, you did nothing wrong. I just wanted to come and apologize again"

It's been a week since the incident but my mother apologises every day and promises to try and make it up to me. I smiled at her and grabbed her soft hands.

"It's okay mom, you can stop apologizing now"

I made space for her and she came closer until she placed my head on her chest. I listened to her heartbeat and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"I invited your friends over, tonight. I want to get to know them" she said placing a kiss on my head.

"You know that you don't have to, right?"

"I don't have to but I want to, truth be told I never liked Peter but I did know that you were safe with him" she spoke softly.

"What about Dad, does he make you feel safe?" I asked as I tilted my head a bit so I can get a look at her face.

"He does. I love him a lot, I don't think he knows how much I appreciate him"

"I do" a voice said. We both tore apart and stared at the figure in the door. Dad was watching the whole exchange with a smile on my face.

"When my girls are happy, I am happy" he said walking towards us as he gave me a kiss on my forehead and my mother, a peck on her lips.

"I came to call you guys, the movie started five minutes ago" my dad said as he broke the comfortable silence and exited the door.

I stood up and wore my slippers with my mother still in my room.

"I love you baby" she said hugging me.

"I love you more"

We walked hand in hand and sat on the couch as all of us watched: Lemony Snicketts; a series of unfortunate events.

Now this is exactly what I wanted.

▪●▪●▪●▪

A knock was heard on the door and my anxiety was growing, turns out it was only the pizza guy. My mother tipped him off and took the 6 boxes of pizza he had in hand.

"Have a lovely night,"she said before she closed the door.

"I have some big news to announce" she said putting her hands together and grinning widely.

We all stopped what we were doing and looked at her.

"Proceed my love,"

"I will be taking a break from working with your father and I want to apply online and take a small course. In the meantime, I will be looking for a small job to keep me busy"

A lightbulb lit up over my head and I knew that you are thinking what I am thinking, it would be great if my mother went back to work with Mrs Mpisane.