Cute Monster

37; ♡ Flashback [1]

First time I saw…

“Hey Dad!” I exclaimed as I picked up the phone. I heard him chuckling on the other side.

“Hey there sweety. How are you?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! When are you going to come back?” I felt myself whining. I looked around the room, searching for my mom.

Was she sleeping again?

She had been sleeping really early every day, and wake up in the afternoon.

I wonder if she was okay?

“Soon. I just have to finish some work, and I will be staying with you guys.”  I heard someone calling him from the other side. “Oh, I have to go, I will call later.”

“Wait dad! What about mom?” There was a moment of silence. I thought that he hung up, so I had to look at the screen to make sure he was still with me.

“Don’t worry, I will call later.” With that, he hung up, leaving me confused.

I sighed, and returned the phone to its place. “Who was that?” Mom’s voice startled me, making me jump a little. I turned around with a smile that soon vanished when I saw how she looked.

“Are you alright?” Her eyes were puffy, and red. It was obvious that she was crying. She had to lean on the door to stand up straight.

Her power seemed like it was disappearing with each moment.

She nodded lazily, and stared at me. Something was wrong.

I felt scared, not from her, but from how she became.

What was going on?

Where was her smile? Her Laugh? Her playful self?

“Jodie?” She waited for my answer. Her eyebrows were knotted with each other from worry. Her eyes were dull, and lifeless.

I gulped and cleared my voice. I couldn’t look at her in the eyes, so I had to look away. “That was…” I had no idea what to say. Lately, mom became really angry and emotional whenever I said the word ‘dad’, or asked her when he was coming. I wasn’t stupid not to notice. “… Our neighbor, Sara. She wanted to thank you for giving her your dress.” Mom nodded her head.

“Are you alright mom?” I asked, really worried.

“Yeah, Yeah.” She left.

                                              ○                                 ○                               ○

It was snowing outside. I had to wear three jackets to feel warm.

Everyone around us was having fun. Couples were walking hand in hand, and kids were running around.

Christmas was near, and I couldn’t feel happier. Every Christmas, we invite all our relative to a party in our house. It had always been fun.

Well, until Aunt Maise walks in.

She was way too strict that until now I couldn’t get near her. She has this weird glare that makes everyone scared.

“Mom, there is a store nearby, we could buy some gifts from. “ I ran to the store that I was talking about. I looked back at mom when she didn’t reply. Her movements were really slow, as if her body weighed tons, and I felt like she was about to fall down. I stopped and frowned.