With Pain Comes Love Book 1

Melo 10

I was jolted awake by Mrs. Bess jumping on my bed, just like she used to when I was a kid. This was exactly why I hated spending the night at home – she always woke me up like this. Imagine having parents who were still all over Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and even Snapchat. They just didn't want to grow up, and the comments they left on our pictures or the embarrassing photos they posted of us... best not to dwell on it. Anyway, she kept bouncing on my bed, urging me to wake up.

"Ha.a, Mom, this is not fair," I groaned, trying to bury myself deeper under the covers.

"Wakey, wakey," she sang, her voice annoyingly cheerful.

"I'm up. What do you want?" I mumbled, peeking out from under the blanket.

"That's no way to talk to your mother now, is it?" she said, plopping herself down on top of me. I was still cocooned in my blankets.

"Sorry, Mom. What's up?" I glanced at my phone. It was just after six. I pulled the blanket off my head, squinting at her. "Boobie, what the hell?"

"Wake up. I just got back from a jog with Siya," she announced, beaming.

"Yeah, well, you have a husband to tell all this to," I muttered, not quite awake.

"My husband is on a business trip," she pouted.

"It's Sunday..." I protested weakly.

"I know. He had to fly to New York. There's some stuff that needs him urgently," she explained.

"Shame, mahn," I sympathized, pulling the blanket back over my head.

"Yeah, shame, mahn. You're the closest thing to him, so I'm telling you," she said, yanking the blanket off me again.

"I didn't sign up for this," I grumbled.

"You did when you decided to look like him," she teased, pulling the covers completely off me. This woman, honestly.

"Get up, we're going to church," she commanded.

"You still do that?" I joked, testing the waters.

"I will slap the daylights out of you," she threatened, but I could see the hint of a smile.

"I was joking, geez," I laughed.

"I hope you still go to church," she said, her tone more serious.

"Like I have a choice," I shrugged.

"Why don't you teach your twin that church is actually a thing?" she suggested.

"Yeah, well, maybe if you gave her things back, she would go," I pointed out.

"Nah, she still wouldn't go. Melo, I'm worried about her," she admitted, her voice dropping to a whisper.

I sat up properly as she climbed into bed with me, leaning on my shoulder. "Ase is going to be fine, Mom. She just needs time."

"It's been five months already, Melo. They were my parents, Melo. I lost a big part of me when they died, and I don't understand why she's behaving like this. I've tried, Melo, I truly have. I don't know what to do anymore. She's my daughter, and I love her. Me punishing her is not because I hate her or anything like that. I just want her to grow up and see that there's more to life than drinking until you pass out or land in the hospital. It's not like I'm saying I don't want you guys going out and having fun, but I would appreciate it if you guys toned it down a bit. Andrew almost died because of this drinking. The truck driver that drove into him was under the influence, and look who got hurt and lost his spine in the process."

Nothing hurt more than a mother's silent cry. The things we put our mothers through were the worst. Mom and I were very close, closer than she was with the rest of my siblings; you could even say I was her favourite child. As much as we talked and sometimes had those deep conversations, it was the first time I'd heard her speak like this. I put my arm around her and kissed her forehead.