Forty-Seven
My mother looks at me, eyes glassy. "How's my Daniel?"
She always asks me this question when I'm about to leave. "He's fine Mama. He misses you. But you know, Daniel. Acts all strong."
She smiles and it's genuine. My heart pulls. Her teeth have yellowish plague. I make a mental note. I'll bring some toothbrush, toothpaste and water the next time I come here. Brush them myself.
"What will you do at home?"
She's trying to keep me here longer. It must get lonely in here. Any sane person would go nuts living in such isolation. Like a hungry dog, I gobble the decent conversation. It's like those early mornings, with her helping me into my clothes, telling me I was beautiful and special when I felt really ugly and common. This is like the old times. The days I'd do anything to get back to.
I smile back at her. It's very rare that we have such conversations. She's always so mad. At me. At the walls. The nurse. Just at everything around her.
"Probably start the first chapter of a novel." I say with a smile.
She doesn't return my smile, but then I didn't expect her to. She never does. Not anymore.
She frowns. "Oh...?"
"Well... Don't get mad but I figured I'd write a book. A memoir, actually."
Her lips curl with distaste. "The Chronicles of Clara Kadre?"
"No actually, ma." I smile wider. "Broken Vows."
"What? Have you started dating? Did someone break your heart? Break their vows to you?" Her voice trembles with dread. To cement her point, she points a shaking finger at herself: look where I am. That doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that my own mother is scared of me "I feel sorry for that boy." She starts praying. Calling on Allah.
I can't help but flinch at her words, noticing the horror in them. "What no. It's about all our lives. The Addas family. Us as a family. You know? About how we all broke the promises we made to each other. Broken Vows."
She waves my words away. My mother doesn't stop praying even as I bid farewell and kiss her cheek.
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