Mom Worries

Arriving at the studio apartment that he rented cheaply, Max lay down with a grimace.

The cell phone in his trouser pocket rang, and his mother's name flashed across the screen.

"Hello, Mom?" Max greeted in a voice he kept as clear as possible.

His mother worries easily, so even a bit of hoarseness is sure to make her overthink.

"Max, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Mom. How about you?"

"I'm fine too, honey. Are you doing well, son?" His mother, Vivian, asked.

Max's throat constricted, it was hard for him to tell the truth that he had been fired from his mother.

"Max? Why are you quiet?"

"Ah.. everything's fine, Mom," replied Max who had to lie.

"Max, I have some money from cooking and catering lately. I've sent it to your account, buy food and whatever you want with that money, okay? Don't be too frugal, kid. You only live once," Vivian ordered.

"You should just keep it for yourself," Max whispered. His heart felt sliced when his mother was still worried about him even though he was an adult now.

'I'm a useless child,' Max thought sadly.

"Hmm... My beloved child is sad right now, huh?" Vivian guessed suddenly.

"Hmm?" Max gasped. His mother always managed to guess his mood.

"Don't be surprised," Vivian chuckled. "Since I still have a good amount of money left, I want to meet you. Tomorrow at 11:45 I will be in Jakarta, so we can have lunch together. Agreed?" Vivian offered.

Max was very surprised. If his mother came to Jakarta, it meant that his mother would stay with him for a while. Then he who was fired will also be found out.

"Mom, thank you. But I can't accept your money. It's better if you use it to shop for your needs there.," Max refused smoothly.

"I already bought the ticket," Vivian chuckled. "After all, we haven't seen each other for a long time, I miss you."

"Anyway, tomorrow when I arrive in Jakarta, I will let you know."

All right, in the end, Max will be honest with his mother when she arrives in Jakarta. He didn't want to lie to his mother for too long.

"Okay, I'll pick you up tomorrow. I have plenty of time tomorrow," Max said in a low voice.

"Really? How about your work?" Vivian asked in a curious tone.

'Although starting tomorrow all the work will be useless, but still..' muttered a very faint voice, but similar to Vivian's.

"What do you mean, Mom? What did you say earlier?" asked Max confused. He was pretty sure it was his mother's voice.

"Ah, nothing. So you're picking me up tomorrow, right?" Vivian dodged it casually. As if she didn't say anything before.

"Yes, Mom. Tomorrow I have business from eight to eleven," of course to pick up his things at the office, then Max can pick up his mother at the airport.

"After that, I'll go straight to the airport to pick you up, okay?"

"OK, Max."

Max subconsciously smiled, his mother is the single most precious treasure he has in this world. Vivian conceived Max at a very young age, namely 17 years. So now Vivian is only 40 years old with a beauty that is quite attractive in people's eyes. "Max…" Vivian called softly.

"Yes, Mom?"

"Tomorrow, don't forget to lock your apartment door carefully and carry two iron chains, each two meters long. After that, you also have to bring a crowbar, and a lighter, OK?" Vivian asked very suddenly and surprisingly thing.

"For what, Mom?" Max was very confused by his mother's behavior. So far Vivian has been a little weird, but Max didn't expect his mother's weirdness to go this far. Bringing iron chains, crowbars, and also lighter?

"I can't get through the checkpoint at the airport with that things, Mom," chuckled Max. His mother is just there.

"You can, I'm sure. We'll see tomorrow," Vivian chuckled casually.

"Anyway, tomorrow you have to wear a shirt, jacket, trousers, shoes that are comfortable for running, and the things that Mom mentioned earlier you have to bring, okay?" Vivian asked, again. To make sure her son does as she said.

"Mmm, okay."

Like it or not, Max complied. Although looks strange, his mother's words were never off the mark at all. And Max was able to live thanks to obedience to all the words of his mother.

He's not a Mommy's boy type, it's just that... something bad always happens to him if he doesn't listen to his mother's strange requests.

'If I can't bring in the things Mom asked for, I'll just leave them to the clerk at the door,' thought Max.

"Okay, see you tomorrow my most handsome boy! Don't forget to do what I asked you to do earlier, okay?" Vivian said cheerfully.

Sometimes, Max is a bit confused why his mother says 'My most handsome boy' when Vivian only has him. Shouldn't Vivian have just said 'My handsome boy'? Ah, well, Max's been kind of thinking about that the whole time.

"Yes, Mom. I hope Mom's flight tomorrow goes well," Max replied.

"Mom loves you, Max," Vivian said in a gentle tone.

"I love you too, Mom."

Vivian cut the call while wiping away her tears, and Max still didn't know anything.

"You will survive whatever happens, Max. I will make sure of that," Vivian whispered.

Tomorrow, something will happen, and Vivian is the only person who knows it on the whole earth.

While on the other hand, Max sighed in resignation. He had too much bad luck, but he was lucky because he had Vivian in his life.

"No matter what happens, I will take care of Mom."