Lovingly

They're not moving at all. They're just flat out, staring and it's starting to creep the life out of her. If she was a normal filial daughter, she would've already shout in panic but she thinks she got a screw loose in her brain somewhere, hence her staring right back at them. Waiting.

In one tense moment, her mom finally stood up, heading for the door. Her body slowly shrunk as she waits for the nag to come.

"Know what Mama? I'm getting myself some wine and I'm gonna get your vodka too." Her mother calmly stated and sashayed herself out of the room. It's her jaw that went unhinged this time. Did she hear it right?

"Extra ice Julie." Grandma's request made her the more shocked.  What's happening here? The confusion whirling in her mind makes her wanna hightailed out of her Mom's house.

"Wait grandma, what is happening? Vodka early in the morning? Wine?" Awestruck, she sagged back down her seat and fan herself. She's been sweating so much because she's scared of their humiliating nags. Now, what happened to those nags?

Early drinking too, they don't practice such things. They're both occasional drinkers, unlike her drunkard neighbour. She rolled her eyes in annoyance upon remembering her neighbour and wasn't able to stop herself from making a dig.

Back to her family, is this what you call the calm before the storm? She went into defensive mode and her eyes went wide in realization. Shit, damn her active brain for overthinking.

She fidgets as grandma took a seat in her bed where her mom vacated. Yes, this is indeed the calm before the storm. The cliff seems like calling at her now.

With a quick sign of the cross and a small prayer for the safety of her dignity, she gathered her wits to ask her grandma about what's happening again because she didn't even answer her question.

"Grandma?" The reluctance can slice a thick butter right now. Grandma nodded at her and was about to open her mouth when mom stride back in.

She facepalms in her thoughts. Good timing Mom, she mouthed and looks at the sloshing liquid in her mom's hands.

"Drink your juice Amele." her mom handed the vodka to her grandma. She was forced to pick it up like a robot and looks at them questioningly.

"What happened to the fresh fruit juice every morning Mom?" she frowned at the juice in her hand.

"Well, this is for you, child, for finally breaking free of your suffocating cage. Cheers." grandma said in a cult-like voice as the two clink their glasses together. The robot in her did the same thing. She's fucking clueless.

Julia squealed out of nowhere causing the juice in her hand to slosh around as she jumps into the air a few inches. She was so careful not to slosh it more but her good mother squeezed her in a tight hug while rambling nonsense. Her mom's drink, unfortunately, went splashing down her sweater. The cold, sticky feeling of the wine ran down her tummy. The glass of orange juice was set back down the table.

"Mom. Careful, put that drink down!" Mom did as she said, placing the glass of wine next to her juice and continues shaking her like a ragdoll. Oh my lord, her brain cells were scattering away from their right path as she gets dizzy from the shaking.

"This is your first time breaking the law my beloved daughter. I'm so proud of you!" another ear-splitting scream from her mother. Her jaw went slacked the second time today. What?

Grandma, on the other hand, hums her approval at her supposed law-breaking deed and cackles. Are they happy that I'm going to serve time? What the fuck is wrong with her family?

She dare not voice her cursings if she doesn't wanna hear the unending litany of the proper manners.

Gladly, mom stops from shaking her, enabling her to collect her thoughts and scratch the stain on her sweater. The knots on her forehead visible.

"Grandma, Mom, I'm about to serve time in jail. Your favourite person is about to be a jailbird. I'm probably hiding from the authorities and here we are celebrating? Excuse me for my language, but are you people daft? Ow--" she pursed her lips in a flick after mom taps it in chastisement.

Good lord, she always feels like a kid when they're around. She stole a quick look at grandma and she bows her head a little upon seeing a brow arched. "I mean, I'm daft, not you guys, sorry." Another awkward laugh coming from her.

"Well, back to you breaking the law sweetie. What did you exactly do? Are you a murderer now? Not that I'll protect you or something but are we going to expect some police knocking on our doors to arrest you?" Mom is surely giddy. Yes, she's excited to see her only child in a prisoner's uniform. The way she's tugging her arm says it all.

