8
When I got to my mom’s place, she was
checking in some guests.
She didn’t recognize me for a moment. Then
she started to get excited. “You’re not
supposed to be here this year?”
<
Mark’s mom had passed a long time ago, his
dad had remarried. He didn’t see his dad much.
So, I had spent my last few holidays with him. That’s three years, at least.
“You should have told me, I just cleaned up
your room!”
She kept going, “The market is closed, why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t get any groceries, let me help you with the bags!”
Outside the window was a white, snowy
landscape.
The sheets smelled fresh.
I had told her that I wasn’t going home for the
holidays. But she had been ready.
<
0900
I realized that she had been waiting for me, this
whole time.
My mom wasn’t my real mom. My birth mom
had died giving birth.
My mom was struggling to raise me. I thought
that I was a burden.
I tried to pay her back with money. But I never really told her how I felt.
Today, I realized that I was wrong.
I went out and my mom was working in the
kitchen. She had called to have some live fish
delivered. It was 22 below.
I didn’t know what to do.
I wanted to help, but she pushed me out. “| think my friend, Mike, is here, go and get the fish.
<
“And be careful, I haven’t cleared the snow.”
I was about to tell her that I was a northerner,
and I could handle the snow, when I slipped.
I was caught by someone.
“Be careful!” A man said.
