ALICE | ONGOING

Chapter 5 - Mother

"Hi momma." Alice greeted trying to appear cheerful upon entering her mother's room yet another afternoon, in the oncology wing of the hospital.

She averted her gaze from the TV on the wall and smiled.

"Hey, honey. How was work today?" the familiar and comforting voice greeted weakly.

Alice hugged her mother's shoulders softly, like she did almost every day, as if the woman who raised her was fragile and would break if held too tightly.

Her mother had been battling cancer for just about three years. Sometimes things got worse and required hospitalisation.

Sadly, over the course of the last two months, her mother's health had gotten progressively worse.

Alice's father had owned a successful business up until the accident. With his passing, her mother inheritted an impressive sum, enough to ensure a life of comfort for both. But when her mother's health issues began to show, Alice was adamant on searching for employment.

She had told her mother numerous times how she only wanted to feel indepentent and make a living on her own. To stand on her own two feet.

She always kept the true reasons to herself. She was eternally troubled by her mother's condition and wanted to ensure that, no matter the issue, they would still be able to cover the fees and hospital bills for any possible form of therapy.

She couldn't sit still and let her mother slide from her grasp. She wouldn't be able to deal with it. Not after losing her father. Her mother was her only rock.

She was constantly searching, finding doctors to examine her mother in hopes of a new treatment being proposed. But so far, nothing.

Alice knew, of course, that her income wasn't much, and she couldn't provide any savings with the amount she made. But, at least it was enough to cover all her personal expenses. Which ment all her father's inheritance could be invested in her mother's health. In getting her better.

"It was fine. Quite eventful compared to other shifts." she smiled almost apologetically, sitting at the side of the hospital bed, glancing down at her shoes, then at her fingers that were dancing with each other nervously.

She didn't want to trouble her mother with the occasional struggles. But she couldn't lie to her either. She was like an open book. She was simply never able to learn how to hide the truth.

"Hm? How so?" her mother asked softly, ever so curious for details.

"Um.. So, there was this customer. And I sort of spilled a tray of drinks all over him." she stole a nervous glance of her mother's face when she heard an amused gasp, followed by soft laughter.

The sound pulled Alice's lips into a smile. She loved the sound of her mother's laugh, but it had proven to be a difficult task to hear it at all over the last few weeks

"Oh, poor man! Don't worry, honey.. I mean, it was only an accident. I'm sure Marco and the manager understand." Her mother tried to ease the worry showing in Alice's features.

Having known Marco for so long, Alice's mother, Eve, was certain he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. The only son of her late husband's closest friend, Marco had first met Alice when he was reaching his teens and she was still in diapers.

Although back then they would only see each other when their parents met, they had eventually formed a friendship over the course of the years. He now was part of their small family, basically. He was a big brother to her daughter.

"Well, I didn't get the chance to speak to either of them. Marco didn't come to check on things today and the manager snuck out through the emergency exit before I had the chance to see him." Alice mumbled as she absentmindedly ran the fingers of her left hand through the ends of her soft curls, twirling and pulling.

"Well, I'm sure you'll get the chance to meet at least one of them tomorrow."

"I guess so."

Alice didn't want to speak about the incident with the man any longer. She wanted to stop thinking about him. She was here, so she needed to focus on her mother.

They went on to discuss about anything and everything they could think of.

They smiled about the happy days and also wept a little for their losses. Some days the grief was harder to suppress. Even after all these years.

They lay together in each other's arms for the remaining time until it was nighttime and visiting hours were up.

Mother and daughter exchanged more than enough goodbye kisses and a hug.

Alice left the room and took the stairs down before exiting the hospital. She sighed as the cool wind caressed her face.

She was on her way again, this time heading homewards, images of the stranger infiltrating her thoughts once again.