She gave her mom a side-eye and got a flick on her forehead in return, her face scrunched in indignation.

"Mom are you not getting me? You're going to have a convict for a daughter. I'm a teacher too, if I get arrested, people would question me teaching in the first place and the worst thing to ever happen, if they accuse me of preying on their children." She shudders at the picture and tried her best to get the point across to her seemingly delusional mother.

"At least you did something exciting in your life. You're so into plants that you forgot how to have fun." Shots fired by her grandma while sipping her iced vodka. She visibly flinched at the dig.

Grandma's right though, she was a loner and introvert at heart that she didn't mind being alone for long periods. She tends to concentrate on her job and nurturing the plants that she got lost in it. She didn't even notice the time flow while tending to her plants all the time. The so-called connection she needed to make went over her head. It was worse during her teenage years where all the drama happens. But, it was her choice.  She regrets nothing.

Good thing for her, she was now able to make a few friends she can talk to and it was because of her love for plants. Whatever the past, again, she regrets nothing.

She nodded her head in understanding as to the confusion on the situation, cleared. These women were just concern for her well-being and happiness.

"You make it sound like I'm a hermit grandma." She whines and attacks grandma with mighty hugs.

"You are one hun, you won't even be home here if you weren't hiding from the authorities. " Her mom joined their snuggle.

"Not too tight sweetie, my vodka's going to spill." She giggles at her grandma's plight and took the glass from her hand. Place it on her table and went back to snuggle with the two most important people in her life.

She hums in content as she wiggles her way between them. The huge smile on her face made her realized that she missed this comfort for a long time. She was enjoying living her life independently that she seldom visits her family. They were right that she needs to spend more time with other people. She will spend it wisely this time and bond with her family more.

"Now, tell us what really happened to you?" her grandma ask this time and she choked on her spit. She coughs repeatedly and thumps on her chest. Mom was quick enough to grab the nearest liquid she could find and pass it to her.

Her eyes were already watering from her coughs so she gulped down the liquid until the last drop. Unfortunately, another bout of cough wracks her body. "Mom it's vodka!" she stood up from the bed and drink the juice this time in a hurry. Relief went down her throat as the smooth taste of orange went down her oesophagus.

Both women just laughed at her poor state. "You gotta practice drinking the hard stuff pumpkin." grandma beckons her back to bed and she did as the hacking stops.

Ready this time, she made sure to tell them the details of her escape and how it started. She made sure that she didn't leave any stone unturned as she narrates the massacre of her plants.

Thinking about her plant's destruction, she shed a few tears for them as she remembered it again. Both women console her telling her that they will help her find new plants for her. "We can visit my favourite store later." her grandma kisses her head and the sniffles stop. Grandmother's favourite store is an antique shop on the other side of the city. It sells antiques and plants seeds at a cheap price.

She continues to narrate what happened and after that asks them if she could stay a little bit longer. Mom, look at her silly.

"You can move back here hun." Mom.

"Truly and if that bastard ever shows his face to you we're ready to help bury the corpse child." she burst out laughing at the dear ladies support for her.

The trio shares a laugh as the hustle and bustle of the city can be heard outside the house. It's noisy but at the same comforting because it reminds her of happy memories she spends around here. Though, she likes her place more.

"Mom, I'm hungry." a growling on her stomach follows as she grins looking at the identical cerulean eyes of mom and grandma. In contrast with her light green blinkers.

All of them stood up one and a time and trudges down the stairs chatting as they head for the kitchen. Glancing at her right, she saw a photo of a man she has been missing for more than a decade now. The smiling face of her father, wearing his muddy fishing outfit while holding out a huge tuna proudly always gives her a boost of comfort. Dad died when she was just a mere eight years old from a car accident. He was a good, kind man.

She sent a prayer above for Dad and asks him to look after her from above. Together, they prepare their breakfast and chat some more about their day as they eat.