Chapter 14

“Mommy. Mommy.” Amiyah wobbled over to her mother’s legs and latched on. Half of her hair escaped from the hair tie and fell over her face. She looked up at Mia, her eyes shining with admiration.

“Hello, my princess.” Mia dropped her purse on the couch, bent down and lifted her daughter up, leaning her against her hip for support. Amiyah was getting heavier; an unwanted reminder that time was dashing past them.

“Were you playing with Aunty Amber?” Mia used her free hand to brush the hair out of Amiyah’s face, the strands wet from touching her sweaty face. Amiyah nodded, looked at her aunt sitting down, blowing air out of her lungs as if she’d just ran a marathon. Amiyah laughed.

“Aunty tired now.” She reached out and touched her mother’s hair. Her eyes fixated on the clip that held up half of Mia’s hair.

“I can see that.” Mia laughed as Amber lied all the way back on the couch.

“Finally you’re back.” Amber exhaled heavily. The lactic acid that had built up in her joints was slowly dissipating as she gulped down a large volume of oxygen. “She has way too much energy for me.” Amber’s chest heaved; she wiped the back of her hand against her forehead. Her skin feeling sticky to touch, “I need a shower, “she paused, watching Mia, “And food.” She gave Mia her classic puppy dog eyes. She’d been using that trick since they were kids. It had never failed.
Mia rolled her eyes. “Go shower, I will make you something to eat and then,” she dragged her tone, adding on energetically, “it’s your turn to bathe.” She poked Amiyah playfully and she squealed.

“Ahhhh yes!” Amber rolled of the couch and landed on the floor on all fours. The thud of her knees hitting the carpet informing Mia of the action. Mia’s mouth opened and closed a few times.

“What are you doing? Mia couldn’t contain her laughter any longer.

“It hurts to walk.” Amber responded, “She had me running all over the house, I swear that was the most cardio I ever did in my life.” She wailed her knees and palm of her hands dragging along the carpet. “I am not even kidding, you’ll have to check me later and see if my body has toned up from all that exercise.” She was half way up the stairs now.

“I am glad to see you have matured with age.” Mia taunted her, Amber let out an exaggerated groan and disappeared from sight. Mia shook her head. At this rate she felt as though she had two kids around.

“What do you want to eat munchkin.” Mia placed Amiyah down on a chair in the kitchen, untangling her tiny hands from the chain around Mia’s neck.

“I want peanut butter, mommy.” Amiyah bounced up and down on the chair at the prospect of peanut butter.

“Be careful on that chair.” She counselled, placing a kiss on Amiyah’s head when she obeyed, a huge smile stuck on her lips.
Mia made Amiyah’s lunch, giving her a side of fruits as dessert. While she ate, Mia made pasta for herself and Amber. Amiyah’s eyes began fluttering open and shut, her movements sluggish. Mia took the opportunity to give her a bath and put her to sleep.

******

“It smells amazing in here.” Amber glided into the kitchen, her nose navigating the way to the food. She was in a trance; everything was brighter, more vibrant and potent. It had been a while since she’d had home cooked food; she’d even forgotten that her house had operating machines, devices and tools to create mouth-watering cuisine. Nathan usually worked long hours in the hospital and Amber herself was exhausted after a day’s work. They usually opted for fast meals. They ordered in, or ate foods that could be made in ten minutes or less.
Amber swept into the kitchen, sending a wave of lavender and roses throughout the space. Mia was instantaneously aware of her sister’s presence. She turned around; she’d been stirring the pasta and sauce together to combine everything, Amber was dazed, her nose in the air and her eyes closed. Mia turned off the stove.

“Wait till you have a taste.” She wiggled her eyebrows as an invitation. She held out the wooden spoon to Amber, a bit of the finished product on it. Amber dashed over, blew on the spoon and tasted her sister’s cooking. Her eyes closed again and sighed, her shoulders relaxing, “Mmm hmm.” she twisted her head from side to side as every bite caused an explosion of flavour in her mouth.

“This is yummy.” She praised, running over to the cabinet and pulling down a plate. “I cannot wait.” She started dishing out a healthy helping. Mia smiled, washing up the few dishes in the sink, drying them and packing them away. She joined Amber at the dining table and they ate. Amber was silent for most of it, shovelling food into her mouth like a toddler.

