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Chapter 2: A Sunday Day Off

...

Today is my day off. I'm very grateful because it's Sunday today. Carson and Jacob are attending their friend's birthday party. The celebration was held here in the same town so I wouldn't worry about them taking a bus anymore. I and my mom was left in our home.

"Why don't you maximize your day off, honey?" my mom asked me before she started drinking a glass of milk.

"I am," I told her before giving her a cup of soup. We're eating our lunch now because it's already noon.

"Taking care of your mother will never be a day off, Gwen. Go ahead and take a walk in places you want to go," she told me while eating.

"But what about you?" I asked her.

She sighed when I said that. "Gwen, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, sweetie."

"No, mom. I'll always worry about you. What if you fall again? Carson and Jacob aren't here so I need to be here to look after you," I said to her.

"Gwen, I promise I'll not do anything that will make you worry. Now, take a bath and go wherever you want for today," she told me.

...

Who am I to disobey my mother, right? I'm now taking a bath, still hesitating if I should really leave her alone in here. After what happened the other night, I can't help but think that she might hurt herself again and I don't want that to happen. But she made a promise that she'll take care of herself today. I should trust her.

After I take a bath, I dried my hair using a blower that my mother bought when she was still working. It's not actually broken but sometimes it doesn't work normally. After I dried my hair, I wore a simple baby pink dress and flats. I'm not used to wearing high heels and that's why I don't have one. I fixed my hair into a ponytail before going out of my room.

"My goodness, Gwen. you look very pretty," my mother said and smiled as soon as she saw me. I just replied with a smile. It's very rare for me to wear something like these because I normally wear sweatpants or jeans and t-shirts.

...

I took a bus and went to the park where I always go when I was still in high school. It was months since I last saw this place because since I started working, thinking about my personal and social life wasn't that easy anymore. I have friends who sometimes visit me at the bakery and I'm very thankful that they actually ask me how I'm doing these past few months.

As of now, I don't have someone who actually listens to my stories because I literally don't have anyone. It's not that I'm not friendly or I'm a ruse all the time. Maybe I was just born to be independent but if someone wants to be my friend then why not. I was walking around the park when I saw a kid crying. I went to him and pulled his hand so he could stand up because he was on his knees in the middle of the park.

"Hey, why are you crying?" I worriedly asked yo him.

"I can't see my brother," he said, still sobbing and he has a Spider-Man toy in his hand.

I looked around and watched everyone's faces if they were looking for someone, specifically a kid. I saw no one with a worried look on their face. I held the boy's hand and I told him to stop crying.

"Oh no. What if Jeremy left me already?" he cried harder and harder which made people look at us. I went down on my knee so I could be on his level.

"Shhhh. Don't worry. I won't abandon you here. But first, what's your name?" I asked while wiping the tears on his face with my handkerchief.

"Noah," he told me, trying so hard to not cry.

"Okay, Noah. We'll find your brother right now so stop crying first," I said and pouted so he'd trust me. I think he's around five to seven years old. When Carson, my little brother, was at this age, he was actually a cry baby too. I was holding his hand when we started walking. "What is the color of your brother's shirt?" I asked him for further information so I could see him easily.

"I think it's white," he told me. I noticed he was still sobbing and it hurts to see him like that. The park is too big and a lot of people are here today so it's somehow hard to find someone in a white shirt because a lot of men here are wearing that color.

"Noah, what does your brother look like?" I asked him again.

"He's tall and uhm... he wears glasses," he said so I looked for someone who has glasses. Some people wear glasses too and wear a white shirt. I asked one of them and he said he was not here with anyone. Noah was still crying so I'm thinking I should buy him food, ice cream to be exact.

"What flavor do you want, sweetie?" I asked him.

"Chocolate," he whispered. He's so cute because I know he wants the ice cream but he was shy.

"One chocolate ice cream, please," I told the ice cream seller.

"Right away, Ma'am," he responded before preparing our order. I'm not much into ice cream but I know it's the best medicine for a crying child.

"Why are you buying me ice cream?" he asked while wiping his tears.

"It's because you're sad. I don't want to see cute children crying," I teased him and he giggled a bit.

"Here's your order, Ma'am." The ice cream seller gave me the ice cream and I paid for it. I gave it to little Noah and he gladly accepted it.

"Thank you," I told the ice cream seller before we continued walking. Noah was busy eating his ice cream so I didn't bother to ask him anymore.

We were walking but because I was looking around, I didn't notice I bumped into someone. I automatically said 'sorry' to him until I realized he looks someone that Noah described. Tall, check. White shirt, check. Wearing eyeglasses, check.

"Noah, are you okay?" He kneeled in front of Noah who was still eating his ice cream. He got some on his cheeks which made him look messy but cute. "Don't ever let go of my hand like that again, okay?"

"She bought me ice cream!" Noah happily said and pointed to me. His brother stood up and looked at me.

"Thank you for looking after him. I'm Jeremy," he introduced himself before he offered a hand.