13 Amanda has a friend

Erika finally knew who the man was after weeks of observing her mother.

No, observing sounds too technical; It sounds like she had worked hard to accomplish this kind of mission. When in fact, she didn't do anything. Her mother was too tight-lipped about the situation for Erika to find more information about him. 

She even used her puppy eyes one time and her mother looked more annoyed at her than be convinced about telling Erika anything! It was straight-up blasphemous!

Her mother's reason whenever she asked why was that she would find out at the right time.

'Right time?! Ma I'll find out anyway, why hide it from me if that was already the case?!'

She didn't say that in front of her mother. She highly respected her mother for saying such things to her. She immediately regretted her thoughts after seeing how exhausted her mother was when she asked about the man again.

She knew something was simmering in the background, she'd seen her mother write something on a piece of paper that she guessed was given to her by the man.

'Maybe I was being a little too impatient...' Erika had thought once when she noticed the exhaustion that weighed on her mother's shoulders when her daughter reminded her of the man who had threatened to kill them. Who wouldn't?

After that, Erika stopped asking. Her mother was patient with her at every turn, it would only make sense for her to return it.

Her patience was rewarded soon. Her mother had gotten a call while they were building legos in the living room. It took one look at the number for the joy in her mother's face to melt into one of anxiety.

Erika grabbed her hand in silent support as the woman answered the call.

"Hi, Jerrick... I'm guessing you heard the news?" Amanda sighed, "I know. It was going to happen sooner or later anyway, you know that. There was no way he was just going to let me live peacefully."

Silence reigned the room. Amanda was listening to the instructions of the man on the phone while Erika was worriedly staring at her.

"I'll be there."

With that, her mother ended the call and looked back at Erika with a look that told her everything she needed to know about her mother's mental well-being.

She grabbed the piece of lego from their large pile and gave it to the girl, "Mama will have to go somewhere tomorrow that I can't bring you. I'll be dropping you off by a friend's place so you won't be lonely."

Erika wanted to protest but the amount of exhaustion that exuded from her mother despite her trying her hardest to not let it show broke her. "...how long will you be gone?"

"About the whole day."

Erika was worried, as seen from the worried bite she did on her lip as she looked away to think. This would be the first time the two of them would be separated for a long time, and while it is healthy to have connections outside of one person, she couldn't help but worry.

Nonetheless, she smiled at her mother, hoping that it would alleviate some of her mother's stress. "Okay, Ma."

Amanda immediately swooned at that smile and began showering her with kisses once again, "Thank you so much, baby! I make you something special for dinner tomorrow."

Erika's eyes shined brightly, "Really?"

"Of course! I wouldn't lie to you, hun," She said with a kiss on her cheek.

Erika didn't reply but she did stand up to reciprocate her mother with her kiss on her cheek.

x x x

Erika was awoken a few hours earlier than her usual time, greeted by an apologetic smile from her mother who was currently in the middle of dressing.

"Ma?" She asked with a slight drawl, still a bit sleepy as she had just woken up.

"Hi, my sweet. I'm sorry for waking you up so early," She apologized with a small kiss on her nose. "But you need to get ready okay? I'm dropping you off to my good friend Eliza and Ma needs to go to the courthouse."

It took some time for Erika to get down from her little bed, still a bit disoriented from the fast pace her mother was setting so early in the morning. She confirmed the time to be 5 AM when she checked the clock.

Amanda walked by her, dropping a towel on her head as she said over her shoulder, "Go wash yourself up. If you need anything, just give Ma a shout." She then flinched as a loud thud echoed from the living room followed by a curse.

"Okaaaay!" Erika shouted back as she walked toward the bathroom. 'She must have stubbed her toe.'

While it may be her first time taking a bath on her own, she didn't mind. Her mother was busy at the current moment preparing everything she needed for her trip and probably everything that Erika needed for her stay at Eliza's.

Erika was still confused by most of this world's technology but she knew their basic functions enough to use them effectively.

She stood on a stepping stool to reach the shower handle and let it run as she changed out of her clothes and put her towel to the side. The water was ice cold when she walked in, a temperature that she had missed since she arrived here. Her mother often bathed her in the warmer settings of the shower and while she didn't like it, she didn't have the power to say otherwise when her mother was washing her with a happy smile.

Erika quickly finished her bath and walked back to her room with a towel wrapped around her. She saw her mother in the living room tending to her toe while she had some clothes splayed out for her to iron. Erika laughed a little at the sight, her mother looked goofy.1

Her clothes were already laid out on her bed for her to change into, which she does without too much struggle, before joining her mother in the living room.

Amanda had gotten off the floor by now and when she saw her daughter wearing an adorable dress, she couldn't help but squeal. "Ahh! My little princess is so cute!" However, she didn't run up to her and hug her this time, her hands currently preoccupied with ironing her clothes.

"Thank you, Ma!"

The two were in silence as Amanda finished ironing her clothes before she went to grab her dress shoes somewhere in her room.

Erika was wondering what kind of person Eliza was. Her mother doesn't talk about her friends most of the time. Erika was sure that her mother didn't have any friends, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Knock knock!

Amanda groaned so loudly from her room. Erika couldn't help but giggle, her mother was extra goofy today it seems.

"I'll get it!" Erika said, jumping down the couch when her mother thanked her from her room.

Erika, being the small girl that she was, had a hard time reaching the door knob. It took parkouring to a nearby table and balancing herself off of the wall by the door to open it.

Water greeted her in the face when she tried to greet her guests.2

To be continued...