“Slowly, there is plenty to go around.” Mia was fascinated by Amber’s eating. The corners of her mouth soaked with the sauce.

“Oh,” she swallowed, “I have something for you.” She shovelled a spoon of pasta into her mouth and ran out of the kitchen, she came back a few seconds later. Mia still astounded by her sister’s table manners.

“I got you this.” She held out a rectangular box to Mia.

“What’s this?” Mia reached out slowly and took it. Amber sliding back into her seat and resumed eating.

“What does it look like?” her voice was muffled, she’d paused chewing to answer.

“It’s a phone box.” Mia replied, turning the box around.

“You destroyed yours when you threw it at Taylor’s head.” Amber reminded her. “Epic moment by the way, I am vexed to have missed it.”
Realisation dawned on Mia. “You bought me a phone?” she knew the words sounded stupid. She had the evidence in the palm of her hands.

“No, I thought you’d be fascinated by empty boxes like a kitten.” Amber rolled her eyes and gazed at her sister unbelievably.

“You shouldn’t have.” Mia said, she didn’t know what to say. The last thing she wanted was for her little sister to think she had to take care of her. She didn’t want her to feel that burden.

“I wanted to; think of it as a welcome home present.” Amber recommended. She felt hurt by Mia’s response. She wanted her sister to accept the gift. When they were younger and their father had gotten sick, Mia had worked jobs to take care of the family. She had never let Amber want for anything; she’d even helped her out with schools and furthering her education. She didn’t want to think that Mia would reject the littlest of help from her.
Mia wasn’t blind to the way Amber’s enthusiasm for food waned, her eyes downcast. She had hurt her sister’s feelings. “Thank you, Amber.” She reached out and grabbed Amber’s hand. “This was extremely thoughtful of you.” She smiled, noting her sister’s renewed energy.
Mia placed the box on the side and picked up her fork.

“So, I was in your room this morning helping Amiyah search for a toy and I found something.” Amber blurted out, after she’d swallowed another bite of her food.

“A toy?” Mia poked at her food with her fork and glanced at Amber, her eyebrows raising.

“Ha Ha Ha.” Amber pronounced each syllable with sarcastic displeasure. Her eyes narrowed. She was not amused. “Don’t play smart with me.” Her eyes were two daring slits.

Mia brought her fork up to her mouth and chewed on the helping of pasta on it. “Don’t be cryptic and say what you have to say.” She teased Amber, pulling a glass of water to her lips and taking a few sips.
Amber reached into her jeans left side pocket and pulled out an item. She slammed her palm down on the table, the object hidden under her hand. She locked eyes with Mia, the corner of her lips turning upwards.

“Dramatic much?” Mia waited for the punch line.

“Who’s Harvey?” Amber removed her hand from the object, a folded napkin staring Mia in the face accusatorily. She’d forgotten about him, not because he wasn’t memorable. It had to do with the sudden events that had occurred over the past few days. She’d decided that she couldn’t involve anyone else in her life right now, even if that person was meant to be a temporary placeholder.

“A relative of a student of mine.” Mia blinked and returned to eating.

“Don’t tell me you make the kids write on napkins, these days.” Amber wasn’t buying the disinterest.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Mia defended. Amber scoffed. “Hiding things from me now?” She accused. Mia sighed, unable to talk her way out of that accurate accusation she replied with, “He met me outside of school hours and gave me his contact in the event I ever wanted to see him again.”

“And?” Amber prodded, her insides tingling. She didn’t know if it was her imagination but she swore she saw a slight colouration on Mia’s cheeks.

“And what?” Mia jerked her shoulders up.

“Do you want to contact him?” Amber leaned forward, propping her face up with her hand.

“My life is too complicated right now to entertain anyone. My focus needs to be Amiyah and cutting ties with Gabriel.” She listed out her goals. She had to keep focused.

“You can also do things for you, you know that right? You deserve to be happy.” Amber counselled her. She didn’t want her sister to give up on romance because of one wrong man.

“I am doing this for me.” Mia reached out and pulled the napkin in the palm of her hand, she crumbled the material, and tore it apart. It disintegrated in her hands, any traces of Harvey’s handwriting was gone.