ROSE'S P.O.V
2 weeks later
I got a job at a small diner to pay for my school expenses since that I have no family on this side, or that is what I thought when I got to New York, but what kept bugging me today was the fact that there was a lady in the diner staring at my every move that I have made since I came in.
She would arrive before I came and she would leave till I am done working. I mean she looks so posh like she does not belong in such a place normally a diner would not work or people like her, but she comes here every day, I wonder why?
Today she is sitting at one of my tables, but I do not know if I even want to serve her because of her constantly coming here staring at me. Okay I am going to find out what's this woman's problem with me, as I walked to her, I became more nervous.
"Good afternoon, madam, can I take..."I stopped when I realised who this lady was in front of me.
I just stared at her, I spoke nothing but looked at her, my mouth was open, and my eyes went wide, my words cannot be formed anymore. The lady who left me when I was younger, the person who lost most of my life, the person who missed 15 of my birthdays, the person who missed my graduations, the person who left me to get beaten, that one person who abandoned me when I was a child is sitting right in front of me, and that is none other than my MOTHER...
"MOM?" I spoke. "Hi Rose?" she spoke.
Is this all she is going to say, is "hi ROSE?" no explanation on why she was not present for 15 years of my life? Why did she abandon me to get abused by my father? Why didn't she take me with her? Why did she just leave me? Didn't she even think of me when she left? Wasn't I important to her? Was I not something/someone precious? Why didn't she come back to fetch me? So many things are going through my head right now and I just want to explode in this diner where everyone can hear my outburst...
"Rose, you have one more table left after that one that you have now." Kathy spoke. "Can I take your order please?" I spoke to my mother, but I spoke to her with hatred and like she is not even my mother anymore. "Rose." she spoke it more as a whisper. "Are you going to order or not?" I asked. "Just get me a coffee please?" she spoke.
I took her order and gave it to Monique to complete, then I went to serve the other table.
"Good afternoon, how are you gentlemen...Can I take your order?" I asked. "Um... yes... I would like the girl standing in front of me." one of them spoke. "Uhm. I am sorry sir but unfortunately that is not on the menu." I spoke. "Too bad, just wish you were on it." he spoke, licking his lips.
I felt uneasy.
"Tony, stop it." one of them spoke. "Sorry about that miss..." the one that stopped his friend from misbehaving. "Um...can I please take your order." I asked. "Yes, 4 coffees please." the other one spoke. "Okay, anything else." I asked.
I walked back to Monique, and she finished my mom's coffee, I took it to her, and she just sat there. The bell rang for my shift to be over, and Katherine took over my place and served that other four boys.
I took my bag and left the diner, my mother got up as well, but I have decided to ignore her.
"Rose? Can we talk please?" she asked but I did not reply. I wanted to continue walking but she grabbed my wrists. I turned around.
"I think I'm your mother and I would like that respect from my daughter. My flesh?" she spoke. I gave off a small chuckle.
"Respect? Do you want respect from me? Your respect died the day you left me with my father, the day he decided he was going to abuse me. Since that day I have lost respect for you. Did you even think of coming to get me? Did you even think of returning? Where were you when I fell off a bike? When I finished primary school or at least tried to finish high school? Where were you? Oh, right, you were enjoying life. I have no time to listen to anything you have to say to me because it's probably made up lies, so I'm asking if you could kindly take your hand off me because I have somewhere to be." I spoke.
She just stared at me and with a guilty face. I was about to turn when she spoke.
"I never enjoyed my life here because all I thought about was you. I never returned because your father abused me. I could not take you with me because I could not even feed myself, how was I supposed to take care of you? I sent you letters every day, but I got no reply from you. I even came to visit you one time and your father refused to let me see you, but little did I know you were down in the basement being abused by you. Father... I am sorry Rose, I should have fought for you, but I did not, I am a bad mother, I deserve all your hatred for you right, but I hope someday you can forgive me." she spoke, wiping her tears and turned away.